fuel pump issues

Hey there guys, so the other day i pulled my fuel pump and filter out of the 53 jet just to check it all out as it was cutting out at wot. filter was full of crust so i replaced that and wiped down the pump and stuck it back in. up to this point it had been running just fine except at high rpm. so stuck it back in and ive been having a hell of a time getting it to run for more than a few seconds with the help of starting fluid. and i practically drained the battery letting it turn over hoping to prime the lines. So my question is what could possibly be the problem. the pump looks practically new and worked before i pulled it. Theres no pushrod that could have slipped out because it runs off a cam lobe so any thoughts would be awesome!

Comments

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    You have most likely put the  actuating lever on the wrong side of the  eccentric on the camshaft.
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Welcome to the forum, Anderson!  You say the filter was full of "crust"?  I assume you replaced it, of course.  And then, did you discover that it was once again full of the same material?  Right off the bat it sounds as though you have sediment of some sort in your fuel line (and it's getting caught in the filter and clogging up the works).  Possibly the sediment is coming from your tank.   Is this the first time this has happened?  (It seems strange that the car would run fine, then the gas would suddenly fill with sediment.)

    One test you could do, of course, is to bypass the car's gas tank and its fuel line, and to run a rubber tube from the fuel pump's inlet side, to a spare gasoline can.  Does the car run any better this way?  If so, it's a sign that your fuel line or tank is causing the problem.
  • So Jon i did replace the filter, and now it is clear of all debris thankfully. I bought this car two months ago so this is my first interaction with the fuel system but i did take the outlet line off and no fuel came out and then i stuck my finger on the inlet hole and cranked it over and there was no vacuum.


  • You have most likely put the  actuating lever on the wrong side of the  eccentric on the camshaft.
    so how would i go about putting it on the correct side? do i just crank it over with the pump out and feel for the lobe to be at 6 o clock or something?
  • J Spencer
    J Spencer Expert Adviser
    Remove the pump then when reinstalling it point the arm downwards to get under the cam. you then may have to rotate engine until you feel the pump rise up so it is easier to align the bolts.  Hope this helps.
  • Per
    Per Member
    If you still have a problem, my experiences with the fuel line between the fuel pump and the carburetor may be helpful.  If the fuel line is original, it has a caking of lead deposits along its length.  It doesn't cause a problem if it isn't disturbed.  However this causes a problem if you slightly bend the fuel line.  Pieces of the caked off material go to the carburetor and can plug the screen above the float valve, or keep the float valve open, which causes the float chamber to overflow.
  • Well I've checked out the carb screen and didn't notice any crap in there. And I still don't understand why this is such a pain in the ass, it's a lever that's actuated by a rotating cam lobe... Am I missing something?
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    It could be a bit of gunk stuck in  one of the valves.  You should be able to feel the arm  compress the diaphragm when you install the pump. Thinking on it, it is probably not possible to get the arm under the cam without the whole thing self-destructing.  the arm sits under the  cam. 
  • I hear what your saying and I'll check it out, maybe removing it disturbed something. So heres the pump and idk what the last guy did but the welds are pretty solid. Is this a common thing to do?
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    WO!  You mean that the last owner welded the arm in place?  If so, he might have welded it at a slightly different angle to what it should be.  Which might mean that it doesn't have full contact with the cam lobe, and therefore does not have the full movement that will result in full vacuum.  You might look for a replacement fuel pump.
  • I was pretty surprised myself when I pulled it out! I'm definetly thinking of going electric with the pump at the moment because I can't find any new mechanical ones...unless someone has a source they'd like to share :)
  • onerare39
    onerare39 Expert Adviser, Member
    edited January 2017
    My suggestion would be to replace it with a real Hudson fuel pump (that's not).  Contact Wildrick Restoration at wildrickrestoration.com  They should be able to fix you up.

    BTW, The official publication of the Hudson Essex Terraplane Club is the White Triangle News, it's a great resource for parts and knowledge.  Are you interested in receiving a complimentary copy?

    John Forkner
  • Sweet thank you! And yeah that'd be super cool should I message you my email?
  • That appears to be one of the AMC near-fit replacements. They will sorta work if shimmed correctly but I'm guessing that someone installed without doing so and screwed up the arm, then welded it back together, possibly to "correct" the arm angle. Scrap it and get the correct one.

    F

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Ford Pinto pump bolts right on.   All you have to do is either utilise the return  pipe and runs a return tot he tank,  or block it off.
  • Has anyone ever found a modern pump that will work on the 212 splasher engine?
  • onerare39
    onerare39 Expert Adviser, Member
    Sweet thank you! And yeah that'd be super cool should I message you my email?
    Anderson,  send me an email with your snail mail address, HETForkner@aol.com (drop the HET)

    John Forkner
  • Ford Pinto pump bolts right on.   All you have to do is either utilise the return  pipe and runs a return tot he tank,  or block it off.
    Do you happen to know what year? 
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Sorry, don't know the year.   We never had ford Pintos over here, but a club member sent me one and it bolted right on.
  • Does it look like this?
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    Most of these pumps have a screen inside them.  Make sure that's not plugged up.
  • Pulled the pump and turns out it was jammed and wouldn't pump, messed with it for a while but I figure it's like a thermostat and when it goes it just holds wide open 
  • Hey thanks for the tip! I'll use that for sure! 
  • So I will confirm that a pinto pump fits and kicks ass, thanks for all the help guys!