The Ford Barn

cfordman · 12-05-2015, 08:15 PM

ran my A out of gas today the electric pump ran for a min or so before I shut it off. tried cranking it for another min or so and again when I added gas. on troubleshooting no fuel to carb I pulled the pump checked the filter which was clean and bench checked the pump it makes the same noise it always did but wont pump (airtex rotary pump). can you fry the seals running it without gas for as short a time as this? tried tapping it while running, didn't help. just noise-no pump.

Mitch//pa · 12-05-2015, 08:19 PM

airtex are one of the worst pumps on the market... i have had more CB's on modern iron from that brand screw them A***S.. . carter, delphi, holley are some of the better ones...

Tom Wesenberg · 12-05-2015, 08:40 PM

Can you take it apart to check the moving parts for wear? I have 2 Holly and 1 Carter rotary pumps, and they can easily be taken apart to check the vanes for wear.

CWPASADENA · 12-06-2015, 12:57 AM

What's an "Electric Fuel Pump"? or better yet, What is a "Fuel Pump"? I do not seem to have one on my Model A. May be I am missing something???

Chris W.

kenparker · 12-06-2015, 09:09 AM

An "Electric Fuel Pump" is the generator. It pumps out electricity which is the "fuel" that runs the distributor and the lights.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 12-06-2015, 11:06 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Had an old AUTOPULSE electric pump on our Indian powered 3/4 Midjet.. After it was started, turn OFF the pump, the VIBRATIONS would cause the pump to pump!
Bill W.

cfordman · 12-06-2015, 10:08 PM

tom, nope its sealed. tried it again today can hear the rotors spinning but no suction. as long as the tank is full I can use gravity ( its still free) ive built a speedster pick up with a T ten gallon tank in the bed and somewhere below half tank its height levels off with the carb. im just surprised it failed with less than three hours of actually running in the last year. I use mm oil in the gas. It looks like they don't like to be run dry.

Dodge · 12-06-2015, 10:30 PM

I had one that sat for awhile and it was doing the same thing. I took it apart and the
diaphram looked like a piece of chewed up bubble gum. I think the material they used
wasn't compatible with the new crappy gas.

denis4x4 · 12-06-2015, 10:42 PM

There is one school of thought that says shutting off the gas lets the fuel pump diaphragm dry out and causes failure.

Tom Wesenberg · 12-06-2015, 10:48 PM

Flexible impellers, gears and vane pumps shouldn't be run dry, but I'm surprised it would be shot if it only ran dry a few minutes.
Have you tried to prime it?

cfordman · 12-07-2015, 08:20 PM

cut open the pump, whatever is inside is encased in epoxy, no way to tell what failed. will buy a better brand pump.

Allanw · 01-01-2016, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

airtex are one of the worst pumps on the market... i have had more CB's on modern iron from that brand screw them A***S.. . carter, delphi, holley are some of the better ones...

Agree!

I had an Airtex replacement pump in my Wifes old Subaru. It whined so loud (stright out of the box!) that you could still hear it at 60MPH.

The 3 replacements I requested were the same, I evenbtually got a Walbro which was perfect, and I still have the airtex on my shelf, to remind me how crappy they are!

I'll never buy another.

captndan · 01-01-2016, 11:41 AM

I just have to ask. Why would anybody put a fuel pump on an A?

SeaSlugs · 01-01-2016, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allanw

Agree!

I had an Airtex replacement pump in my Wifes old Subaru. It whined so loud (stright out of the box!) that you could still hear it at 60MPH.

The 3 replacements I requested were the same, I evenbtually got a Walbro which was perfect, and I still have the airtex on my shelf, to remind me how crappy they are!

I'll never buy another.

also agree, people over on a chevy s10 forum say the same things - lucky to get 6mo out of the pumps.

Tom Wesenberg · 01-01-2016, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captndan

I just have to ask. Why would anybody put a fuel pump on an A?

When people use a downdraft carb, then it sets higher than the bottom of the gas tank, so it needs a little pressure to fill the carb.

