cliff.b Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 I was replacing some fuel lines yesterday and when I attempted to remove the one to the fuel pump inlet the entire inlet pipe came out of its housing. I have pushed it back in and secured the hose but it is now slightly weeping fuel. Does anyone have any recommendations for something petrol resistant that I could seal it with and hopefully stop it coming out again? Or should I just replace the fuel pump? I have heard that new ones often don't last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 Im sure it could be repaired with epoxy metal Cliff but you cant really take the risk and the cost of a replacement pump is minimal. Only possible problem with a new item is that some people have found they produce too much pressure so causing their carburettor float valves to leak... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted March 31 Author Report Share Posted March 31 Just remembered I have a spare pump anyway lol. I can swap the top off that, which includes the inlet pipe, and still keep the body as a spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 Even better but give the pipes of the spare a good tug first😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted March 31 Author Report Share Posted March 31 8 minutes ago, johny said: Even better but give the pipes of the spare a good tug first😁 Definitely. I was investigating the fuel lines as I seem to have lost fuel over the Winter and there has been a slight smell of petrol every time I went in the garage. I'm wondering if this inlet pipe weeping was the problem all along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 I think it was probably a manufacturing fault and the pipe had never properly bonded in. However losing a measureable amount of fuel requires quite leak and it would absolutely stink! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgana Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 I haven't seen this style. Does it not have an olive and screw? It seems a problem waiting to happen with dissimilar metals otherwise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 I am slighly mystified? surely the connection is a 1/4bsp screwed fitting?. Most stuff of that era still was?. NPT just occasionally?. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted March 31 Author Report Share Posted March 31 1 hour ago, Morgana said: I haven't seen this style. Does it not have an olive and screw? It seems a problem waiting to happen with dissimilar metals otherwise! The inlet pipe is just a push fit into the casting that forms the top of the pump, but it looks like there may be the remnants of some sort of sealant or glue. I could just push it back in but, as I said, it weeps. Thinking back, when I first got the car the pump was leaking and I ordered the wrong part (early 1500 Spit instead of late) so just swapped the top cap & gasket over. So this cap, with the push in pipe, is from the replacement pump I bought about 3 years ago. I'm guessing there will be others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 Yes Im guessing its this type to be used with a spacer block? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted March 31 Author Report Share Posted March 31 (edited) This is my unused spare pump which looks the same as the one on the car. Looking at the outlet pipe shows evidence of what may be glue or similar. Edited March 31 by cliff.b Add text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 I think the originals were cast with the pipes in place so they were well and truly attached but the pattern part makers now bond them in after casting which is a lot easier but not so reliable☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted March 31 Author Report Share Posted March 31 2 minutes ago, johny said: I think the originals were cast with the pipes in place so they were well and truly attached but the pattern part makers now bond them in after casting which is a lot easier but not so reliable☹️ I suspect that you are right 🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 That looks to be epoxy resin like araldite... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 31 Report Share Posted March 31 All I can suggest is that you make sure the rubber hose has plenty of excess flex in the way of a loop so that it transmits as little vibration or stress to the pipe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted March 31 Author Report Share Posted March 31 5 minutes ago, johny said: All I can suggest is that you make sure the rubber hose has plenty of excess flex in the way of a loop so that it transmits as little vibration or stress to the pipe I have a glass filter and a motorcycle type fuel tap between the copper pipe and the pump, so maybe it has all been moving about too much. I'm thinking of securing the hose to the distributor mount in some way so that there would be an almost completely straight run to the pump inlet with no possibility of flex at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 1 Report Share Posted April 1 I'd experiment with threading the hole, maybe drill it out slightly and tap it, and thread a small threaded pipe attachment in. There's bound to be a small threaded attachment available somewhere that's the correct size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 1 Report Share Posted April 1 Yes maybe something like this radiator overflow stub available in 6 or 8mm? Have to seal the thread though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted April 1 Report Share Posted April 1 (edited) Strange? the two I have are both screwed connetions? Pete P.S. Anyone know how much petrol is under the Tank suction (13/60). Plum started and ran yesterday, to-day it will start, runs and cuts out? P Edited April 1 by PeteH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 1 Report Share Posted April 1 Yes but are they 1500 Spitfires Pete? As so often Triumph found a cheaper alternative😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted April 1 Author Report Share Posted April 1 The offending part, clearly showing some sort of glue in the hole. Is it just aftermarket replacements that are made like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unkel Kunkel Posted April 1 Report Share Posted April 1 (edited) - Those pipes seem to be an ‘interference fit’. A highfalutin term for ‘jammed-in’. Drilling and tapping would seem an option. There are fuel resistant sealants -Plastic Padding do one - and blue Hylomar used to be OK with petrol. Drilling and ‘ pinning’ the pipe in place would be a possibility, if rather involved. It was often done with early V6 Scimitar carbs where the brass inlet pipe similarly used to come adrift resulting in unwelcome ‘ thermal reconfiguration’ of the fiberglass bodywork. This pump pipe issue seems another problem area with some replacement fuel pumps. Others are: 1. pressure way above above spec. leading to carb needle valve leakage. 2. poorly finished (ie rough / ridged ) operating arm surface which has to be dressed before use to prevent damaging the camshaft Edited April 1 by Unkel Kunkel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 1 Report Share Posted April 1 There are other designs Cliff like the one from Paddock that I posted earlier but a/ these might be made the same way or, b/ theres no guarantee youll actually be sent that model. Otherwise theres always electric.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted April 1 Author Report Share Posted April 1 I have fitted the top off my spare pump which is almost identical but not quite. There are no leaks and I have re-routed and secured the flexible hose to minimise stress on the inlet tube. Interestingly, I reseated the old parts and the pipe could easily be removed again but I then put it in the vice and the pipe went in about another 5mm after which I couldn't remove it again. I'm wondering if it was never assembled correctly in the first place. If it was a flawed design then surely others would have seen this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 1 Report Share Posted April 1 I think its getting it to seal which is the hard part and glue isnt really a good solution for a manufacturer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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