fuel pump acrobatics

[413]

These fuel pushrods never wore out in the old days of the 80’s and 90’s. Even on very high mileage engines.

So what changed, the metal of the new pushrods or the effort needed to operate the fuel pump?

I’ve never had a stock original fuel pump pushrod wear short. Even reusing it on a rebuilt engine. Seems like only the newer made pushrods are wearing shorter.

lots of people don’t remove them when taking a block to the machine shop, so they remove it and toss it. Then you go buy a new junk one and the problem starts.

So these fuel pump pushrods are not a wear item designed to fail. A wear item is brake & clutch linings.

 

[gregory cotten]

Big government demanded oil companies to remove the anti wear additives from oil.
New engines survive with roller lifters, the new oil will eat our vintage engines one piece at a time.
Use an oil rated for older engines, high zinc and zddp .

 

[live4theking]

Prior to this thread the only person I remember talking about fule pump rods is @detmatt .

 

[detmatt]

Considering my silver car still had its original timing gear on it(140k miles) when I pulled it apart years ago, plastic teeth and all I would be surprised that somebody had changed out the pushrod from original and yet it was over a quarter inch shorter than it should have been.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Please treat your fuel pump pushrod as a lifter, must go back in the same direction as it came out. New rods will fail if not an NOS part. Lube as you would a new lifter. Last two cars I had in here with failed were replacements from omp cams.
Here are a couple of photos, NOS Chrysler are the longer, aftermarket are the wiped shorter.

 

[detmatt]

Comp cams, say no more….

 

[RagTop66]

I had one go bad on the 383 that was originally in my car. I bought one from summit that was supposed to be oem and it didn’t last 1,000 miles. I gave up and took the mechanical fuel pump off and replaced it with an electric one and drove it problem free until I put my new 440 in.

 

[Mike66Chryslers]

These fuel pushrods never wore out in the old days of the 80’s and 90’s. Even on very high mileage engines.

So what changed, the metal of the new pushrods or the effort needed to operate the fuel pump?

I’ve never had a stock original fuel pump pushrod wear short. Even reusing it on a rebuilt engine. Seems like only the newer made pushrods are wearing shorter.

lots of people don’t remove them when taking a block to the machine shop, so they remove it and toss it. Then you go buy a new junk one and the problem starts.

So these fuel pump pushrods are not a wear item designed to fail. A wear item is brake & clutch linings.

What changed was an extra 20-30 years of wear on the pushrods. I rebuilt an engine myself about 15 years ago, reused the original pushrod that was in it and it failed about 5 years ago. I suspect the same for others who have had the same problem, and I know of a few. In my case I replaced it with another used original pushrod that I had kicking around and that one has held-up so far.

 

[Boydsdodge]

What I understand with the pushrod is that once the cam is replaced the pushrod must be replaced, just like you can't reuse lifters.
Same goes for when a pushrod fails, you should not install new one onto the old cam. Might try adding break in oil and trying to break it in. I have just gone electric pump once a pushrod fails. Not using my NOS pushrods on old cams.