UPS came through yesterday with the delivery of our replacement pump around Noon. I immediately started to remove the failed pump by first removing the fuel filter that is mounted on the side of the pump to give better access to the 5 different hose connections, and the three 5/8" bolts that hold the pump in place. The easy part was getting the 3 bolts removed......and I thought that would be the hard part....haha! Getting at the screws that hold each hose in place was the difficult part, but using the method patients and gently massaging of the parts it came lose.....well, I had to cut one hose connection.....the bottom one that is about 4" long. I ran over to Napa and got a replacement cut in just a few minutes, so it was worth it, because by cutting that connection the pump then came free and it was just a matter of maneuvering it out. Then I had to remove to plumbing type fixtures from the old pump to transfer to the new pump, as well as remove two plugs from the new pump where these two fittings would be installed. This proved to be the most difficult part of the process, but, again using patience and proper leverage, as well as my old trusty Black and Decker Workmate bench as a vice I succeeded in removing the fittings without damaging them, and installing them on the new pump with a liberal amount of pipe dope. At that point it was around 4pm, and I was thinking I would be happy if that was as far as I got, but I decided to see if I could at least get the pump back into place, and finish it up today (Saturday). As it turned out I was able to get the pump bolted back in place, and all but one hose reconnected as the sun set. I have one more hose connection to secure, plus torque the 5/8" bolts using the chart Steve Ward provided, plus re-install the fuel filter, and then add 23 gallons of Power Cool.
One pleasant discovery was that I apparently have just enough of the proper tools for this kind of job......I did wish I had a little larger pipe wrench, but by adding a pipe to the end of the wrench for extended leverage I was able to break the fittings loose. I sprayed white lithium grease in the channel on the engine side of the pump to help hold the "O" ring in place, and also on the inside of the hoses to help slip them back in place more easily...worked like a charm.
Of course the final test is turning over the engine and hoping there are no leaks. If there are leaks then it will take a little more patience and massaging, but I know I'll get there eventually. It has been nice not have have any time pressures this week as I waited for the delivery from California. I would not have had that luxury had this happened in the vast spaces of West Texas...I would have been at the mercy of someone else's time frame, and pricing for a replacement pump.
As it turns out the bearings on the old pump appear to be fine, so the core would appear to be a candidate for re-manufacture. I'll check into the cost to do that, and if it is reasonable then I'll have a spare pump for the future, although, if the new one lasts 30 years like the first one, then I may not live long enough to use it.
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