Hot Rods bolts that hold the fuel pump in place on small block chevy

You may have some luck searching the metric bolt sizes, just rethread the hole using a metric tap and away you go. This has saved the day more than once.

 

I feel the same way, like Hnstray said HC is the way to go.

Pat

 

OK Sports Fans-----IT'S ALIVE!!! Fresh start on the left side fuel pump to block bolt. By properly aligning the fuel pump hole to the block hole, the bolt caught the rear threads easy enough. Tightened up, feeling proper. Put every thing back together (including fresh NAPA modern fuel compatible gas hose, where the hose attaches to the fuel pump). Minor squirt of ether after a couple of cranks. Runs. Starts fine, runs fine, all throttle range. Checked again for leaks, all good. As soon as it stops raining long enough, I'll take the truck out and put some miles on it and check it out again. In the mean time I'm going to trim the holes I made in the inner fender panel, and make a proper "access panel" to go over it. I sincerely thank all you guys for your ideas and reply's, it really helps when you realize your not in this alone. Bill Rinaldi

 

I'm with the guys who said to Heli-coil it. You're at home now with time and equipment on your side. You are asking a partial thread engagement to do a whole thread engagement job. Its not going to fail next time at home or your best friend's best equipped shop.

 

Glad to see happy results!
Steve

 

With longer bolts put in that are into the good threads at the bottom of the holes I have no doubt it will stay secure for the lifetime of that pump. Even if there is only 1/4” of thread in use I’m sure Bill knows how a proper thread feels and that he was able to properly tighten them. Also there is not a lot of stress put on those fasteners with just the f/p push rod working on them.

 

AWWWW ****___NOW WHAT!!!! Took the truck off the ramps, cleaned the MESS up, wiped down and put away the tools. I go to start truck, runs for a second or two, QUITS, and ACTS like ------NO GAS. I disconnect gas line at carb and have some one crank it. No gas to carb. Apparently all the good running was gas still in the system. All the lines are hooked up properly---only one place each can go. The long bolt to the fuel pump rod was definately removed and the original short bolt put back in place. I SURE don't want to go through this ritual again. Now What? Bill

 

Do you have fuel in the tank? Pull the line from the tank at the fuel pump and put it in a can. Put an air hose with a rag in the gas tank filler. Give it a blast of air and see if gas comes out of the hose to the pump. If not you have found the problem.

 

Maybe when the hole was originally stripped the 'mechanic' bolted the pump arm up against the fuel pump push rod, as was previously mentioned. Those pump rods will bend, maybe it is stuck. Did you pull out the rod and check it? My neighbor was along side the road with a 70 pick up, sbc. They were changing the fuel pump but didn't push the rod up to get it on the fuel pump arm. They sure did bend the rod that runs on the cam, buy just tightening up the 2 fuel pump mounting bolts. Took the plate off the fuel pump mount, dropped out the rod and it was bent. Found a NAPA store, got a replacement rod, installed the pump correctly and they were on their way.

 

I'd do what BJR recommends. If not the problem it looks like Murphys law. I once had a bad starter on my 58 Impala with a 348. Not an easy job to replace as you have to drop the left side exhaust to remove the starter. Replaced the starter and didn't try it as I was in a hurry. Yep, it was a bad rebuilt stater. From this experience learned never to try something before ****oning it up.
Hope you don't have any more thread problems.

Gary

 

Bill, one more thing before you're done, yes, it will get done.
Before you put those two fuel pump bolts back in, run a 1/16" drill bit through both bolt heads and safety wire them together, just in case they want to loosen up from lack of thread engagement, just a little extra security from problems out on the road.

 

The fuel pump push rod is 5 3/4” long and I doubt it ever sticks out more than 1 “ from the casting, not the machined face of the mount, but inside the block where only an inch or less of the rod is exposed. And being 1/2”solid steel I don’t see how it could bend. Bill was on top of it dropping down too, he had a bolt screwed in to keep it in position.
It’s either what BJR mentioned or Murphy’s Law- you got a faulty new pump.

 

OK----NEXT Question from the student----Will the fuel pump rod come out of the fuel pump opening? Does it take any special "trick" to remove it? I'm first going to take BJR's advice and check the flow from the tank to the pump inlet. If that's OK (and I'll bet it is) then MOST likely the pump rod is out of position and binding on the pump arm. YEA, I will go through this again, if nothing else to find out whats wrong. OH, in answer to the helicoil option---In order to put in a helicoil on the left side, I would have to pull the exhaust manifold. I REALLY don't want to have to do that. It's ***** to remove and an even BIGGER pain to align and reinstall. TO BE CONTINUED----AGAIN. Thanks for your patience. Bill

 

If this sounds stupid then ignore it. The rod cannot come out of the hole because there is that 3/16" metal plate with 4 bolt holes bolted onto the block. It is held on with (2) 1/4-20 bolts then the fuel pump goes on and (2) 3/8-16 bolts hold that on. I have never seen a bent FP rod I have broken the pin boss that holds the FP lever on the FP and I have had too long a bolt jamming the FP rod. Those have been my experiences with SBC FP's. I would start from the beginning and check everything twice. Don't know if this was helpful but those were my experiences.

