New NAPA fuel pump comes apart

[DanOlson]

I just had a new fuel pump from NAPA come apart having the spring and actuator arm end up in the oil pan. I got the truck off the dollys and moving under it's own power with the T5 5-speed behind the flathead. It was in the driveway warming up so I could adjust the tappets. After 20 minutes, I drive it into the garage and a sickening metallic sounds erupts from the engine. I turn it off, look things over, do a quick compression check and every thing feels ok. I try and start it and no fuel. After tracing it back I pull the fuel pump to find the actuator arm missing. After cooling down a little (me) I pull the oil pan to find it, along with the spring in the bottom of the pan. After examining things closely, the pin that goes through housing holding things together was not secured at all. It just worked itself out until everything came apart. On the positive side, I wasn't running down the road at speed and hurt the motor. I had the new pump on the shelf for years and decided to put it in since I had the motor out and was cleaning things up. The old one will go back in.

Guess it's true, If it's not broken..... don't fix it

Dan

[HanksB3B]

Do yo have to re-do the oil pan gasket? That can be fun! Glad your motor's o.k.

Hank

[DanOlson]

Pan ganket is fine. I do have a new one but am not going to change it.

[DanOlson]

I mean gasket, not ganket. I've had a glass or 3 of wine to settle down.

[Don Coatney]

Contact blueskies on the car side. He had the same problem and knows the fix.

[greg g]

Improper straking of the fulcrum pin. Has happened to several folks and from different manufacturers. Apparently our offshore friends haven't mastered the tecnique. Pete'e site talks about a home made clip to keep the pin in place.

[odbwedge]

that napa fuel cost you 67 plus tax you can go to autozone for 36 and buy the same pump. odbwedge

[DanOlson]

Things are back to normal. R&R'd the pan and put the old pump back on. Now I can adjust the valves.

Dan

[HanksB3B]

I never gave it much thought but as far as I know my original fuel pump is turning 100,000 miles and soon. I do have a spare and from what you guys are finding with the over the counter ones I'd better hang onto my core and find a rebuild kit. Has anyone rebuilt their own, or is there a Tech Thread on this.

Thanks,

Hank

[Young Ed]

http://www.maritimedragracing.com/then_and_now_automotive.htm I have rebuilt both my fuel pumps on my car and truck. Not much price difference but with all the issues for the store bought ones I'd rather do my own. Edited March 1, 2010 by Young Ed

[HanksB3B]

will bookmark and check it out presently.

Hank

[bach4660]

I had same problem I pulled the pin and cut a groove into,then used an e-clip. has been holding solid since.

[okwood52]

Similar problem. '50 B2B crusin' down the road, engine starts to stumble, barely keep it running with choke, finally dies in a cow pasture. Drag it home, fulcrum pin has migrated nearly completely out of pump. Pushed it back in and staked it. I thought I had done a decent job of it. Today, months later, stumble, die. Crawl under and find pin sticking out. Push it in and arrive at destination and leave it running to charge the battery. It dies while I'm in the store. Go buy a small ball peen hammer and a 2" C-clamp. It gets me home. Whew!!!

Does Andy Dermbaum have better parts than the chain stores? Or should I just cross drill a home made shaft and cotter pin it in the old one?

Man I love my ol' Dodge

[Frank Elder]

It doesn't matter who you get the fuel pump from, STAKE the roll pin every time, if it still falls out, you didn't do it right.