Large oil leak from fuel pump area-251 flathead

[58Regent]

I have a fairly large oil leak at the fuel pump on my 251 flathead. Is it usually the gasket or is it possible for oil to get into the pump housing and leak? My fuel pump has a couple of slotted screws on the bottom which were both quite wet with oil. Pic:

If it's the gasket, is it readily available? Anything I should know before I attempt to remove the pump for inspection? This is my first flathead.

Thanks

Todd

[deathbound]

Can't help with the cause of the oil leak. I couldn't find a readily available gasket for my fuel pump, so I bought a sheet of Fel-Pro gasket material @NAPA & used the old one as a template & no leak.

[Tom Skinner]

Todd,

Tighten the Bolts to about 25 ft lbs for the Pump to Block (2) Bolts.

Wipe all clean and observe after a ride.

If the Pump Bolts don't have Lock Washers on them they work themselves loose after time.

I tighten mine from time to time, or maybe the oils coming down off of the Valve Cover gaskets? Snug the wing nuts on them - but not too tight.

Observe again after a test drive. Its probably just a little slow leak.

Nothing to get excited about. You can make a Gasket for either very easily.

Tom

[aero3113]

If you still have a leak after you tighten the bolts check the vent hole,on my old pump it was leaking oil (If yours has a vent hole).

Edited October 26, 2010 by aero3113

[greg g]

You may have a ruptured diaphram in the pump. Take a good smell of the oil on the dipstick. If the oil smells like gas, that would confirm that problem. the pump is sucking oil out of the sump and pushing gas in. If so time to replace or rebuild the pump. This is prone to happen with older pumps and good old ethanol laced gasoline.

[Niel Hoback]

There is a small round rubber seal around the rod that connects the arm to the diaphagm. If it wears, oil will pass by it and run out the vent hole on the side. It doesn't hurt anything, other than making a mess on the floor.

[58Regent]

Thanks guys. I'll have a closer look.

Todd