[claypoolxx]

Ok, after many attempts to fix my no fuel problem, I finally believe that it might be the eccentric. If you've read my other posts on the issue you kow that I've had fuel pump issues before. Here's why I say its the eccentric.

Previous issues involved the car not getting enough gas at high rpms. Replaced sender and fuel lines thinking it wasn't able to keep up with new engine.

Turns out the valves in the pump went. It still could pump enough to get me around, but not hold pressure. Rebuilt pump, problem solved.

6 months later same problem. new pump

another 6 months another pump

3 or so years later car dies on the road. won't restart at all. I thought maybe it was the alternator because the pump didn't fail like the last two. Test the alternator, its fine.

Take out fuel pump, works but once again not holding much pressure. So, I thought it was the pump again even though the symptoms were different than before.

Get pump rebuilt, it holds pressure again, reinstall, nothing.

I thought that maybe the lines were clogged, so I disconnected the fuel line from before the carb and used a shop vac to pull gas though. Gas came through easily.

I then took the pump out and pumped it by hand and very quickly was reading 6# at the gauge.

Now I'm not familiar with how the eccentric is suppoed to look, but I put a screwdriver inder it and had my wife turn the car over and I didn't feel the screwdriver move.

So, now I assume the eccentric is bad. The car has about 5,000 miles on it. Is there anything that could have attributed to its failure and more importantly, what's involved in replacing it?

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Overkillphil]

Just loosen the pump bolts and crank the engine. It should flop about if the eccentric is OK.

However, I have had problems a few times with the pins breaking out and the eccentric spinning out.

If you have to replace it, make sure you torque the cam gear bolt to the correct torque.

[johnta1]

The only way I can see the eccentric being 'bad' is if the bolt has com loose or the eccentric wasn't installed right to begin with.

Either way the timing cover will have to come off.

Then it will probably become obvious what the problem is, if it is the eccentric.

[lust4speed]

"...and used a shop vac to pull gas though..."

SHOP VAC = BOOM!

You are very fortunate to have gotten away with this, shop vacs have motors with open brushes that create all sorts of sparks. The worse of the problem is that the fumes build up inside the vac canister before finding the ignition source and this makes for quite a bomb.

I've taken engines apart where the previous builder didn't bother to index the eccentric tang and it had broken off, but the eccentric still drove the pump OK. About the only thing I could think of is the bolt coming loose as johnta1 said

[claypoolxx]

I didn't assemble the engine, so I need to ask. To take the timing cover off it looks like I would also need to remove the fan and radiator. Is that it or am I missing anything. I just want know what I'm getting into before I dig a hole I can't get out of.


Jared

[Overkillphil]

Definately the fan, the radiator doesn't always need to be removed as it depends on your particular vehicle. But it does help if you need the extra room to work.

Also, you have to remove the balancer bolt (160 ft. lbs), which usually requires locking the flywheel or some other method to keep the engine from rotating. The balancer pulls off easily in most cases or you may have to use a puller to coax it off (they are not pressed on like a Chevy).

You can leave the water pump on the cover. Watch you don't loose the two little locating sleeves on the lower timing cover bolts when you pull off the cover. Pry it loose from the block very carefully and pull it straight off. The two sleeves will either be still in the block, in the timing cover or (hopefully not) may have fallen into the oil pan!

Don't forget the long bolt that attaches to the intake.

While you have it off, it's always a good idea to replace the neoprene seal, unless it looks great and you know it was replaced during the recent assembly.

If you decide (for some reason) to remove the water pump, pull the divider plate off and inspect the rubber bushing seals (2), replace if they look dried out, cracked etc.

When you are done, make sure you torque the balancer bolt to 160 ft. lbs! If your torque wrench only goes to 150, borrow one that goes higher.

[claypoolxx]

Thanks Phil