Poor quality mechanical fuel pumps

[dgrinnan]

I know this has been discussed in multiple threads. For what ever reason it seems the number one after market part that everyone seems to have an issue with is a mechanical fuel pump. When I got my 47 project up and running it had a new Chinese made fuel pump that failed less than 2 hours in operation. I replaced it with a Carter. Not sure where it is made these days but the name has a long history and it had a 1 year warranty. With less than 10 hours run time on the engine it started cutting out on me at run speeds. It was starved for gas. It would start back up after a minute and I would get a couple hundred yards down the road and cut out again. I requested and received a new fuel pump from Carter under the warranty and installed it last night. After a long test drive I am declaring the issue resolved. That is for now. I am curious how long this fuel pump will last. You can go with an electric fuel pump. I really wanted to stay with a mechanical pump but I also don't want to keep fighting it.

 

Another option if you have an aftermarket fuel pump is to find an original pump for your car/truck on ebay and send it to Then&Now for a rebuild. You're going to need it eventually. Might as well be prepared.

[dgrinnan]

I just went to the Carter official web page and confirmed my fuel pump was made in China.  The old brand names in auto parts have all lost there history and reliability.  You can't trust brand name parts anymore. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

in many cases and no means am I saying this in reference to specific foot print parts, but the change/upgrade etc from OTC parts, well go to Vegas and roll the dice, about the same odds.  What to do...well still a bit of a gamble but if you glean parts from the modern cars and retrofit, they seem to last a bit better as the companies seems to have a higher standard and hold the makers to these standards.  The cheaper knockoffs and their entry level prices look good on paper and mostly that is as reliable as it gets, what you buy looks like what is in the picture.  In the world of fuel pumps, mechanical ones are not a item found on new cars.   For those using the electric as a primer pump...cheap often works well it is not constant run use.  If relying in an electric pump, very few have the performance and stamina of the Facet brand cube where as the draw back is it is not 6 volts...but if you have upgraded to 12 volts the Facet is IMO hands down, the best money can buy.  Sage advice to building your old unit either yourself or send it out....take a couple of seconds and inspect it and correct the usual cheap suspect that is the pin.  Anything else here will border/include political statements.  The fuel pump scenario had been an ongoing issue here for long many years which can be resolved with a bit of self motivated intervention.  No matter the part you need, likely it boils down to this....CHEAP IS CHEAP

[ggdad1951]

IMO a rebuild kit and an old pump body is the way to go.  I DID have an issue with that when a diaphram went bad, but that was 8 years ago and no issues since!

[John-T-53]

 

More info above... 

 

I read somewhere recently (maybe it was here) that someone sent their newly purchased Carter pump to Then and Now to have it checked (before installing it), and they replaced the spring inside because apparently it was way too stiff. 

 

Per the link above I have been running a pump now for 10 years with the repair I did after the tunnel breakdown. I have some oil leakage out of the pivot pin hole now, perhaps my spring is too stiff and it may be enlarging the hole in the casting....? Oh well, I will soon convert to an electric pump.