fuel pump rebuild

[tbirdman]

I got a rebuild kit for the fuel pump for my 32. I was advised that I may be better off and sending it off. The recommendation I received, fuel pumps a2z closd there doors about 2 weeks ago. Any other recommendations or can this be successfully tackled with the rebuild kit?

[mrpushbutton]

Not brain surgery. make sure you mark how the two castings line up for re-assembly. When you have the two halves apart check both castings for (relitave) flatness. You may see some high risers on the screw-bosses from previous garage monkeys over torquing the halves together. If so, heat the castings to about 200 degrees and work (body-blow hammer) the flanges flatter, finish with a fine file or emery cloth on a flat plate. They don't have to be dead-flat, the diaphragm will take up a certain amount of non-flatness. You can gauge how you are doing by holding the two halves together and sighting through them.

[Restorer32]

I'd be very careful with that torch and hammer. An original, non-rebuilt example of this Stewart Warner pump recently sold on e-Bay for something like $800.

[mrpushbutton]

when I do this I use an old toaster oven--and we're talking very controlled hammer work here, you're not driving nails!

[tbirdman]

The pump is in very good shape appears to have flat mating services so don't thik I will take the hammer and torch route. If you were going to send it out, who would you send it out to?

[West Peterson]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you've got a good carburetor rebuilder, he should be able to do it. I sent my carburetor to fellow forum member, Moepar, in North Carolina, and he also does fuel pumps.

[mrpushbutton]

Arthur Gould does good work, I understand he's sold his company but they are still doing good work, or Moepar from the forum--we should patronize our own.

[RO]

I just had a double action pump for a '56 Lincoln rebuilt by Arthur Gould and the price was reasonable and the pump came back looking like new with all new modern rubber and seals. Also had a '55'56 Packard water pump rebuilt at the same time. Took under a month to get both back.

[tbirdman]

I got an AC fuel pump. It's being sent off to Albert Gould. Turnaround is one week. Moepar had a 6 week turnaround which doesn't work for me. Thanks for the help and advice.

[Restorer32]

You have an AC replacement for the original? If so it was likely made by Gould. He used to (and probably still does)take AC pumps and install a new activating lever to adapt them to the Packard engine. Not original but looks somewhat similar. You'll lose points if you show it, but perfectly reliable. I loaned him an original pump from which he patterned his laminated activating lever. This would have been in the 1980s.

[West Peterson]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not original but looks somewhat similar. You'll lose points if you show it, but perfectly reliable.</div></div>

Jeff, you're forgetting that most judges are not that well versed in something like this, so my guess is that it would probably slip by. Usually the only judges that would know something like that are the relatively few who have actually worked on the same-year car and have spent time either looking for the correct part, or took one off and knew it was right, such as yourself. I never would have known.

After being elbow-deep into the front end of my 1940 and detailing it according to factory photographs, I've learned a lot more about it than I knew before as far as what is right and what isn't (both in finish and in actual equipment). In some ways, it makes looking at restored cars a LOT less fun, because I see so many "restored" cars done incorrectly (just chroming or throwing shiney paint on everything). But just being an owner, I never would have known, and a judge who doesn't even own one may not have a clue.

Just my personal notes on the subject.

[Restorer32]

Very true Wes, after working on this stuff for a few years your eye goes right to those incorrect items. Too many years at it and you start to obsess about the details. Had a customer call me once from California complaining that the rivet heads on a set of phaeton top irons I had made for him were 20 thou too big.

[West Peterson]

I didn't even know the naked eye could discern that kind of difference <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> He must have had a calipers and was checking with an original. Did you tell him to take the rivits off, put them all in one hand, and "hide them somewhere where no one else could see them?"

[carbking]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The pump is in very good shape appears to have flat mating services so don't thik I will take the hammer and torch route. If you were going to send it out, who would you send it out to? </div></div>

The Antique Auto Parts Cellar in South Weymouth, MA is THE company when it comes to fuel pump kits, fuel pump parts, or fuel pump refurbishing.

We do not rebuild fuel pumps in our shop, but since we must deal with them when a pump with the wrong return spring creates way too much pressure on the carburetor; I have been forced to learn much about fuel pumps.

Fuel pressure is critical on modern (1950's and '60's) vehicles, but much more critical on those in the 1930's and 1940's; as the design pressure for virtually ALL pre-1950 carburetors is less than 5 pounds, and most 2 and 1/2 to 3 and 1/2.

Jon.

[tbirdman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You have an AC replacement for the original? If so it was likely made by Gould. He used to (and probably still does)take AC pumps and install a new activating lever to adapt them to the Packard engine. Not original but looks somewhat similar. You'll lose points if you show it, but perfectly reliable. I loaned him an original pump from which he patterned his laminated activating lever. This would have been in the 1980s. </div></div>

Well I guess now I need to keep my eye out for a Stewart Warner. I'd like to do it right if possible. I did notice that the lever looked like it had been modified. I thought someone had repaired it, but now "I know the rest of the story" <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[Restorer32]

The original pump has a chrome air chamber on top and as you know it is very visible when you open the hood. I've sold several of these pumps over the years and if I found one for under $500 I would consider it a bargain. Be careful though, inside the thing there is a very delicate die cast affair that holds the valve in place. This crown-like part is often broken. Good luck!