Fuel pump leak

[Wagger]

Yes, I rebuilt my glass bowl one and it pumps at 2 lbs with the engine running. Almost 3 lbs if I use the priming lever because that causes more 'Travel' than the camshaft lobe.

[MHT]

So before I went ordering new gaskets etc., I thought I would just check how easy I can access the fuel pump with a screwdriver to take the cover off. It seems easy enough and I so had the idea of just seeing if I could tighten the screws up a little. I did this a small turn at a time and now I have no leaking from the bottom of the fuel pump! However, there still does seem to be a very tiny seepage from the outlet pipe connected to the pump. This is so slight I wonder if I should worry about it? I have tried to tighten the nut slightly and I think it is getting better, but I am a little concerned that I could over tighten it and end up in more trouble. I don't know exactly how it is connected to the fuel pump, but do you think it is safe to keep tightening it ever so slightly?

Thanks again to all for your help.

[Peter Truman]

Re the leak from the pipe or Union nut I had similar found that the olive had compressed the pipe and petrol was leaking under the olive I soldered the olive to the pipe it cured the leak.

[Wagger]

If you remove the metal pipe that is leaking and disconnect it, you may be able to replace the olive. If not, do as Pete Truman suggests. Lightly 'Tinning' the whole olive will coat it in soft solder and this will seal on tightening the nut.

Obviously, do not use a flame in the wrong vicinity.

[68vitesse]

The outlet from the fuel pump was leaking on my Vitesse so added a small O ring to the pipe, pump side of olive, solved the problem without having to solder.

Regards.

Paul.

[Colin Lindsay]

4 hours ago, MHT said:

I have tried to tighten the nut slightly and I think it is getting better, but I am a little concerned that I could over tighten it and end up in more trouble. I don't know exactly how it is connected to the fuel pump, but do you think it is safe to keep tightening it ever so slightly?

Thanks again to all for your help.

Remember the pump body is alloy so you can strip the threads quite easily. It doesn't take much force to do, and it's always the last quarter turn that does it.

[MHT]

Colin, I note what you say about the pump being alloy, but I had already decided to give one more tiny tweak on the nut..... Checked it this morning and have just taken it for a drive also as the main test, and when I got back I checked it again and thankfully I have no leak at the moment. I will now leave said nut alone.

68vitesse - that's a good idea for me to note for the future, especially as I don't have a solder.

Thanks again everyone.