'60s Lark Fuel Pump on '58 Lark?

[cheburashka]

I have a '58 Lark and I don't trust the pressurized fuel system, especially since my gas cap is missing and the fuel line fitting is leaking. Somebody just gave me a Lark IV (Nothing wrong with it, honest) that is completely locked up, but it does have the fuel pump on the carb. Can this carb be retrofitted onto the 35HP engine? Would I run into problems with the choke system? Any advice is greatly appreciated.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Steve

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: '60s Lark Fuel Pump on '58 Lark?

You would most certainly have a problem on the pressurized fuel system with the gas cap missing. You can put a fuel pump on your 58 if you cn find a place to mount it. On engines that age, I would have to be looking at them, to tell which way to go.

 

[daveswaves]

Re: '60s Lark Fuel Pump on '58 Lark?

The fuel pump is not on the carb, that is probably a hot water choke you are looking at. The fuel pump is on the starboard side of the motor, next to the electric starter (if its there). You should see a fuel bowl too. You probably do not have to change your carb if your old 58 is/was running fine, the carbs are the same except the Lark IV probably has a fixed high speed jet instead of adjustable one like on your 58.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: '60s Lark Fuel Pump on '58 Lark?

Dave's right. Actually, the 1958 Lark should have a fuel pump already on it. It would be on the starboard side, have a glass fuel bowl and three hoses coming from it.<br /><br />That said, some early production of the Lark may have used the old pressure tank. I'll wager the mounting points for the fuel pump are on the block, though.<br /><br />Check your engine again. If it doesn't have a pump, it's possible to add the one from the later engine, but you do have to create a pulse line into the crankcase and plug the old pressure line that goes to the fuel connector.<br /><br />Still, I'd make really sure you don't already have a fuel pump on that engine.

 

[cheburashka]

Re: '60s Lark Fuel Pump on '58 Lark?

Thanks for the response! I just checked both engines. Both have a pulse fitting. The older Lark has the pressurized tank system, so the pulse is fed back into the tank. The newer Lark has a piece mounted on the opposite side of the block that looks to be a fuel pump. It has fuel line in, fuel line out, and connection to pulse. I think I'll be hooking up the newer system to the older motor, since the chances of my finding a working gas cap and double hose connector are slim. Thanks for the help! <br /><br />Now I'm wondering if there's anything else I can update on the older motor. I'd sure like to get that sixties-style hood on there, especially since it matches my Glasspar G3 perfectly!!

 

[CATransplant]

Re: '60s Lark Fuel Pump on '58 Lark?

OK, there's another thing you need to know. The fitting on the older motor isn't pulse. It's only pressure. There are a pair of tiny check valve flaps in there that block the suction side of the equation.<br /><br />Here's a link to a thread where Paul Moir describes how to set this up on these older engines:<br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=28;t=033929#000000 <br /><br />Check that out and you'll see the trick. Be sure to click the link in Paul Moir's message down in the thread.