old-tank Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 What's this about.... I have both those fuel pumps in my buckets of stuff too. I just assumed the one on the left got in by mistake..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 Ok, sorry for the tease. I took and posted the picture from my phone and was going to go to a keyboard to tell the story, but cable was down...still down, but I found a way... Anyhow, last week I started my blue/white 55 and noticed a big cloud of smoke when if fired and then when warmed up the idle was high and irregular and the wipers did not work well: vacuum diaphragm on the fuel pump broken allowing vacuum leak and sucking oil into the engine. While searching the internet for 55 Buick rebuild kits, I ran across an Ebay posting for "late 55, 56 Buick; 57 T-bird". Some other suppliers for multi makes had the same part number for Buick and T-bird. Wondering if Ford suppliers might have a better price, I searched 57 T-bird rebuild kits and the search revealed some NEW pumps including Rockauto (listed a carter and airtex) that looked real similar to the 55 pump! Using the Rockauto part numbers I found an Amazon vender selling the Airtex 4406 pump for $52 (no tax and free shipping!). I ordered it thinking that if I could not get it to work on a Buick, then maybe I could scavenge the diaphragms to rebuild a Buick pump. It arrived yesterday and I swapped the Buick arm to this new pump and it will work. To swap the arm it needed to be disassembled (if you are not comfortable rebuilding a pump and getting aggravated by attaching the diaphragms to the links, then just send yours in for rebuild...at least you don't have to install valves and diaphragm shaft seals). There are some differences: the arm of course is different; the vacuum fittings are different, but can be adapted; the fuel inlet is in a different location and can be adapted; it is assembled with hex screws instead of the slotted filister head screws (screws from the Buick pump will not interchange) $52 and a little bench work and you have a NEW pump vs paying $80-90 for a rebuild kit or $130-150 for rebuild service with shipping extra. Function, but cosmetic differences would probably not pass judging. 12 hours ago, wndsofchng06 said: I have both those fuel pumps in my buckets of stuff too. I just assumed the one on the left got in by mistake. Matt, the flat top pump was used 53,54 and early 56; the dome top was used late 55 and 56 and are backward compatible...I used the arm with links from a dome top pump. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 4 minutes ago, old-tank said: Matt, the flat top pump was used 53,54 and early 56; the dome top was used late 55 and 56 and are backward compatible...I used the arm with links from a dome top pump. didn't you just say the pump on the left was ford? I have one just like it with the straight vac ports and the straight arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 10 minutes ago, wndsofchng06 said: didn't you just say the pump on the left was ford? I have one just like it with the straight vac ports and the straight arm. Ford on the left; your might be Ford or (?)...seems that many basic parts were used on lots of pumps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 1 hour ago, old-tank said: $52 and a little bench work and you have a NEW pump vs paying $80-90 for a rebuild kit or $130-150 for rebuild service with shipping extra Thanks for the lead Willie! And another great post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemon Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) How different are the arms? They look pretty close. I had gotten my latest pump from the big K, and lucky for me I saved my old one with the rebuilt diaphragms because it blew bough the primary diaphragm and the pulsator at different intervals. Might pick this boy up as a spare or just downright swap it in. I saw a thread about using the 55-up Chevy pump as a single stage replacement, however the body is too thin to accommodate the 56 arm and would require machining. Good to hear this works! Just looked these pumps up, they retail for $150! Willie bought his on a sale that is ongoing on Amazon right now for 66% off. When the sale ends, it can be bought from NAPA at $71. Edited January 25, 2018 by Beemon (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 Installed. Functions as expected. Too much difference in the arms, Ben...not a big deal to swap. Took me longer to deal with those *&^%$# flare fittings for the fuel lines! And I did find the vacuum lines were full of oil on the old pump. Should have painted it, but that's what brushes are for. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 Point of interest . . . is that a generic Y-block pump or are there 2bbl or 4bbl pumps? Good that you found a good alternative that can be modified! NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 18 hours ago, NTX5467 said: Point of interest . . . is that a generic Y-block pump or are there 2bbl or 4bbl pumps? Good that you found a good alternative that can be modified! NTX5467 Application says Ford T-bird 55-57 with vacuum wipers. Wonder how we could get one made specifically for Buick 322/264...gotta be more of those than T-birds out there. I put this tip on my website under the tips section (easier to find again than these forums). Maybe I should patent or copyright the idea before Pete steals this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 "Early Birds" are still pretty plentiful and driven pretty often. Might well fit anything Ford built back then with a 292 V-8 and vacuum wipers, including Mercurys and F-series pickups. AND that's just in North America! All together, a much larger population than '55 Buicks, I suspect. IF you caught the vendor/manufacturer when they needed to replenish their inventories, then you might persuade them to build some with a different pump arm in it. Otherwise, a new cottage industry? NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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