My fuel pump was leaking so I bought a new one. The tab on the pump is supposed to go under the pushrod. My book says to coat the pushrod with heavy grease to get it to stick in place while I put the new pump in. What I'm having trouble with is pushing the pushrod up into place to slide the pump in underneath it. The opening around the rod is too small to get my fingers around it and grab the thing, does anyone know of a good way to shove that rod up there?

 

turn the engine over with a socket on the crank bolt untill the fuel pump lobe of the cam is turned away from the fuel pump. shouldn't have any problems then.

------------------
ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd

 

Shawn, believe it or not I used this on my 85 chevy p/up 305. A paper clip, unwind one end so you can hold it and leave the other end as is, slide it under the rod and slip fuel pump lever under then pull out paper clip. Worked on the first try. I think this tip came with the instuctions in the fuel pump. I was surprised when it actually worked.


------------------
TPIS airfoil,relocated MAT,AFPR,TB h2o bypass
March Underdrive Pulleys
otherwise stock 5.0TPI
700r4, 9 bolt 3.23 g92 axle, 4 wh. disc brks.

 

ok my trick... ther isnt one the way i do it is just bump the engine aroud to top dead center of the exhaust stroke and just hold the rod up with your finger and slide the pump in under the rod quickly and let go and blot up its possible because i have huge hands and have no problem doing this this way! just give it a try!

------------------
1989 firebird formula

Mods: converted from T.B.I. to a carburator 305 to a 350. Flowmater exhaust,hedman shortie hedders,202 heads,350 horse cam,bored.40 over, Edlebrock torker2 and a 600 edlebrock manual choke.

Future mods performer rpm air gap intake (polished) comp roller cam, and way better headsa 400 defintely in the works!

 

If it's not too late, there's one sure-fire way to get this done. The front of the block casting has a 3/8" bolt (9/16" head) that is holding on - nothing. That bolt hole goes through to the rod bore - the bolt is there just to keep oil from leaking out. Take that bolt out, push the rod up with your finger and put in a slightly longer bolt and GENTLY snug it up to the rod. Mount the pump, remove the longer bolt you put in and reinstall the orginal short bolt. Presto chango, you're done.

Way back in '55-'57, the bolt holes on the front of the block were used for the front engine mounts - the side mount bosses weren't even there (ask me how I know this). In '58, they went to the side mounts, but kept the front holes in there, plugging that one hole with a short bolt. Some later pickups still used the front mounts, but by the mid-60's, they weren't used anymore. But, the bolt holes have remained all these years, and that one bolt that is still installed in there can come in handy.

Some guys fabricate a "fuel pump installation bolt" by drilling a small hole in the end of their longer bolt, and put a soft plug like nylon in the hole - this holds the rod securely but protects it from nicks. Nice, but not necessary if you're careful.

------------------
82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/LB9 block, ZZ3 cam and intake, WP 305 heads ported & polished, TBD headers & hi-flow cat).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

Thanks for all your help, I got it done yesterday with ede's advice and some help from my dad. We probably would have been done quicker if we had known about that paper clip trick though, great idea.