<VV> Fuel pump rod

[Dan & Synde]

Dennis, I have had the fuel pump rod/ eccentric wear down before too.  It
was early in my Corvair career when I was just learning the basics about
cars in general.  It was in one of the first engines I had running in the
Brier.  I believe what happened was that I wasn't keeping enough oil in the
engine due to all the leaks and also due to the fact that I had the wrong
dipstick for it.  I had this dipstick and tube that apparently someone made
so that they could use a truck engine block in a car without adding the
correct car dipstick tube.  It was cut down really short for clearance with
the car frame rail.  The marks on the dipstick were not accurate due to
this.  What would happen would be that I'd drive along for awhile and the
engine would just die.  I could be on surface streets or wide open on the
freeway, it didn't matter.  Once it died, the only solution was to get out,
remove the fuel pump and put a shim in the little cup on top of the fuel
pump rod made out of whatever I had handy at the time.  Remember, I was a
rookie and was only interested in getting it a few more miles down the
road!!  That worked until the rod and/or eccentric got so worn down that it
wouldn't move at all.  You're probably laughing right now but that is the
truth.  You wanna talk about metal shavings in the engine.....  I still have
that fuel pump eccentric and it has a really deep groove worn in it.  Man,
was that stupid.  But the symptom of a worn pump rod/eccentric for me, on a
short stroke, two carb engine was it either ran or it didn't.  Wasn't an
on/off type of thing.  

Kerry, the vapor lock symtoms are just like Frank DuVal describes when it
has happened to me.  Usually though, if I can keep the engine turning after
it starts to bog down by coasting in gear, enough air is pulled in through
the fan to cool things off and start the fuel pump pumping again.  A flakey
fuel pump can exacerbate vapor lock and actually make it occur easier.  My
guess it that you are experiencing vapor lock due to a borderline fuel pump
especially since the electric fuel pump fixes the problem as soon as you
activate it.

Dan Kling

1961 Greenbrier Deluxe, 4spd, 3.89  On the Road Again,  yeehaw :)
1963 Spyder, restored   4spd Saginaw
1967 Ultravan #299  Newest of the herd!! Almost killed me already!!


http://photos.yahoo.com/duchesskyra
A few pictures of the Greenbrier, UltraVan, engine and tranny tear down with
more to come!