While I was waiting for the tank slushing kit to arrive, I decided it would
be a good idea to remove and check the fuel pump from my '79 'B. This car
had sat under a tarp since '87, so it was a good bet the pump wouldn't work.
I'm glad I pulled the pump, for a couple of reasons. The rubber hoses
practically fell off, breaking near the clamps at the tank and pump housing.
The hose ends were held to the pump and tank by what I call "one time only"
clamps. I hate these things, having had prior experience with them on my
Merkur fuel system. As far as I know, the only way to get the clamps (and
the hose ends) off, is with a hacksaw or diagonal cutters. I was wishing for
one of those "hacksaws" that are actually wire cables with impregnated
tungsten carbide grains; a normal hacksaw doesn't have much room to maneuver
under a car.
I removed the pump cover inside the trunk, dusted away a mouse nest, and
released the clamp around the big rubber grommet holding the pump. It
wouldn't budge. The tape used to keep the pump top cap seal in place
apparently bled adhesive onto the grommet. I used a screwdriver to separate
the grommet from the pump body, and the pump came out.
The pump wouldn't operate (no surprise there), rapping it didn't help, and I
couldn't get continuity from the housing to the positive terminal with the
points closed. I removed and cleaned the points, and finally got continuity.
The pump still wouldn't operate! I carefully separated the diaphragm from
the housing, unscrewed, and removed it. Everything looked OK, so I screwed it
back in. Success! The pump started operating. I screwed the diaphragm in,
and adjusted it per the manual. Apparently, after sitting so long, the
diaphragm shaft needed a little encouragement.
Hope this helps anybody about to do a similar removal.
BTW. Undercoating is great for preventing rust-out, but it took me a couple
of hours to clean up the housing. I'll spray the metal parts with clear
urethane before reinstalling.
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