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Dreaded fuel pump failure


Woodie
Go to solution Solved by Ivan_B,

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I was driving and engine stopped so first thing I checked was the  fuel pump and found the pin sticking out so obviously no rocker arm pumping the diaphragm.  Took off the pump today and spring has fallen in the oil pan and internal damage to pump body so need a new pump.  Thinking the spring in the oil pan will not be a problem nd maybe when I change oil I can use a magnet to get it out.  Any body have any recommendations for a new pump. The original one that came when the car was new is in a box in the trunk and could be rebuilt I suppose.

 

IMG_2840.jpeg

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Interesting, the end of the pin sticking out looks to have a keeper on it to prevent just that.  Does the other end have a groove for a keeper?

 

 

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There are all kinds of pumps available on e-bay, etc. I am using some kind of modern pump the car came with. One thing I would recommend is switching the pump bolts to studs. This way, you would not have stuff leaking from the threads when you seal them once and for good :)

Also, you can probably fish that spring out of the pan through the pump opening, right now.

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If you have an original pump I’d rebuild it. We’ve all had problems with the pin walking out on the new pumps. Since I’m a machinist I plan on making a new pin for mine. I’ll have a shoulder on one end and I’ll drill the other end for a cotter pin. 

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42 minutes ago, Doug&Deb said:

If you have an original pump I’d rebuild it. We’ve all had problems with the pin walking out on the new pumps. Since I’m a machinist I plan on making a new pin for mine. I’ll have a shoulder on one end and I’ll drill the other end for a cotter pin. 

The kits from Then & Now Automotive come with pins with grooves in them and cir-clips to hold it in place. Diaphragm is a material that can withstand modern gas too.

 

From the OP's photo, it looks like the rod has a groove on it. I wonder if who ever put it together didn't bother to put clips on the ends.

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Thanks for all the responses. The failed pump was aftermarket and the pin was only held in by a tiny round ring set in the groove at both ends of the pin.  Really a poor design compared to original NOS one.  Will rebuild my original one that thankfully the first owner put in the trunk in 1958.

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I rebuilt my pump from a Then $ Now parts kit.  Very good quality, I'd say. Unfortunately, even though I've installed it, I haven't tried it because I haven't had the weather nor time to put my rebuilt starter back in.  So I have two things that may or may not work!

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  • Solution

While you are planning to work with your original pump, you can probably still fix and temporarily use this old one. Just take a strip of thick-enough sheet metal, drill a hole in it, put one end under the pump bolt, and shape the other end to push the pin in place. There are various (from simple to not so much) ways to keep the pin in its place :)

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25 minutes ago, Ivan_B said:

Hm, now I am interested; maybe I should source a cheap original pump to rebuild myself? I like the glass strained at the bottom... 🤔

The sediment bowls are effective. 

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  • 5 weeks later...

I went through four or five fuel pumps in a year because of the exact issue you showed in the picture.  My fix was to get a clevis pin and put a circlip on it.  I got the aftermarket pumps from O'reilly's, Motion, and three from Napa.  Nothing is worse than being on a road-trip 50 miles from town and having to push a pin back in every few miles or so to make it home (and my car is lowered 4-5").  I carry a spare fuel pump, and water pump now because of past issues with quality control on both.  Any hardware should have the pins, but you can get one at Mcmaster-Carr https://www.mcmaster.com/products/pins/end-type~retaining-ring-groove/clevis-pins-2~/

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