Moparts
Please school me on fuel pump
Posted By: Saint Crispan
Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 09:09 PM
Recently found that I was not getting gas to the carb. Long story short, decided it was the fuel pump and determined to replace it.
Turns out, it's a lot easier to pull the fuel pump than put it back in. After fussing with trying to get it back in place, found out that there is a small rod which can be pushed back up into place, and presumably is responsible for making contact with the arm and causing the pump to work.
Unfortunately, even though I can push the small rod up into place, I can't get it to stay there long enough to slide the fuel pump back into the spot where it needs to be.
Now, directly beneath the opening there is a hex-head screw. My guess is that this screw can be removed to provide access to the rod, such that you can take a small screwdriver and push the rod up out of the way long enough to put the fuel pump back into place.
My question is, if I do remove the hex-head screw, will the rod fall out, or is the opening too small to permit this?
Are there other pitfalls that I should be watching out for?
Would it just be easier to remove the rod, put a plate on the hole, and run an electric fuel pump?
Any comments are welcome.
Posted By: Paul_Fancsali
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 09:13 PM
Wheel bearing grease slop it on it will stay inplace to put the pump up
Posted By: stumpy
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 09:22 PM
grease it push it up and quickly put the pump arm under it.
Posted By: DaytonaTurbo
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 09:38 PM
Or just use a piece of wire to hold the rod up until you get the fuel pump started on its way in, then slip it in quick.
Posted By: drew72
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 09:41 PM
Or a dab of Vaseline (it dissolves in the oil better). Usually the hex plug has been in for so long you end up making more trouble for yourself than it's worth.
Posted By: Saint Crispan
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:13 PM
What are the advantages of just putting a plate on it and getting an electric fuel pump?
Can that be done? Can you just slap on a plate, or do you have to remove the rod?
Posted By: JohnRR
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:19 PM
Quote:
What are the advantages of just putting a plate on it and getting an electric fuel pump?
Can that be done? Can you just slap on a plate, or do you have to remove the rod?
The advantage is you fire the pump on and fill the bowls before starting, no more hard starting issues , and you can buy a pump that will not get eaten by the ethanol content in the fuel nowadays.
Yes you can just slap a plate on there and not worry about the rod , if fell down so you can't get the pump in correct ?
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:26 PM
i have an electric pump in my roadrunner. advantages, see above, disadvantages, feed back in the radio unless you have a modern antenna, buzzing noise in the trunk and having to be careful with fuel pressure.
Posted By: stumpy
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:30 PM
On a pretty much stockish motor you will be ahead sticking with the stock pump.
Posted By: Saint Crispan
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:35 PM
Ok, last question...the replacement fuel pump came with a thin gasket. Can I use just the gasket?
Posted By: chache876
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:43 PM
Quote:
i have an electric pump in my roadrunner. advantages, see above, disadvantages, feed back in the radio unless you have a modern antenna, buzzing noise in the trunk and having to be careful with fuel pressure.
They're also a lot more susceptible to rust and dirt thats in your gas tank, which can kill them pretty quickly. Its important to make sure you've got a clean fuel system before putting in a new electric pump.
Posted By: 3hundred
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:51 PM
Quote:
On a pretty much stockish motor you will be ahead sticking with the stock pump.
I agree, we went through three electric pumps on our Bobtail truck at work, two cheap ones and one expensive one. It can be a crap shoot. On the other hand the previous owner of my 300 installed an electric pump in 2002 and while we haven't put 10,000 miles on it it's still going strong. 
Since the 300 sits most of the time being able to fill the carb without lots of cranking is very nice.
Robert
Robert
Posted By: 3hundred
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:53 PM
Quote:
Quote:
i have an electric pump in my roadrunner. advantages, see above, disadvantages, feed back in the radio unless you have a modern antenna, buzzing noise in the trunk and having to be careful with fuel pressure.
They're also a lot more susceptible to rust and dirt thats in your gas tank, which can kill them pretty quickly. Its important to make sure you've got a clean fuel system before putting in a new electric pump.
