Mechanical Fuel pump

[Rick Parker]

Last week I had the Webers off doing some maintenence, I cleaned them out thouroughly and replaced all the gaskets. I have also been fighting what I believe to be an electrical gremlin in the ignition. After reinstalling the carbs and running breifly I unscrewed the inlet filter cover on the 2 LH carbs and observed there were small pieces of what appears to be "Black Rubbber" that were stopped by the filter in the Carburetor top. I began thinking that maybe the current gasoline has attacked the diaphram in the mechanical Carter Fuel pump (12 years+ ) or one of the hoses in the fuel line from the tank. 3+ years service life. I have another pump so looks like I have a project for tomorrow. I'm going to have to mix some parts as the spare pump came from Robert Yates Racing several years ago and has a rated pressure that would be very unfriendly to the Webers, even with a regulator. My money is on the pump. I hope it can be accessed and removed with the engine in place???

[Earl J]

Rick,
I run a NASCAR mechanical type billet CV#2526 series 110702 AB01 with the lightest CV #2522 Diaphragm w/Grey Spring, Idle PS 7-7.5 then knock the pressure down to 2.5-3 psi with a Holley regulator. I've never seen any bits of anything as my fuel fiter is between the fuel tank and the pump and I run a steel line the length of the car. The only place I run braided is from the pump> regulator> carbs. knock on wood (steering wheel wood)...
Cheers,
~Earl

[Gaz64]

Rick,

If you have any old school fuel hose between pump and carbs, the line could be disintegrating, so when you remove a hose and refit it, the "bits" end up in the carb inlet fittings.
Some carbs without filters allow the rubbish into the needle and seat with instant flooding as the result.

I drove a mates car home for him one night when I realised what was wrong with his Edelbrock 600, flooding on one bank, stripped the carb the next day to find fuel hose in the needle and seat.

[Rick Parker]

I didn't find any degradation of hoses or of the pump diaphragm. The fuel strainer in the tank had a 1" split in it but there is a filter between the tank and the pump. I replaced the swining pickup hose inside the tank along with the strainer, and all short sections of hose connecting the filter and pump to the main line that runs the length of the frame which is made of stainless. I was diappointed that I didn't find a hose breaking down (?) All the hoses from the fuel log to the carbs are just a few months old. Today after starting it up it was running poorly on the LH bank. I pulled the idle jets out of the LH front carb and they were plugged with what appeared to be minute bits of clear plastic or maybe it was some sort of scale. Cleaned them out and it seems to be running OK now. I have a couple more things to do before it will be ready for the season. Repack front wheel bearings and adjust steering rack to eliminate a small amount of lateral play, but I think the engine part is ready to go.