Hadn't run the ole girl in a month or so. I put in some new fuel with stabil and fired it up. she ran okay and a lot better on the higher octane. Next day went to run her again and no fuel to the glass bowl. HUmm! well ended up checking the pump and its shot. Does Non-ethnol with Stabil cause problems with the pumps. It had been running on regular pump gas before and just thought I'd step up since I was starting her up on a regular basis. Hard to believe the pump just gave it up when it was running fine before. I'm waiting on the new pump now but don't want to use it if non-ethnol and stabil are going to trash it. Anyone running this combination with no problems?
Prolly just some old fuel residue gummed up the pump . You didn't detail just what failed in the pump...... No, non ethanol and Stabil DOES NOT damage anything .
Thanks Nate, I guess it was just the luck of the draw but it sure seemed like a strange time for it to kick the bucket. BTW the little valves in the thing were bad not the main diaphram. It was actually really clean inside as it was a new pump when the engine was rebuilt a couple ears ago. My rolling chassis hasn't been on the road yet so the tank, lines and pump are all new. Sorry for forgetting the details! I looked for a rebuild kit but couldn't find one so ended up ordering a new pump. Its the glass bowl type cause I like the stock looking stuff.
I'm with you on mostly stock stuff . Sticky fuel pump valves and the occasional broken spring (they're tiny and *very* delicate) were common maladies of older engines, way back when I were a lad .
If I could find a source for the little valves I think I could rebuild this pump. A rebuild kit I found costs almost as much as the pump cost me so go figure.
I gave up on original style pumps years ago because {on more than one occasion} the rubber diaphragm leaked & dumped raw fuel into the crankcase. Luckily I caught it fast & shut the engine down before before the fuel diluted the engine oil & fried the main bearings. I have now converted my fleet of trucks over to all new modern electric fuel pumps.
There are two critical aspects to electric fuel pumps : The pressure is most important, not to exceed 4 #, most FLAPS will have the wrong one in stock and try to force you to buy it and maybe use a pressure regulator, this is wrong and bas as the pressure regulators reduce the quantity of fuel flow . The other is where you mount the pump ~ it's important to mound it as close to the fuel tank as possible . Never place a filter between the tank and pump ~ I get good electric fuel pumps from the junkyards for $5 because "they're bad" when it fact, every single one for thirty plus years, simply had a stupid metal too small filter placed at the inlet of the pump . I Prefer the cube type of pump, designed by Facet but sold under many different brands . these are handy because the chattering sound they make lets you know when the carbys float bowl is full, the float valve closes and the chattering slows down as the pump loads . There are many different typ / brands of rubber mounts that have a small threaded stud sticking out, these are useful to mount the electric pump inside the frame rail and quiet it .
Hey Nate, thanks for the good info. I don't have a "you pull it" yard anywhere close to me so I will do some research on the FACET pumps and see what I can come up with. We are getting a new O'Reillys in town. This seems to be the way to go for sure. I saw a tech article somewhere that showed the conversion of a stock pump to elec that kept the stock looking pump but was actually fed from the elec one. Pretty cool and still looks stock too! Have to see if I can find that one again. So far the ole girl is working but who knows how long it will last.
? Are there no auto swap meets near you ? . I find these in the milk crates at the back of vendors stalls, ask what's in there " junk" ~ any time I hear that word, I go hunting . Here's a link to Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...pump&sprefix=facet,aps,229&crid=21WQS48G3JGSU GO SLOWLY HERE ! . Make sure it's the voltage your truck is (6/12) and that it's clearly the lowest pressure possible . 2 ~ 4 PSI is perfect . The very first one you see, shows the stupid trouble causing inlet filter . There are several styles shown, all are copies of good American designed pumps . Once in a while a transistorized S.U. E - Pump from a late model (1974 ~) MG or MGB shows up folks usually have no idea what they are and they're great high flow low pressure pumps that LOOK like the one Uncle Fester cursed and pulled his hair out over in the 1950's ~ 1960's but they're not ~ they have a transistor inside instead of the contact points . The original fuel pump can be left inline , it'll pass the E-Pump's fuel with no restriction, the only problem is the diaphragm ~ last thing I knew Hemming's Motor News had at least one vendor who sold ethanol proof fuel pump rebuild kits for about $30, install one and forgeddaboutit, thanx to Joe for the reminder that when the diaphragm ruptures due to ethanol it dumps raw fuel into your crankcase diluting your oil and you may discover this as a rod begins knocking....... I too have been switching my allegiance to O'Reillys because they have better prices and seem to be willing to order in almost anything, like NAPA used to do before they began closing up stores . (I miss my local NAPA store !) . I can go on at length if you're interested but I'm sure you're well on the way to happiness and no more Summer vapor locking now .
As always Nate you are a wealth of good reliable information.I apprciate the link and the analysis on the pumps. I'll order one of the facet type and get it on the shelf for the next fuel pump fiasco! Thanks Again for all the tips and tricks.
Just remember that my tech advice is based on working on these rigs when they were just old work trucks that'd need service . Mostly it's just the basics, no one seems to care about the basics anymore .
Nate, thats the best kind of advice, That which is based on hands on expierence. Can't thank you enough.
Interesting thread. Nate needs a Youtube channel. As I've said here, before, I hate ethanol fuel. I've started searching out the non-ethanol pumps, starting to show up around my home. Usually called, "Recreational",???, fuel, it costs .30, to a dollar, more. Just to keep the corn alcohol, out! And, get ready... farm boys cried enough, and are going to push E15, on us, rather than just E10. Don't get me wrong, I want agriculture to be profitable. The problem is, corn ethanol has caused many problems. Acreage diversion for more and more corn, means less and less of other crops. Cotton, rice, wheat... etc. I don't know if you all have noticed, but, grocery prices, just keep rising. Steve.
Hear hear 50 Chevy LS3. At least give us the choice. Don’t force it down our throat. I wonder how many politicians have had to tear down the carberators on a two cycle engine.
Ethanol is trash, has been since the 1930's . Corn is a good ca$h crop already, no need to pay TAX DOLLARS to increase their profits and make food more expen$ive . ? What would I do with a you tube channel ? .
There is your answer, Nate. The world has gotten away from the simple basics. A well done, video channel might just be what folks need. Also, if you get enough viewers, for what ever reason, it gets MONETIZED. Steve.
Um, uh, I suppose this means I'd have to get and learn how to use, a video camera ? . Then folks would see my raggedy assed kountry cousin driveway and piles 'o rusty junk and poor working skills etc., etc....... I really doubt it'd be of any serious interest .
I've spent a little time on this issue. You can find the test results here: Fuel System Tech Part numbers for electric pumps are there, ways to maximize the efficiency, etc. Happy reading!