Thread: Interesting, Odd or Funny Pics II.

Originally Posted by 4bee

A friend was still driving the Cream 4 door Sedan in 1977/78. I repaired the electric fuel Pump in that car. The usual crappy sticking contacts problem, in fact the pump is the only tangible connection I have for said friend as that pump is in my S2A as a standby which gets a bit of a workout now & then.

How to Fault find? Hit the Bakelite cover with the butt end of a screwdriver & the thing goes Ape ****.


I was an Olde Hande at that, having driven a Firm's Morris 8/40 van for a few years.

Ah! That explains why the bakelite cover was always cracked!

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Ah! That explains why the bakelite cover was always cracked!

Oddly enough it never cracked & just needed a good tap to send the contact setup on it's merry way again.


Good solid British rubbish it was.

My first job with Automotive Carburettors involved overhauling and transistorising those SU fuel pumps. Recall adjusting the diaphragm so that the points just ticked over nicely.

Originally Posted by Xtreme

My first job with Automotive Carburettors involved overhauling and transistorising those SU fuel pumps. Recall adjusting the diaphragm so that the points just ticked over nicely.

Back in the late 60's early 70's I worked for Wedmaiers Kelvin Grove . when spare parts were getting low in stock of exchange brake shoes, water pumps & SU petrol pumps or if the workshop was quite, one of us mechanics were given the job of overhauling the exchange units.
We had a test bench to test the SU 's . The pump was mounted on the bench & had to pump the required amount of test fluid into a tower, there were two marks om the tower that the pump had to be able to pump the fluid to depending if it was a low or high pressure pump in a certain time. You would then adjust the diaphragm to lower or raise the amount of fluid delivered. The second part of the test was to shut off the delivery line , the pump was required to pump once every so many seconds . The third part of the test was to check the pump was not getting too hot. If it passed all three tests the pump was painted & the cap was sealed to the body with tape.
I think I have got that correct , that was 50 years ago , OMG. Memories

As for hitting the pump with a screw driver , the guys with there Morris Minor's would just kick the firewall while they were driving to wake up the pump, the Mini's were a problem you had to lay on your back in the dirt under the back of the car & give it a hit to wake it up.

Originally Posted by 1950landy

Back in the late 60's early 70's I worked for Wedmaiers Kelvin Grove . when spare parts were getting low in stock of exchange brake shoes, water pumps & SU petrol pumps or if the workshop was quite, one of us mechanics were given the job of overhauling the exchange units.
We had a test bench to test the SU 's . The pump was mounted on the bench & had to pump the required amount of test fluid into a tower, there were two marks om the tower that the pump had to be able to pump the fluid to depending if it was a low or high pressure pump in a certain time. You would then adjust the diaphragm to lower or raise the amount of fluid delivered. The second part of the test was to shut off the delivery line , the pump was required to pump once every so many seconds . The third part of the test was to check the pump was not getting too hot. If it passed all three tests the pump was painted & the cap was sealed to the body with tape.
I think I have got that correct , that was 50 years ago , OMG. Memories

As for hitting the pump with a screw driver , the guys with there Morris Minor's would just kick the firewall while they were driving to wake up the pump, the Mini's were a problem you had to lay on your back in the dirt under the back of the car & give it a hit to wake it up.

I used a similar test rig and procedure at Automotive Carburettors at Wooloomooloo, also in the late 60's. You did better than me at recalling the procedures but I think you've got it fairly correct.

Originally Posted by 1950landy

Back in the late 60's early 70's I worked for Wedmaiers Kelvin Grove . when spare parts were getting low in stock of exchange brake shoes, water pumps & SU petrol pumps or if the workshop was quite, one of us mechanics were given the job of overhauling the exchange units.
We had a test bench to test the SU 's . The pump was mounted on the bench & had to pump the required amount of test fluid into a tower, there were two marks om the tower that the pump had to be able to pump the fluid to depending if it was a low or high pressure pump in a certain time. You would then adjust the diaphragm to lower or raise the amount of fluid delivered. The second part of the test was to shut off the delivery line , the pump was required to pump once every so many seconds . The third part of the test was to check the pump was not getting too hot. If it passed all three tests the pump was painted & the cap was sealed to the body with tape.
I think I have got that correct , that was 50 years ago , OMG. Memories

As for hitting the pump with a screw driver , the guys with there Morris Minor's would just kick the firewall while they were driving to wake up the pump, the Mini's were a problem you had to lay on your back in the dirt under the back of the car & give it a hit to wake it up.

There was an Adjustment???


In Adelaide, Hannan Bros in the CBD were the "experts" with these things. Google tells me they are no longer Auto Sparkies but Supplied & Maintained "Freelite Wind Powered" Gennies. May not even be in existence now.


Interesting Post, thanks.


Actually it was Hannans that suggested I use an AC Electric Pump to overcome starting problems with my SWB Hi-Ace Van.

When sitting in the heat the original pump allowed Vapourisation in the Carby Bowl, it sitting in a high spot near the Engine cover & the fuel vapourised. The AC/SU was meant to pump up as soon as the Ignition was turned on. Never did try it as I got shot of said Hi-Ace soon after & got a LWB. That didn't seem to have the same fault.

Originally Posted by Xtreme

I used a similar test rig and procedure at Automotive Carburettors at Wooloomooloo, also in the late 60's. You did better than me at recalling the procedures but I think you've got it fairly correct.

If my memory serves me correct , there was an inner tower as well & the pump had to pump the fluid up to the top of the inner tube & the fluid would over flow into the inner tube. there must have been a drain also in the outer tube. Can not remember what the difference was between the test for low & high pressure. I think the adjustment was you screwed the diaphragm up until the points would just not toggle then down till they just toggled then backed it off one less hole than there was around the diameter of the diaphragm. After testing you may need to screw up or down one hole but usually it was correct on the 1st setting.
Couple of years ago I went to visit the old workshop , the then owner, let me have a look around & to my surprise a lot of the old equipment , static wheel balancer aligner , head light aligner, tyre changing machine , radius grinder for brake shoes & valve grinding machine were still there in the corner. I asked about the SU test bench & he told me he had given it away a couple of months earlier. Bugger I would have liked to have had that. The hydraulic hoist was still there but the old water hoist had been replaced with a two poster hoist. Quite amazing this equipment being there after 4 or 5 owners of the business.