Young Ed Posted October 9, 2011 Report Posted October 9, 2011 Of the dreaded fuel pump pin failure! Today mine fell out on a pump I rebuilt myself about 17K miles ago. Guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow..... Quote
randroid Posted October 9, 2011 Report Posted October 9, 2011 Ed, If this is the original pin I guess I could give it 6o+ years to wear out but that seems unlikely as the pin is supposed to be hardened and the cam it rides on isn't. To wear so much as to fall out before it stops working is suspicious at best. Please let us know what you find. -Randy Quote
Young Ed Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Posted October 9, 2011 I don't think it was worn out just came loose and wiggled itself sideways. Thankfully not enough to let anything loose in the oil pan! Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted October 10, 2011 Report Posted October 10, 2011 So it was part way out? If it comes all the way out does it drop into the oil pan? Quote
Young Ed Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Posted October 10, 2011 If it comes all the way out the pin falls on the ground and the arm and spring can or will go into the oil pan. Quote
JohnS48plm Posted October 10, 2011 Report Posted October 10, 2011 I had a machine shop make hardened pins with a head on one end and a groove for an E clip on the other. That solved my fuel pump pin problems. JohnS Quote
Young Ed Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Posted October 10, 2011 Not sure why either the originals or the new ones don't come with something like that. The one rebuild kit we have does have a longer pin that you can peen over at least. Quote
greg g Posted October 10, 2011 Report Posted October 10, 2011 A spring metal clip is a less elegant but as effective profilactic procedure. Joe did you remember the story of Mark Aubochon's trip from St Louis to Vermont. The fuel pump pon was the last straw, especailly since the actualting rod was punched through the side of the oil pan. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted October 10, 2011 Report Posted October 10, 2011 No, I don't recall that but this discussion reminds me of how just before I installed my fuel pump I checked the pin to see if the heads were peened. I couldn't tell and couldn't remember whether I'd done it or not. The pin seemed like it was in there really tight but now I'm thinking I ought to make absolutely sure. I suppose this can't be done with the pump installed. Quote
Young Ed Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Posted October 10, 2011 Joe you can get a pretty decent look at it from underneath. I'm sure you'd want to remove it if you discovered you need to peen it better. BTW after we broke down we started towing the car home with a 30ft tow strap and I then remembered I'd signed up for roadside assistance through my collector insurance and could have had a free tow! Quote
blueskies Posted October 11, 2011 Report Posted October 11, 2011 The only roadside failure my '50 Plymouth ever had was the fuel pump pin... and 75 miles from home... Pete Quote
Young Ed Posted October 12, 2011 Author Report Posted October 12, 2011 Well here's the rest of the story. I thought it a good idea to rebuild a spare pump and restake the pin in the other one to keep for a spare. Only spare one around the house was on the engine for my next project truck. Well thats not going anywhere anytime soon so I robbed the pump. Took it apart soaked it overnight and rebuilt it monday. It was raining so I put it on tonight. Few cranks and vvvrrrmmm. Let it run a minute or two and thought I better check for leaks. Oil is pooring out of the pump gasket. Pulled it back out and the pump gasket surface is so warped you can see it without using a straight edge. How it sealed on the other engine I have no idea(maybe it didnt?) So I rebuilt a pump with a bad housing. dammit! Old pump is now back on and in service once again. Quote
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