Synchro909 · 01-01-2016, 08:30 PM

I have 3 A's, all with electric fuel pumps and down draft carburettors. All 3 pumps come from old Subarus - ones with carby's. They are cheap, quiet and supremely reliable.
(Now that I have said that, watch, one will fail.)

12-05-2015, 08:15 PM	#1
cfordman Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 66	Electric fuel pump durability ran my A out of gas today the electric pump ran for a min or so before I shut it off. tried cranking it for another min or so and again when I added gas. on troubleshooting no fuel to carb I pulled the pump checked the filter which was clean and bench checked the pump it makes the same noise it always did but wont pump (airtex rotary pump). can you fry the seals running it without gas for as short a time as this? tried tapping it while running, didn't help. just noise-no pump.

12-05-2015, 08:19 PM	#2
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Electric fuel pump durability airtex are one of the worst pumps on the market... i have had more CB's on modern iron from that brand screw them A***S.. . carter, delphi, holley are some of the better ones...

12-05-2015, 08:40 PM	#3
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Electric fuel pump durability Can you take it apart to check the moving parts for wear? I have 2 Holly and 1 Carter rotary pumps, and they can easily be taken apart to check the vanes for wear.

12-06-2015, 12:57 AM	#4
CWPASADENA Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: PASADENA, CA Posts: 1,884	Re: Electric fuel pump durability What's an "Electric Fuel Pump"? or better yet, What is a "Fuel Pump"? I do not seem to have one on my Model A. May be I am missing something??? Chris W.

12-06-2015, 09:09 AM	#5
kenparker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Van, Texas Posts: 1,122	Re: Electric fuel pump durability An "Electric Fuel Pump" is the generator. It pumps out electricity which is the "fuel" that runs the distributor and the lights.

12-06-2015, 11:06 AM	#6
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Electric fuel pump durability Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Had an old AUTOPULSE electric pump on our Indian powered 3/4 Midjet.. After it was started, turn OFF the pump, the VIBRATIONS would cause the pump to pump! Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

12-06-2015, 10:08 PM	#7
cfordman Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 66	Re: Electric fuel pump durability tom, nope its sealed. tried it again today can hear the rotors spinning but no suction. as long as the tank is full I can use gravity ( its still free) ive built a speedster pick up with a T ten gallon tank in the bed and somewhere below half tank its height levels off with the carb. im just surprised it failed with less than three hours of actually running in the last year. I use mm oil in the gas. It looks like they don't like to be run dry.

12-06-2015, 10:30 PM	#8
Dodge Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Sonoma, CA. Posts: 1,495	Re: Electric fuel pump durability I had one that sat for awhile and it was doing the same thing. I took it apart and the diaphram looked like a piece of chewed up bubble gum. I think the material they used wasn't compatible with the new crappy gas.

12-06-2015, 10:42 PM	#9
denis4x4 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Durango CO Posts: 1,309	Re: Electric fuel pump durability There is one school of thought that says shutting off the gas lets the fuel pump diaphragm dry out and causes failure. __________________ No restorable Model A's were harmed in the building of this truck!

12-06-2015, 10:48 PM	#10
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Electric fuel pump durability Flexible impellers, gears and vane pumps shouldn't be run dry, but I'm surprised it would be shot if it only ran dry a few minutes. Have you tried to prime it?

12-07-2015, 08:20 PM	#11
cfordman Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 66	Re: Electric fuel pump durability cut open the pump, whatever is inside is encased in epoxy, no way to tell what failed. will buy a better brand pump.

01-01-2016, 11:41 AM	#13
captndan Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Tennessee Posts: 714	Re: Electric fuel pump durability I just have to ask. Why would anybody put a fuel pump on an A?

01-01-2016, 08:30 PM	#16
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: Electric fuel pump durability I have 3 A's, all with electric fuel pumps and down draft carburettors. All 3 pumps come from old Subarus - ones with carby's. They are cheap, quiet and supremely reliable. (Now that I have said that, watch, one will fail.) __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.