Need a fuel pump push rod

[fal_shooter]

Looking for a fuel pump push rod. It's a discontinued part. Anyone know of a replacement part number or source? The one I have is broken in half.

 

[HelluvaEngineer]

Looking for a fuel pump push rod. It's a discontinued part. Anyone know of a replacement part number or source? The one I have is broken in half.

First off, I love building FALs. Maybe block it off and get an electric lift pump? Hope I don't take too much heat for that suggestion.

Sent from my VIVO XL using Tapatalk

 

[cucvrus]

I have the fuel pump push rod. Of course I do. I would like 2 expired Idaho license plates for it. Nice clean ones please. No need for another hacked up wiring. The OEM system works well. It lasted 33+ years. That's pretty good. Let me know. I will mail it out. Any other smalls you need?

 

[fal_shooter]

I have the fuel pump push rod. Of course I do. I would like 2 expired Idaho license plates for it. Nice clean ones please. No need for another hacked up wiring. The OEM system works well. It lasted 33+ years. That's pretty good. Let me know. I will mail it out. Any other smalls you need?

Thanks cucvrus

In the state of Idaho you own your plates and they travel from vehicle to vehicle. When you sell your car you are required to remove the plates. I think I have some old Washington state plates and I will look for some Idaho plates for you.

The shop could not find the rod so we had one machined at a local shop. I just picked it up and it seems to start OK again. Do you have any idea why that thing would just snap like that? I don't understand why that part would fail like that. The mechanic couldn't give me a good explanation. Can that rod bind up? I have had starting problems with this truck for years. I replaced the fuel filter system when I first got it with one you might find in a MAC truck because the original was bad. I had to replace the IP 3 times because the mechanical fuel pump was inefficient causing the IP to grind itself to death and I replaced the mechanical fuel pump two or three times. Could this all have been caused by a binding or defective push rod? I bought the truck at an on base auction and it only had 17K miles on it when I got it. It has about 75K on it now. I use to drive the truck every day when I worked but now that I am retired I go for months without starting it. I quit driving it because of all of the starting problems I was having with it. Once I can trust it not to leave me stranded somewhere I will start driving it more.

I can't think of any military parts I need unless you think I need a spare push rod. If it keeps running, my next project is to put in a new washer motor. I replaced the steering column with a tilt and it has the intermittent wiper function so I want to get a new wiper motor to take advantage of that function. I get tired of the two speed slow and slower original motor. That would not be a part I would expect you to have. If I can think of anything I will PM you.

All that said I will still see if I can locate some old Idaho plates for you. If you have any interest in the Wa state plates let me know.

Thanks

 

[HelluvaEngineer]

The shop could not find the rod so we had one machined at a local shop. I just picked it up and it seems to start OK again.

I'm no expert but I think on some applications FP pushrods are hardened, at least on the ends. Maybe someone else knows. Hopefully it holds up fine for you.

 

[someoldmoose]

The pushrod for the mechanical ( lift ) pump is "essentially" the same one GM has used since the very first small block back in '55. The rods, like any part that goes back and forth several times a second CAN fatigue, crack, and eventually break. The odd thing is that even with a broken push-rod most GM mechanical pumps continued to work until the softer metal in the middle of the shaft wore away and it got loose enough to quit pushing the pump lever. YES, they can get stuck. Usually at the "bottom" of the stroke (toward the pump). When this happens there is no pumping. However, what often happens is it sooner or later becomes UNstuck. If that happens when the engine is running, and depending where the cam is in it's travels you might break the cam or more often, the lever arm on the pump. There is no "play" in the system. Tightening the bolts on the pump to the block actually pre-load the pump arm and the shaft is "splash" lubricated by oil draining back through the timing cover. Very simple, incredibly reliable. The rod has not been available as a new part for quite a few years now. They are out there in every 6.2 and 6.5 GM oil burner that is lounging in a boneyard and hasn't been picked over yet. I found 3 complete engines in a small local yard not too long ago, so they are out there. HOWEVER, as you already found out, any machine shop worth having around can make one in about two shakes of a puppies tail outta round stock. Original rods are hardened on the ends to prevent peening over during the 500,000 miles these things CAN run for. A good machine shop should be able to choose the correct rod alloy for acceptable life in a "hobby" vehicle.

 

[joshuak]

... If it keeps running, my next project is to put in a new washer motor. I replaced the steering column with a tilt and it has the intermittent wiper function so I want to get a new wiper motor to take advantage of that function. I get tired of the two speed slow and slower original motor...

Shouldn't need a new pump for that, try GM wiper motor controller, part number 15598496. Pictures here. Slower speeds from the original motor may be just dirty electrical connections or mechanical linkages in need of attention, aka cleaned and lubed.

Good luck