Thread: Fuel Pump - a day wasted!

For quite some time I've had fuel leaking from the area where the fuel pump fits into the tank but only when the tank was full. Fortunately (?) tha tank doesn't stay full for long with the V8

I've always assumed it was the pump seal. The reason for that thinking was with the aftermarket Brown Davis tank, one has to cut the genuine rubber seal down to fit the tank opening. Don't ask me why BD didn't make it the same as the original tank. The BD tank needs a flat seal whilst the original (#3 in pic) is a top hat section.



So I had made up a special tool to tighten the sealing ring (different to the OEM part #4 in pic) but it didn't help.

The other day I finally found the problem. The plastic top of the pump has a crack around the electrical plug and it's just enough to weep fuel. Well, more than weep - enough such that the well around the pump is flooded with petrol.

This is where it is cracked:



Moral of the story? Don't buy aftermarket fuel pumps.

Gaaahhh!!

I've spend yesterday arvo and this morning trying to couple up the fuel lines to the replacement OEM fuel pump.

I pulled the aftermarket pump (above) out and fitted the new pump but do you think I could screw the nuts onto the fuel lines. The nuts just wouldn't take because the hoses were fouling the lip of the aftermarket Brown Davis long range tank (I'll take some pics) and wouldn't push on in alignment.

So, I eventually gave up and decided to compare the aftermarket pump pipe connections with the OEM part (I had a U/S one in the cupboard).

Well, blow me down. The supply and return pipes on the aftermarket pump sit 2.5mm higher than the OEM part and thus give sufficient clearance for the hoses to slide on and be coupled.

Gaaaaahhh!



I'll finish my calming cup of tea and then go back to refitting the cracked pump which will get the car mobile again while I consider how I can get over the problem.

Late edit: The pic above is of the aftermarket pump refitted. The blue is some plumber's plastc pipe glue I've poured around the crack, It probably won't help. You can see the crimped hose connections that foul the locking ring when the OEM pump is installed.

Originally Posted by p38arover

.... .... ....

So I pulled the fuel pump out -- a real hassle as I had to cut a hole in the floor or drop the 155 litre long range tank. I cut a hole.

I compared the float weight from the new pump with the old pump (which I had fortunately kept) and it was noticeably heavier in my hand. On a set of scales, it was twice the weight.

The new float is some sort of foam plastic. I examined it with a magnifying glass and found it had a fine split in the outer surface.

I cut off a piece of the float and could see liquid in the interstices. I squeezed the foam in a pair of pliers and petrol dripped out of it.
.... ..... ....

I had a similar thing happen to the floats in the carby of my 1969 Crown.

There was a glass window that made it easy to see when the level in the carby was wrong. I seemed to be constantly adjusting the float. It didn't occur to me that the floats were sinking.

I worked out what the problem was when I pulled out to pass a semi going up a hill and about halfway past suddenly lost a lot of power. Obviously, I normally didn't use full throttle for extended periods.

I had adjusted the floats to the point where the needle was barely opening.

The replacement floats were the more usual brass ones.

Ron, can't you either bend the pipes up slightly where they come out of the pump OR file a bit off the clamping ring where the nuts foul?

Originally Posted by Xtreme

Ron, can't you either bend the pipes up slightly where they come out of the pump OR file a bit off the clamping ring where the nuts foul?

You could ... But would have to clamp the metal pipe at the base of the plastic .. so as not to stress the plastic ... bend the the remaining pipe up by inserting a steel rod inside it + apply down pressure to the actual position to bend.



On the subject of the B/D pump ....
I don't think the blue glue is gonna work .... (google it) >>>> "Q bond" might work on a "roughened up" area

I got simple ol Araldite (+ add sand as an aggregate fill) to fix a leaking bung plug on the top of the plastic fuel tanks

Cheers
Mike

Originally Posted by vnx205

I had a similar thing happen to the floats in the carby of my 1969 Crown.

There was a glass window that made it easy to see when the level in the carby was wrong.............

Yes, remember them well... Mine was a MS55-B, 2.3litre super-smoooth 6, 3 on the tree with auto-Overdrive.

And the little verner knob on the dizzy for differant octane ratings. - Years ahead of their time... Fantastic gravel tourer.

Never had a breakdown in the 100K+ miles I did in it... You must have copped a lemon.. . (to have THAT go wrong with it.... )

Alright, I DID replace the alternator and battery, all 6 brake cylinders and a set of shoes... but I was young(er) and stupid and you should have seen the spotties and aircraft landing lights on the front!!!

If only LR's were built under licence by them.......

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

I don't think the blue glue is gonna work .... (google it) >>>> "Q bond" might work on a "roughened up" area

I got simple ol Araldite (+ add sand as an aggregate fill) to fix a leaking bung plug on the top of the plastic fuel tanks

Cheers
Mike

Amen, Q-Bond will stick plastics that are designed 'not' to stick... Dig out the blue stuff and start again with the Q

Originally Posted by superquag

Amen, Q-Bond

You've been on that god thread again ....