[Healeys] su pumps again

Bob Spidell bspidell at comcast.net
Mon Nov 21 16:19:07 MST 2016


Hmmmm ... Wonder why so many of us over here in the 'States have 
problems with them?  I think possibly the points manufactured in, say, 
the last 30 years or so were substandard (I know those of recent 
manufacture ARE substandard, confirmed by a respected rebuilder).  Maybe 
that's why your 'survivors' all had original points?

Bob


On 11/21/2016 12:47 PM, Oudesluys wrote:
> Today I overhauled my 42 year old SU fuel pump. Apart from an 
> occasional cleaning of the points with a rough bit of card board 
> nothing had been done to it in all those years and appr. 180.000 miles 
> in various cars. The pump itself had never been opened.
>
> When I took every thing apart it was amazingly clean, no sediment, 
> grime, corrosion. And that after using lead free petrol with ethanol 
> 5% for most of these years.
>
> Have a look at the pictures.
>
> The job is surprisingly easy. There are several YouTube films showing 
> how it can be done, although they do over simplify. You need to clean 
> the points with 400grade wet&dry, then polish them with 2000 grade 
> flower paper. If they are to far gone you can renew this assembly. 
> Available at any SU supplier in the UK or through ebay. After 
> cleaning/replacing the disassembled points assembly you have to set 
> two gaps using feeler gauges at assembly: 0,035"/0,9mm for the points 
> blade over the flat surface of the Bakelite bridge and the lower edge 
> of the spring blade with points and 0,070" or 0,090"/ 1,9mm or 2,3mm 
> (depending on the source, I use 2,3mm) between the upper surface of 
> the cast iron body and the small sideways brass strip of the lower 
> point assembly.
>
> If all is clean, leave the valves and other parts alone, just remove 
> the diaphragm and check it. It is nearly always OK.
>
> Lately I did about 11 SU pumps. All at least 40+ years old. Only two 
> were very dirty and/or corroded internally, one had some slight 
> yellowish sediment in it, only one diaphragm had to be replaced, only 
> one set of valves and seals had to be replaced, all points assemblies 
> were serviceable, one bridge was cracked but could be repaired using 
> Araldite, the same with one of the Bakelite top covers.
>
> Kees Oudesluijs
>
>
>



More information about the Healeys mailing list