Tedd Thompson

I just bought a used rebuild able fuel pump for the 55 from John (2blu442) and I'm looking to send it off for a rebuild. Anyone have any suggestion on a good reasonable place to send it off to? This doesn't need to be a concurs type rebuild, it's just a backup for emergency use. It probably spend most of it's life on a shelf with the rest of my stuff but I want a extra just in case....Tedd

PS. John is a great guy to do business with

D. Yaros

I would inquire of/at Terrilll Machine in DeLeon, TX.

Tedd Thompson

Thanks Dave, The more I look in to it the more I think I'll try and rebuild It myself. I've watched a few You Tube how to videos and I think with a little luck I will be able to handle it, actually it looks kinda simple....Tedd

oldcutlass

Is it a combination fuel and vacuum pump? If so send it out, its not complicated but it is a royal pain in the a$$.

Tedd Thompson

It is a dual pump but it still looks fairly simple, two air (vacuum) valves and two fuel valves sandwiched between two diaphragms and a couple springs and gaskets. I'm no master mechanic by any means but I a'm a gunsmith and have worked on a few firearms with twice the parts with closer tolerances and with no room to work. If I fail I'll ship it off and let an expert work on it.

Just curious, where does the pain come from, bad valve seal, mismatched parts on assembly.poor gasket alignment? Perhaps I'm missing something here...Tedd

oldcutlass

The diaphrams have to be disassembled and re riveted back together while all the outside screw holes line up to the outer case. Its all sandwiched together and has to be tight enough so it does not leak but not to tight to tear. The valves are a piece of cake. I did one and it worked fine, it was a PITA.

Tedd Thompson

I pulled the top half apart the other day and no rivets. The bottom half if like the 55 Buick pump on you tube which they look almost identical has a half turn locking affair for the diaphram.Two of the valves will need stapling but that shouldn't be a problem.I think I'm going to give it a try and I will let you know if I stepped in over my head and had to punt..... Tedd

oldcutlass

The one I did was for a 37 Oldsmobile with a straight 6. Maybe the 50's pumps are different.

D. Yaros

A good decision. A challenge, and the satisfaction of being able to say, "I did it myself!"

If things go south you can always ship it to a professional to button up for you.

Ozzie

I've done it on the '55, and I didn't find it so difficult if you have all the parts which you need. To gracefully release the spring tension on the vacuum side, you'll need two longer machine screws (10-32 x 1-1/2") to replace two on the pump during dis-assembly. Using a vise to hold it really helps. Be sure to check the "trueness" of the casting where it meets the diaphragm. Sometimes it's distorted on a used pump which can cause it to leak or suck air. You can sand it "flat" with #400 or use a sealer. If you'd like a "real" filter in the bowl instead of the brass screen, you can use an AC FP-57 or equivalent. If you get lost on something the procedure is well covered with many photos on pages 8-29 through 8-35 of the '55 Olds shop manual or ask the forum. You probably should carry it on your trips as they are no longer widely available in parts stores. Take a chance; if I can do it, so can you.

Tedd Thompson

Well it's done, not as easy as I thought but very doable. The next one will be a lot easier. I learned a bunch on this endeavor like take more pictures from all angles at every step (what looks obvious on dissemble is soon forgot on reassembly) and if it looks to difficult there probably is a better way to do it or I'm doing it all wrong. The service manual is good and should be read several times before and during assembly, don't skip the easy stuff because there is probably something there that may be needed later and be different when you re assemble.

Here are a few pics of the tear down the pump I used. It came from 2blu442 (John) and after getting into it I think it could have been run as is , it looked very good inside but it was still 60 years old and not built for alcohol based fuel so I rebuild it .... Tedd.

Rocketowner

Congratulations Tedd,when you meet a challenge and conquer it yourself,it's always good! You've heard the saying "Old Guys Rule", maybe it's true.Hope so cause we both fit the catagory ,along with several others on here. Great job,Larry

oldcutlass

That looks different than the 37 model I rebuilt. Glad it was easier than the one I did.

Tedd Thompson

It would have been a lot easier if I hadn't switched two springs around and wasted a hour trying to install a heavy spring on a diaphragm it didn't belong on..... More pictures are better..... Tedd