[lucky1]

Is it likely that a mounted mechanical fuel pump will go bad by age alone ?..

Thank you.

[tom s]

Im sure they could,if older the internal might not like alky that is in our fuel now.Tom

[Formulabruce]

Alkyd has caused a shower under mine on a lift twice.

[Formulajones]

Absolutely. I've got a mechanical fuel pump here that I bought 3 years ago, it literally might have 10 miles on it from an occasional trip around the neighborhood. That car is started semi regularly and moved around the shop. Fuel pump is now dead. It most certainly has more age than miles on it.

[428goat]

I drove home from a cruise nite. Parked it in the garage. Went to start it a couple of days later for another cruise and no go. Removed the hard line to the carb and cranked it. No gas. Time for a new pump.

[Formulajones]

I had one die on me after 20 years and lots of miles.

So I ran up to Napa and grabbed another. That one got me through the neighborhood about 4 miles and died. Dragged the car back, took the pump back to Napa for an exchange. The next one got my son about 12 miles away, had to go rescue the car again. Took that pump back and he laughed, just gave me my money back that time. I went with a different brand from another store, so far so good, been a year.

Oddly, my bird has a genuine AC Delco pump I bought and installed 25 years ago and it's still working fine. I lost track of mileage on that pump as I've redone the engine a couple times, still the same pump. Has to be at least 80k miles. I'm tempted to change it just because of age but my luck with new pumps these days has been hit and miss.

[Vid]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

I went with a different brand from another store, so far so good, been a year.

Which was the good one and from what store? Thanks for the heads up on staying away from Napa fuel pumps, wowza!


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[Half-Inch Stud]

100% success with Used Junkyard Pontiac Fuelpumps (Large Canister).

Have an NOS Large Can Pump on the shelf and....wondering if it will be Reliable!

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Vid

Which was the good one and from what store? Thanks for the heads up on staying away from Napa fuel pumps, wowza!


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I think it was an odd coincidence but twice in a row in 2 days had me scratching my head.

Jim tells me they are just Carter pumps reboxed in a Napa box. I grabbed an Airtex from another chain store and it works okay. But again I think that's just luck of the draw.

Reason I say that and what bothers me, (and I had pictures of all this on here somewhere at one time), is that AC Delco, Airtex, and Carter all appear to be the same pump. I bought one of each for a SBC and took them out of the box. You could not tell the difference between the 3 pumps if your life depended on it. I could swap them from box to box and no one would know any different. The bodies were the same, the cad plating was identical, everything about them were the same. The AC pumps no longer come with the "AC" stamp on the body like they used to 25 years ago. As far as I can tell for all intensive purposes they all seem to be the same pump boxed up with different manufacture names on the boxes.

For what it's worth, the AC Delco pump I've had on my bird for at least 25 years, actually has "AC" stamped in the body. I bought that from Hamlet Auto Parts when I lived in Ohio. It's been the best damn mechanical fuel pump I've ever had on any of the cars here.

[Ben M.]

The rubber just isn't what it used to be, alcohol rated or not. The parts store pumps have been cheapened out for years to increase what little profit they can squeeze out of them. I'm not even sure there is more than 1 or 2 actual manufacturers making them anymore.

[70GS455]

Yes, the rubber diaphragm can dry rot and rupture. Check/ smell your oil for fuel

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[Vid]

Originally Posted by 70GS455

Yes, the rubber diaphragm can dry rot and rupture.

I’ve noticed rubber products, particularly those exposed to heat or UV rays, have been going down in quality and durability for decades now. Things like valve cover grommets, wiper blades, pump diaphragms, they just don’t make them like they used to.

A mechanical fuel pump is on my shopping list so I’m taking notes. Seriously considering going to Pick-a-Part for a good used pump instead of a new one. I always used to run Carter Super pumps with good success but sounds like maybe their time in the limelight has faded. Used ones can be a gamble too…


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[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Vid

I’ve noticed rubber products, particularly those exposed to heat or UV rays, have been going down in quality and durability for decades now. Things like valve cover grommets, wiper blades, pump diaphragms, they just don’t make them like they used to.

A mechanical fuel pump is on my shopping list so I’m taking notes. Seriously considering going to Pick-a-Part for a good used pump instead of a new one. I always used to run Carter Super pumps with good success but sounds like maybe their time in the limelight has faded. Used ones can be a gamble too…


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Most of the rubber these days comes from GMO rubber trees that grow faster, but a lot less resistant to UV.

[steve25]

UV has nothing to do with the shelf life of a pump , nor bolted to a motor !

What are you guys talking about here with this UV talk?

Temperature, fitgue and alky cut fuel is what does in the diaphragm in older pumps made before our gas was cut with Ally.

Ozone will effect the shelf life of a pump also.

[Formulajones]

No way am I willing to gamble on a used pump in a junk yard that's been subject to who knows what. I have to depend on these cars daily. Besides finding the correct pump in a junk yard on a 50 year old car is about as lucky as winning the lottery.

Even though new pumps in the last 10 years have been a crap shoot I still sleep better with a new pump.

I'm not so sure any of these pumps are made with ethanol in mind either, nor do I think it's the root cause for failure. Like I mentioned the pump on my bird is at least 25 years old, long before they cared about making these things ethanol friendly, and it's still kicking fine with at least 80k or more miles on it.
I've actually had more trouble with new pumps made in the last few years and you would think those should absolutely be made ethanol resistant. But I've had them die so quickly, as soon as they are put in service in some cases, that I don't believe it's the ethanol attacking the diaphrams.

[Formulajones]

Just to add, my money these days as far as mechanical fuel pumps go is leaning towards RobbMC pumps.

For the simple reason that they are rebuildable and he sells the rebuild kits for ~$25. So after the initial pump investment it's not much to maintain should you have an issue. I'd just carry a spare rebuild kit in the car. Should work just fine for any mild build or daily driver.

For anything that is making HP I just go straight for an in tank pump setup and be done with it. Use a trap door in the trunk floor making pump swaps pretty easy if the need ever arises.

[Vid]

Originally Posted by steve25

UV has nothing to do with the shelf life of a pump , nor bolted to a motor !

What are you guys talking about here with this UV talk?

Ozone will effect the shelf life of a pump also.

Haha obviously no UV inside a fuel pump. Just commenting that most automotive rubber products (and marine for that matter) don’t hold up like they used to, especially those exposed to heat and/or UV.


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[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

For anything that is making HP I just go straight for an in tank pump setup and be done with it.

Problem is us wagon folks don't have this option. A good quality electric has been on my "to do" list for all of my cars because in the last 4 years I've had all 3 fuel pumps in my cars die.

I do like the RobbMC rebuildable option as well, because a kit that I can see and work on myself is something I trust more than whatever lowest bidder hecho en China parts I get in the box at the local O'reilly's.

[Formulabruce]

In line 4 lb pumps are very inexpensive. Put out back, and use rubber mounts and original line. Use a pump block off plate with gasket. Hook the pump input to the output and will look stock up top.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

Problem is us wagon folks don't have this option. A good quality electric has been on my "to do" list for all of my cars because in the last 4 years I've had all 3 fuel pumps in my cars die.

I do like the RobbMC rebuildable option as well, because a kit that I can see and work on myself is something I trust more than whatever lowest bidder hecho en China parts I get in the box at the local O'reilly's.

Wagon stuff is coming. Tanks Inc has already developed an in tank pump kit for the Nomads (which is one of the more odd wagon tanks), and I've been seriously considering that route on the 56.