[NoVa-Corvairs] Fuel Pumps

[A. J. Paluska, Jr]

Al Birks passed the following along to me. Looks interesting.

In the magazine Antique Automobile (AACA Magazine) I read that the Antique Auto Parts Cellar was offering fuel pump kits with the diaphragms made from Buna rubber. This material is supposed to be able to handle "Today's Gas". I asked if they offered Kits for Corvair fuel pumps and how much $. I gave him the pump number AC 4886.
 
Here is the interesting response I received. He really goes all out to answer the  question I submitted.  Some of it may be of interest to Hot Air Mail readers.
 
Al Birks

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Oldpartstom at aol.com 
To: foxchase123 at msn.com 
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 7:43 AM
Subject: Re: Fuel Pump Kit Availability

Dear Mr. Birks,
    Thank you for your kind inquiry.
    Kits for the two versions of Corvair pumps are available, but since the pump differs radically from the rest of the mechanical fuel pumps made, the contents of the kit differs as well.
    The list of kit parts in my advertising covers 99.5% of all pumps even made...but the Corvair steps outside those bounds...
    The Corvair kit consists of:
    -gasket from pump to engine - a rubber O ring
    -the pulsator diaphragm
    -the main diaphragm as an assembly of steel plates, two diaphragms, and a die cast plate (this is currently an industry standard diaphragm I stocked in back when I could-they went obsolete in 2002 in Canada, the last place making them. When stocks run out, I will be making them myself, as i do with almost all of the kit parts, and the die cast plate between the dipahragms will then be saved from the old pump)
    -the diaphragm spring
    -two check valves, made by me (custom machined aluminum alloy body- not the zinc die cast industry standard; die cut military spec viton valve plate-not the medium grade black rubber used as industry standard; conical check valve spring which allows it to compress into itself minimizing the restriction on flow)
    -two check valve gaskets (a part which is being omitted in most currently made pumps yet is necessary to be sure the check valve seals to the pump so that it is the only way for fuel to move!)
    -there would be very little point in making those parts advertising them, and supplying them all over the world if they would not perform their function. I have made more than 60,000 fuel pump kits over the last 25 years. If I were doing something wrong chances are it would have caught up with me by now?
    In the Corvair pump successful rebuilding often relates to getting the die cast metal surfaces flat again so they can seal...especially the plate that is between the diaphragms.
    And you have to realize that there are two different pumps, and these pumps are operated by two different push rods....each comes in a long and a short version...mix short with short, no pumping. Mix short and long things work. Mix long and long and the extra travel in the system overstresses the diaphragm and failure occurs, either instantly or soon...
    The kits are $37.50 and $ 12.50 covers shipping and handling by UPS within the continental US.
    We take the usual credit cards and ask that you phone or fax us to order- we cover our phones Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm at 781=335-8860 and from 10am to 7pm at 781-335-1579. Our fax is always on, collecting junk and occasionally useful stuff at 781-335-1925.
    We also offer rebuilding services on these pumps at $ 85.00 for labor and kit parts, as well as new pumps at $ 95.00. Of course they are cheaper from the specialty houses- but i know where and when my stuff came from!
    Hope this helps,  Tom    Antique Auto Parts Cellar    and    Then & Now Automotive



A. J.