VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1941 SD fuel pump install question

Well, if you've followed some of my other posts, I finally got my '41 SD running, but using a jury rigged gas can into the input-side of the fuel pump. Today I installed the refurbished gas tank and installed the new Inline fuel line from gas tank into the input side of the fuel pump. I put 10 gallons of new clean gas into the tank and assumed I'd have to do some cranking to get it to draw...no luck! After trying to prime the pump, seeing if I was getting any gas to shoot out of the connection near the carb, nothing! I even took out the in-line fuel filter and still nothing. When I connect my rigged up gas tank straight to the carb, she fires right up, no problems

So, here's my question: with my new NAPA fuel pump, one of the prior posts when I was debugging suggested I take it apart...which I will do and see if something is wrong with it, but first, could I have installed the pump upside down? See the picture below (sorry, not able to directly put pics into my posts for some reason...have contacted web guys, but no response yet). I installed the pump like it looks on the right, but every picture I see in catalogs has it looking like the picture on the left...I just thought about this...perhaps I put the pump in wrong! Thoughts? Here is the picture:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4irzevys2p5rjgu/Fuel%20pump%20Pic%20-%20which%20way%20is%20up.pdf?dl=0

I will still take a look at the pump and see if there is something wrong with it.

all the best,

chris

In your picture...the one on the right is correct

I would install it as per the pic on the right. A quick check is look through the mounting hole to see weather the camshaft is above or below centre, the arm should have good contact with the camshaft lobe.
Tony

Thanks guys...yes I installed the pump like the picture on the right.

Tony, when I installed the pump I had to “press the pump in” so I could get the bolts into their holes so I assumed that was the actuator arm press up against the cam shaft lobe...I will still look but it felt right to me. I will still take a look at it.

Another post also suggested popping the intake line off and with your finger feeling for suction on that side while cranking or even taking the pump off and feeling for manual suction. Time to test it more thoroughly for proper suction...and its new! I will be bummed but not surprised.

Any time you have a fuel supply issue do the steps listed: Step one, with gas in the tank, disconnect the line from the tank at the pump. Is gas running out? If so go to step two. If not you have a blockage in the tank or line. Step two, with the line from the tank attached to the pump, detach the line from the pump to the carburetor and crank the engine. Is gas coming out? If so go to step three. If not your pump is mounted incorrectly or is defective. Step three, reattach the line from the pump to the carb at the pump and remove the line at the carb then crank the engine. Is gas coming out? If so it's an issue with the carburetor. If not, the line from the pump to the carb is blocked. You start at the point where you know you have fuel and work your way to where you don't have fuel one connection at a time.

Love the plan...will report back...I know no fuel is coming out of the line from pump to carb, but if I connect a small outboard engine tank directly to carb with a hose she fires and runs like a champ. More to come this weekend!

I think the simple plan would be to disconnect the fuel line from the gas tank at the fuel pump,remove the gas cap then blow
some compressed air into the fuel line at the pump back to the fuel tank.
See if you have any flow now ? That's what I would do

Here is the update: she’s up and running, drawing fuel from the gas tank. I ended up pulling the new NAPA fuel pump and putting the new old one back in...she pumps great! Took some cranking but the fuel arrived in the filter and then she fired up!

History: I decided to swap this older OEM pump after it had been sitting 25 years...I assumed there was nasty stuff in there since old gas had been in the lines...I cleaned it out as best I could but since this AC DELCO (?)) one is sealed I can open it up. I will swap the fuel filter after I run some good gas through it all. The new NAPA seemed to have some suction and I couldn’t tell what is wrong with it after taking it apart. When I cranked it and the top was off, no gas appeared...I don’t know maybe something with the diaphram I am not sure...if someone wants it, I will mail it to you and someone smarter than me can play with it, or I will take it back to NAPA.

Going for a test drive later...will post but I ran through the 3 gears while she was on blocks...now on her own 4 tires in 25 years! Let’s see how we do on the test drive!

Great! Now you can join the club and bring it on some tours.

Joined in June! And yes, that would be great once we get this other pandemic problem behind us! I still have a ton of work to do on my 1941 Special Deluxe, ranging from trim work, interior (mouse damage and age), and then frankly, where to take the car next. It was a father-son project back when I was in elementary, junior and high school...and the goal this summer was to get it back up and running with my daughter, so now I must figure out to what level I now want to take the car...doubtful I will ever go full on "show" car, but it could certainly be taken another level as a high-end driver by redoing work that fit time, budget, and technology back in the day. I'm curious what others have done at this type of cross-roads...plus nearing retirement, so maybe it's time to lease a big garage and break it all down again!

The interior, while original needs work...some mouse damage on the back seat back (high up), age, wear and tear, and I know interior work isn't going to be my specialty/interest, so will look to see who is in the Chicago-land area (or throw it onto a trailer and take it to someone) who can work on that next level for me.

Here is a post of our final prep and test drive...time to savor the moment on this last day of Labor Day...glad to be able to take it for a test drive before my daughter (in the pics) heads off to college again!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8v3y09hwnkoa88b/Video%20Sep%2007%2C%205%2020%2055%20PM.mov?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b8o1au3vmif5sq0/Video%20Sep%2007%2C%205%2030%2055%20PM.mov?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7i1xgqngfqwy6et/Photo%20Sep%2007%2C%202%2035%2025%20PM.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pmg624r4q7pb7jx/Photo%20Sep%2007%2C%203%2054%2054%20PM.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jlxkhv5eq8a89h7/Photo%20Sep%2007%2C%205%2038%2022%20PM.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/59dhh6t7c5qihpj/Video%20Sep%2007%2C%205%2028%2047%20PM.mov?dl=0


Enjoy!

Looking and sounding good Chris. Now the fuel pump issue seems to be sorted, I have no suggestions as to why the NAPA unit didnt do the job.
Tony

Nice car. Who's the shiny headed guy holding the beer??? Go to your profile and click the box to display the club logo with your screen name. Then nosy old farts like me will leave you alone about joining.

I put a new NAPA pump on my ”˜37. It failed when one of the check valves fell out of the housing. It appeared that the bore in the housing was slightly oversized. There was not enough interference fit to hold the valve.

Thanks all! Yes, that pump is going back to NAPA!

Tiny, regarding my profile, I don't see that check box, plus I can't add pictures directly (always a link), so I'm going to continue to press the webmaster powers-that-be to see what is going on...the rest of my profile says I'm a member, but for some reason I'm not getting these features in my profile...not sure what is happening there. My VCCA number is 57407.

On to the next project for this car...need to build my list and figure out what makes sense to work on next.

All the best,

caf

Chris,
Unfortunately the change to VCCA member status does not happen automatically. It is necessary for one of the elves to manually change your status. By some miracle it happened. You now should have expanded privileges on Chat. Probably won't make a difference at home or at work.

[quote= I'm curious what others have done at this type of cross-roads...plus nearing retirement, so maybe it's time to lease a big garage and break it all down again!
[/quote]

Hi Chris,

I bought my 41 in 2003 did all kinds of mechanical and body repairs and in 2015 decided on a full frame off restoration. I disassembled and sand blasted the body, then took it to a body shop for a lot of body work and a paint job. It took me 2 years to put it back together. I am sending you a PM with my phone # because I would enjoy talking to you about your restoration and retirement.

Good luck, Mike