That's probably what killed the pumps in our old Bobtail, three fuel tanks and NO maintenance and irregular usage.
Robert
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 10:59 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
i have an electric pump in my roadrunner. advantages, see above, disadvantages, feed back in the radio unless you have a modern antenna, buzzing noise in the trunk and having to be careful with fuel pressure.
They're also a lot more susceptible to rust and dirt thats in your gas tank, which can kill them pretty quickly. Its important to make sure you've got a clean fuel system before putting in a new electric pump.
That's probably what killed the pumps in our old Bobtail, three fuel tanks and NO maintenance and irregular usage.
Robert
i run a filter before the pump but in a stock motor there really is no advantage to offset the price and potential headache
Posted By: chache876
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/25/10 11:05 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
i have an electric pump in my roadrunner. advantages, see above, disadvantages, feed back in the radio unless you have a modern antenna, buzzing noise in the trunk and having to be careful with fuel pressure.
They're also a lot more susceptible to rust and dirt thats in your gas tank, which can kill them pretty quickly. Its important to make sure you've got a clean fuel system before putting in a new electric pump.
That's probably what killed the pumps in our old Bobtail, three fuel tanks and NO maintenance and irregular usage.
Robert
Yeah its a lot more common than people realize.
Posted By: Yancy Derringer
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/26/10 12:29 AM
I've installed a lot of pumps with no aid other than my finger. Pull the alternator, an easy job, bump the engine with a remote switch to get the rod "up." You should easily be able to hold it up with a finger and work the pump arm under.
If not, pull the plug, and YES the rod will "fall out" that's what you have hands for--to catch it. Now just grease it and shove it back up
Posted By: Saint Crispan
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/26/10 01:05 AM
A big thanks for all the input, but I still need to know...the pump came with a gasket, but do I still need to put gasket sealer on it before it goes in?
The one which I pulled didn't look as if it had any on it.
BTW, the one which I pulled also looked as if it were actually putting more gas up into the block than pumping it out to the carb...is that even possible?
Posted By: ireland383
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/26/10 01:23 AM
yes you need the gasket. No sealer. The pump does not put fuel into the block unless it is shot or cracked.
Posted By: 3hundred
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/26/10 01:23 AM
Quote:
BTW, the one which I pulled also looked as if it were actually putting more gas up into the block than pumping it out to the carb...is that even possible?
Yes, that's bad as you might imagine. Change the oil and filter when you're through changing the pump.
Robert
change oil before testing/running the engine
fuel pump leaking into oil pan has killed a many of them
change the oil and filter
Posted By: JohnRR
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/26/10 02:17 PM
Quote:
BTW, the one which I pulled also looked as if it were actually putting more gas up into the block than pumping it out to the carb...is that even possible?
Yes that is completely possible, the diaphragm got a hole in it from either age or being eaten by the ethanol in the fuel and that is what happens ... CHANGE YOUR OIL before starting the car again.
Posted By: terzmo
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/26/10 06:36 PM
Posted By: mopars4ever
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 10/27/10 04:46 PM
Just to let you know, the fuel pump push rod is susceptible to wear also.
Posted By: Saint Crispan
Re: Please school me on fuel pump - 11/09/10 08:10 PM
Many heartfelt thanks to all who helped me with this. I took your suggestions: moved the alternator out of the way, put grease on the rod, and pushed it back into place. Worked like a CHAMP! The fuel pump is now installed.
Also, I did change the oil like you all said to. It was in need so the timing was good, and as it turns out, you could SMELL gasoline in it.
So now I know that the fuel pump runs great, because the engine runs just fine when sucking gas out of a 5 gallon can....
But STILL won't pull any gas out of the tank. I guess I'm going to have to drop the tank, and replace it, along with the fuel lines, sending unit and pickup.
No rest for the weary...anyone have any suggestions on procedure for replacing the fuel tank?
empty the tank first,it can be heavy
try an air hose and blow back thru the line from pump to tank
check small rubber hose connections at the tank end of line
make sure you put the ground strap on the new one when it goes in