Fitting AC Delco Fuel Pump Kit

[david.g.chapman]

I bought a kit from the Small Ford Spares website, as indicated in another post. This kit contains the all important oil seal that goes around the diaphragm rod. This seal on my pump was hard and badly enlarged, while the actual diaphragm looked like new. So get that seal!

The seal housing was peened into place, but easily removed. I reused this, as it fits nicely around the seal and seems to work better than the plain washer and circlip that was supplied.

Now came the job of replacing the valves. On my pump (and probably on all Lotus OEM pumps) the valves are staked into place with six blows from a square punch. One valve looked OK but the other one had a weak spring so I tried to remove it. I ground down the 6 stacked areas around the valve, and then attempted to lever the valve out.

There followed a character building exercise with me applying increasing force to the valve, while it laughed at me in its little valve way. I had to make up a special right angled screwdriver type of tool to exert leverage on the valve surround. I also cut through most of the valve with a Dremel to weaken it. The valve finally gave way and flew across the garage, but with the valve seat undamaged. Phew!

So if you are thinking of changing these valves, they seem to be a heavy interference fit and staked down for good measure. If anyone has a better technique for changing them I would like to know!

Dave Chapman.