No fuel getting to carburettor/ fuel pump problems.

[tynelord1969]

When the new pump is fitted to the engine there is about a 1/32" gap on each end where the bolt holes are( this isn't visible from this photo). This uneven mating surface may be the cause of the original pump fracturing when it was tightened up.

[Fred Dukes]

some light at the end of the tunnel

[tynelord1969]

Well I'm still no further forward getting my car started. I looked in the fuel tank and noticed the filter that fits over the end of the fuel pipe had come off so wondered if debris had got into the fuel line , causing a blockage. I blew through the fuel line, from the disconnected end at the fuel pump, and got someone to watch for air bubbles inside the fuel tank, which he confirmed there were, so I assumed any possible blockage had been removed. I managed to fit the petrol filter inside the fuel tank using some barbecue tongs. I turned over the engine many times to get the fuel along to the outlet pipe of the fuel pump, but still no fuel came through. I noticed that there has been fuel leaking from the outlet pipe, directly at the fuel tank as the paint/underseal has come off. I assume this was only when the tank was fuller and the level nearer the height of the tank outlet connection, but would this leak result in poorer suction from the fuel pump, ie air is being drawn in rather than heavier petrol? Also could there be other less air tight joints in the fuel line to the pump, as the rubber flexi pipe from steel fuel pipe upto pump looks very old and it has the original clamp securing it to the fuel line?

Any ideas?

[1972nail]

A joint letting in air will not allow the pump to draw petrol up to the engine. Try rubbing a bit of grease around the joints to provide a temporary seal.

If getting the engine started is your immediate goal then run a pipe to temporary fuel supply in the engine bay. But be very careful! Petrol is very flammable and dangerous so only have a small amount in a small sealed container wit a small air vent and make sure it is secure before trying to start the engine. If you spill any wash it away immediately. Ideally you would work outside your garage and away from your house just in case there is a fire.

Once I have the engine running on a temp supply I would trace and fix all the air leaks, prime the pump and carb with fresh petrol, connect up the main fuel tank and see if it goes.

[tynelord1969]

Thanks for the advice on using an external source of fuel. As you advised about working out of the garage, unfortunately I can't do that as the garage is situated higher up than the drive and I would't be able to push the car back up the ramp, if I couldn't get it started. I then would't be able to store my VX4/90 under the car port.

Anyway, I went to two garages to ask for some advice. I then bought a priming fuel pump and some new 5/16" fuel hose. I connected the priming pump to the old flexi pipe leading from the fuel tank side and up to the fuel pump. After a while fuel came through ( and into a glass jar via a clear rubber tube connected to the outlet of the priming pump).
I then connected the new fuel pump to the fuel pipes and worked the activating arm with my hand and fuel came through.
I connected the fuel pump back on to the engine and turned the ignition on. The engine was turning on the starter but no fuel was coming through the fuel pump. Thinking there was an air leak in the fuel line somewhere from the tank I removed the original rubber flexi pipe, between the steel fuel line and the fuel pump, and replaced it with new 5/16" hose and jubilee clips. I then tightened the other clips securing the flexi pipe at the fuel tank ( one wasn't very tight, hence the missing paint/underseal below the exit point on the tank, due to dripping fuel in the past when the tank had more petrol in it).
Again no fuel came through the fuel pump when turning the engine over.
I then replaced the new fuel pump with another one and as I was trying to position the pump to line up the bolts I noticed fuel coming through the pump. I felt inside the engine to see if the camshaft had a worn ridge on it , but didn't really notice anything. I tried a few times to re-position the fuel pump, thinking it wasn't sitting properly on the camshaft, but the activating arm would only fit in the same position. Again fuel was coming through as I was trying to push in the pump to the right position to line up the bolt holes.

So I think this is the problem and I'm wondering whether there is actually a heat insulator block providing the correct distance for the pump activating arm to sit on the camshaft. As I've explained in previous messages it was hard to tell if the insulator block was actually present, but to me it looked like it was. Could anyone with a 1256 engine take a picture so I could compare it with mine.

The only other thing I can think of is the camshaft is now not in the correct position for the pump activating arm, but I can't see how that would happen?

I was thinking of buying an electric pump to get the car running. Is there a type anyone can recommend?

I'm tearing my hair out with frustration....

[thomas]

No ideas on what the problem might be. But I bought a new fuel-pump insulator block from ebay seller bury-bay https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/bury-bay/m.html in September this year, and they're back on sale again.

[tynelord1969]

Thanks for the link. I found a lower end gasket set in my loft with an insulator block, but I will buy another from this site. I scraped the pump contact area on my engine and it revealed a white surface which to me looks like an insulating block, so the problem of the pump's activating arm not being in the correct position over the camshaft , due to being too far inside the engine doesn't seem to be the fault. I will fit my spare insulator block and see if that makes a difference, but that would mean there are 2 blocks fitted, which can't be right. All I can think of is the camshaft has worn ( the car has done 80,000 miles) or something has broken inside the engine where the pump is fitted.

Has anyone fitted an electric fuel pump, and if so is there a type they can recommend?

[droopsnoot]

I guess the thickness of insulator required depends on the length of the actuating arm. I recall some similar issues when trying to get the fuel pump working on mine earlier in the year, and as well as a vague recollection of having two fitted to a car that I don't have any more, I also found one that was roughly twice the thickness, nearer 1/2".

Can you show photos of the actuating arm on the pump(s) you have? That would mean removing it from the engine of course. I am not familiar with the OHV pump but someone might have an idea of whether it looks about right or not.

[droopsnoot]

I had a look at the Sportshatch engine earlier, that's the one where I've fitted a thicker insulator to space the fuel pump away from the engine. With the standard thinner insulator, I wasn't happy with how difficult it was to turn the cam that runs the fuel pump arm, and on testing it against a spare engine it was clearly not correct. So it was either two standard insulators, or one thicker one.

[tynelord1969]

Thanks for the reply. I fitted a new insulator block on top of what looks like the existing one, making the thickness about 1/2" , as you said. It made no difference as fuel still didn't pump through. I did notice previously when trying to position the pump and lining up the bolt holes, that the activating arm was contacting something and causing a small amount of fuel to drip out of the pump's outlet pipe ( I have a clear rubber hose connected to it so it's easier to see, and safer). Now I don't know if the arm was catching against the sides of the hole, but the pump did seem to be roughly in the correct position, whilst I was twisting it very slightly to align the bolt holes .
I'm wondering whether a garage would have an inspection camera that can check inside the engine to see if the problem lies with the camshaft. I tried feeling around with my finger, but couldn't detect any worn grooves on the camshaft.
The photo I've attached shows two pumps which to me have the same length of arm, although they look slightly different in shape.