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    • March 25, 2017 at 10:44 pm #58508
      Lori and Dave Noyes
      Participant

        Hi there. My fuel pump has been leaking for a while, and it’s time to do something about it. It had leaked when my dad owned the car…he bought a replacement, but could never get it to fit correctly. When I bought the car in 2008, my mechanic bought the repair kit and repaired the original pump. Unfortunately, it is leaking again. We tried to find the leak. We think it is at the upper fitting into the fuel pump body (not the compression fitting). It starts leaking when I turn the key and the pump pressurizes. Is it possible that fitting could be bottoming out? Is there a certain type of thread sealer that can/should be used to give it another try?

        Also,we were hoping to make it to the BASH in May, but we have a family event to attend. Dave is considering making a baffle to install between the pump and the muffler so future leaks will be less dangerous. Thoughts? (I attached a photo.)

        Thank you,
        Lori

        Attachments:

      • March 28, 2017 at 6:08 pm #66763
        impbarn

          Lori,

          Any fuel leak is too much. It is very dangerous and has to be dealt with. Carry your fire extinguisher.

          Depending on what the repair kit was made of the Ethanol in today’s modern gasoline may have degraded it already. There isn’t any good thread sealer that I know of that will do the job. It has to be a good mechanical seal. They only way to know is take the pump out and examine the fittings to see how (and if) they seal.

          I hear Moss Motors has a new fuel pump, but it isn’t listed under Sunbeam that I can see. Maybe a Tiger owner has a suggestion?

          We will miss you and Dave at the BASH.

        • March 29, 2017 at 1:43 am #66764
          tom-jeffers

            I looked at my pump and I would say it is very unlikely that the fitting is bottoming out. There is a washer between the fitting and the body. Maybe you just need a new washer and a good cleaning. The washer appears to be non metallic.

            Tom

          • March 29, 2017 at 11:03 am #66765
            Lori and Dave Noyes
            Participant

              Thank you all for your responses. Dave also emailed Permatex, and they recommend High Performance Thread Sealant (56521). We will continue to investigate our options and hope to have it fixed soon.
              I do have a fire extinguisher in the car — Daddy always carried one, and very early in my ownership I used that 40 yr old one for a carburetor fire. I now have a newer one in there. We have a local ethanol-free gas station, so I rarely ever use gas with ethanol in it, so hopefully that is not the problem.
              We’ll miss everyone at the BASH…but future daughter-in-law’s bridal shower is important. 😀
              Lori

            • March 29, 2017 at 12:13 pm #66766
              tom-jeffers

                Do you have the washer between the fitting and the body? I would really suggest cleaning the flat surfaces on the fitting, the body and the washer. The seal is made on the flat surfaces, not the threads.

              • March 30, 2017 at 11:49 pm #66767
                Lori and Dave Noyes
                Participant

                  Hi Tom. Thanks for the message. We looked at the catalog, and it shows washers at the inlet/outlet on the ’63-’64 pump, but not on the ’65-’68 pump. It looks like there was a design change. Mine is a ’65. Attached are catalog images. Thanks for the suggestion. It was definitely worth investigating. Lori.

                  Attachments:

                • March 31, 2017 at 12:22 am #66768
                  tom-jeffers

                    Hi Lori,

                    My pump is a 65 also. It looks just like your picture in your first post and the 64 to 68 in the catalog from your last post. I am still going with your leak is because of a damaged or missing washer. I will be interested in what you find.

                    Tom

                  • March 31, 2017 at 12:57 am #66769
                    Lori and Dave Noyes
                    Participant

                      Thanks for the added information. I just sent an email to Victoria British. Maybe they can shed a little more light on it. Thanks again. Lori.

                    • March 31, 2017 at 3:08 am #66770
                      tom-jeffers

                        I will try and post a picture:

                      • March 31, 2017 at 10:22 am #66771
                        Lori and Dave Noyes
                        Participant

                          Thank you! Upon closer inspection, now we see there is a washer on ours as well. We will let you know what we find when we get a good look at it.
                          Lori

                          Attachments:

                        • April 4, 2017 at 2:21 pm #66777
                          impbarn

                            The sealing surfaces should be very clean and also very flat. It should not have any nicks, scratches, or pits in it in order to provide a good sealing surface on either the body or the fitting. The washer should also be clean and flat. Copper washers can be annealed (brought to cherry red and left to cool slowly). This allows the washer to conform to the mating surfaces.

                            Good luck

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