Pat

 

Please keep us posted as to the fix for this.

 

Oops, didn't refresh before I posted.

The rod will only drop as far as the cover plate that the pump bolts go through. You have to take the cover plate off and then the rod will, or should, fall into your hand...or the floor.

 

It's been a while, but IIRC you will have to remove the two 1/4-20's that hold the mounting plate and then the p/r will slide out easily. You might want to check that the rod is on the heel of the lobe that operates it when putting things back together. Just have someone bump the starter while holding something to put a bit of pressure on the p/r and watch it's motion. Being on the heel makes it easier to put the pump back on.

 

Remember Bill a 30 minute job is 1 broken bolt away from a 3 day job. Slow and easy buddy. As for no fuel take the fuel line off the pump and see if it will gravity feed out of the hose. If not blow some air in the gas tank and see if it will come out of the line. If not blow air in to the line from the pump side and see if you can hear it at the filler neck.

 

with all the talk about hell-coils,does anyone else have the problem of the coil coming out with the bolt next time its removed?I've tried every flavor of lock -***e and they still come out! I've actually had better luck with the other brands of thread inserts-don't remember brands,but uses a drive in "key" to retain it the other uses threads that are heavily knurled

 

I've installed dozens of Helicoils over the last 60 years for my stuff as well as others and don't recall ever having one unscrew with a bolt. Are you removing the tang with a reverse thrust to break it off after the Helicoil is installed?

 

Have you made a visual check to make sure that the pump is still tight to the block and the bolts haven't pulled out?

 

Keensert

http://www.clarendonsf.com/products/aerospace/inserts/keensert-inserts

 

I prefer Keenserts; BUT, if I'm out of time, the next think that might happen is I drill the holes slightly oversize: 13/32s comes to mind. Then...we cross over the bridge!
Tap 10mm/1.5 thread, replace bolts with slightly larger METRIC bolts.
Easy to find, try McMaster/Carr, Fastenal, Orchard Supply. Bolt heads are larger, (17 mm., or 11/16"...The 11/16" fits a little loose, 'cuz it's not really 11/16". It's 17 mm! )
A 12 point socket fits the 17mm bolt heads comfortably, been using 11/16" Snap-On box end for Porsche engine removal/replacement for 50 years. (my favorite hand tool)
Try it, even if you have to use a socket! Fun and easy.
Serves the Stovebolt right...metric bolts...GM...bah...

 

Got the car up on jackstands----AGAIN------Ready to go at it ----AGAIN. Got fuel to pump. No fuel from pump. Pulled the lines, pulled the pump. The fuel pump ROD WILL NOT MOVE. It DID before!!! NO, there is not a front of the block bolt holding it. I took off the outer plate to get at it. Won't move--up or down Bumped the starter--No Change. IM SURE I DID IT by not paying enough attention when installing the pump, when moving the pump around trying to "catch" the rear threads, I probably jambed the fuel pump lever against the side of the rod instead of under neath the rod where it should have been. Tried moving it with a needle nose vise grip, got a grip, still won't budge. I'm writing this on my SANITY BREAK-------NOW WHAT? Bill

 

It's probably just the gummed up end that got stuck while it traveled down or it hit the mushroomed end of rod. Tap it up and see what happen's.

 

Chill, Bill...lol...that rod cannot bend by a misaligned weaker pump lever, so it could be just stuck with varnish like said...but does not explain why it would not pump gas...unless the lever was not in right? I can't say that it could even bolt up if the lever was in the wrong spot?

.

 

Just put a block off plate on it and run an electric pump. Problem solved.

 

^^^^^

 

IF the rod is 'stuck' tightly in the block it COULD not pump gas even if the pump was mounted correctly. For the pump to function it requires the push rod to follow the pump lobe on the cam. A stuck push rod could be stuck enough to resist the spring pressure of the pump arm. Not saying that is likely...but if the rod is that resistant to moving, it certainly is possible.

The rod will have to extracted and the cause of seizure determined, varnish or slight bent or whatever ????

Ray

 

Did you use a long bolt to hold the rod prior and possibly over did it?