fuel pump frustration

[flashback]

hi folks, It's been a long long time since I have been here. After 10 years I just got another boat. Guess the urge never leaves ya..
Anyway to the point, I have a 95 searay 220, 350 gm engine with a sun deck over the engine, so very tight spaces to work on it.. I got the old pump off, but can't get the push rod to stay up for the install of the new pump.. I can get the rod up with some grease but can't keep it there long enough to seat the new pump. The hole on the front of the block is not bored completely thru so a bolt can't reach the rod.. And I can only work with one hand and no sight.. They really buried this motor! I have been fussing with it for 2 days and may get drunk for the next 2! I sure could use some help...

thanks Flash

 

[Paintman1960]

Where are ya? I'll drink with ya lol
we'll get it done !!!!!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Two methods to hold the pushrod in an SBC or BBC

Method 1, a big glob of grease

Method #2, pull the short bolt in the front of the engine that lines up with push rod hole, install longer bolt to hold pushrod. Mahe sure to put short bolt back in

 

[flashback]

I'm pretty close to converting it to electric pump. gonna take today off and rest. it's tough getting old.. I think the biggest problem is the limited access, I can't seem to get both hands down in there at the same time and all the while my poor old body is jambed into a space about 2' by 2'..

 

[Mcfltfyter]

Are you certain you are trying the correct bolt hole?

 

[flashback]

Are you certain you are trying the correct bolt hole?

I'm almost certain, I found 2 holes one above the other in the casting. The top one seemed inline with the push rod so slipped a pencil into it and it is about 3/4 inch deep but didn't seem to touch the push rod...

 

[Mcfltfyter]

GM built their reputation on "cheapest" so things like this aren't uncommon.

Other than a quick spray of carb cleaner and some red and tacky grease, I'm out of ideas.

 

[Paintman1960]

If you pull out the FP rod, you should see yer pencil in there, without checking my Hot rod engine, I'm sure it's the upper bolt hole

 

[flashback]

There's some good teaching from some good folks here in several mech to electric conversion threads and I've about decided to go that route. Who ever designed this model of sea ray did not have engine maintenance in mind. Thought about putting studs in place of the pump mounting bolts so I would have a guide but the actuator arm on the pump hangs too low to clear the opening. Short of pulling the engine out I don't see how it can be done. I used to ***** about working on my old 79 CC scorpion, but now I think I had it good!

 

[tank1949]

I'm almost certain, I found 2 holes one above the other in the casting. The top one seemed inline with the push rod so slipped a pencil into it and it is about 3/4 inch deep but didn't seem to touch the push rod...

I assume that you mean a mechanical fuel pump??? The only mechanical Chevy V8 fuel pumps that I am familiar with have an arm (pump handle) that is attached to pump and moved by cam shaft. Perhaps yours is a better design???? I have found that removing an exhaust manifold really frees up space. BUT, prepare to install new gaskets on it. You will have to remove rider first to reduce weight. If you are not careful, the weight will cause the manifold to sag or slip out of your hands and break spark plugs. Been there!!!! You can fabricate 2 3/8" studs with flat head screw driver ends (remove hex heads) to replace the center manifold bolts. This will make removal and reinstallation MUCH EASIER. Now, examine fuel tank potential removal! What a nightmare!

 

[flashback]

I truly hope I don't need to swap out the fuel tank! The boat was given to me and hasn't been run in several years. I did get a significant amount of water out of it so the fuel tank may very well be corroded. I took the old fuel pump apart and it was rusty in places so I suspect water probably caused the failure. This boat has several other mechanical issues that need to be sorted. but it is in good shape structurally and cosmetically.

 

[tank1949]

I truly hope I don't need to swap out the fuel tank! The boat was given to me and hasn't been run in several years. I did get a significant amount of water out of it so the fuel tank may very well be corroded. I took the old fuel pump apart and it was rusty in places so I suspect water probably caused the failure. This boat has several other mechanical issues that need to be sorted. but it is in good shape structurally and cosmetically.

Before you dump a ton of money, check the transom for ROT! Trust me!

 

[flashback]

The boat seems solid, I don't really know how to check for rot in transom other than a bit of tapping or a moisture meter. tapping I have done. stored in a barn for several years so the hull was bone dry, I got water out of the gas tank when I pumped it..

 

[tank1949]

The boat seems solid, I don't really know how to check for rot in transom other than a bit of tapping or a moisture meter. tapping I have done. stored in a barn for several years so the hull was bone dry, I got water out of the gas tank when I pumped it..

If you can access around inside transom by or near transom assembly, I'd drill a few holes. If black crud, dry rot, hollow or water comes, now is the time to replace transom. If my memory serves me correctly, 1995 was the year most boat builders went with synthetic transom materials. Pray yours is. Rot, usually, climbs from drain plug area upwards, but not in all cases. If no rot, fill holes with 5200. My rebuilds have all been due to water coming in near drain. If salt water run boat, I'd also pull and pressure test tank for leaks. Water in gas tanks and rust inside FP indicates boat MAY have taken on water and former owner became disgusted in maintaining it and parked it. You might consider filling boat with water (as much as possible) and check for transom leaks. ( if trailer will handle extra weight???) Good luck!

 

[flashback]

Well back to the fuel pump adventure, I wonder if anyone has ever tried to magnetize the push rod so it would stay up in the bore? That's probably a crazy thought, it would be my luck that it would push it out rather than hold it in...

 

[flashback]

I have decided to do the conversion to electric and would like recommendations on which pump to get. I can see no way to mount it below the fuel tank so I would need one with some sucking capability as I plan to mount it just above the tank on the back of the bench seat. which would put it around 14 inches above the bottom of the tank.
Thanks

 

[nola mike]

Any universal *MARINE* pump carb rated (~5 psi) should be fine. I went with a carter, and none of them put out the correct pressure FWIW (went through 3 of them)

 

[Lou C]

The extra bolt hole trick doesn't work for the 4.3s, so I used the big glob of grease trick on mine, Evinrude triple guard to be exact. While this is not a "fun" job, I still prefer a mechanical pump to electric pumps at least for carbs, for reliability. Another thing that helps is to rotate the crankshaft so the pushrod is not on the lobe of the cam but on the flat, this way the pushrod can go further up and make it easier to get the pump on. My first mechanical pump lasted 30 years.

 

[tank1949]

I have decided to do the conversion to electric and would like recommendations on which pump to get. I can see no way to mount it below the fuel tank so I would need one with some sucking capability as I plan to mount it just above the tank on the back of the bench seat. which would put it around 14 inches above the bottom of the tank.
Thanks

Be advised: I experienced major issues with automotive pumps. I finally installed Sierra's MP and issues went away. My boats former owner had installed auto Fuel pumps and no oil pressure switch cut off and wiring, which was dangerous as well.

 

[72fj40]

Last year I had to replace the mechanical fuel pump on our sbc and found the bolt hole in the frt of the block was not drilled thru to the rod either. Instead of trying to push the rod back up the blk with grease and hoping it would stay up in the hole. I decided it would take less time to just remove the rod block off plate(2 small bolts), clean it up and prep it for reinstallation, remove the rod, clean it and coat the whole rod with grease and shove it back in. This insured the rod would stay up. Then installed the plate and pump.