85 Silverado Fuel Pump - Part Deux

The problem is that I am not lining up the two mounting holes of the pump ( they are slightly higher) because the fuel pump lever is does not allow the pump to be seated flush.

I tried turning the harmonic balancer (while looking at the pushrod) but I did not see the pushrod move.

If I am turning the harmonic balancer which way do I turn it (counterclockwise?) do I turn it and for how long?

Reply to
Aaron Ackerman
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Reply to
sidewinder

You may have to push the rod up to get the fuel pump foot under it. B

Reply to
Battleax

How do I do that? And why? shouldn't I just push the new pump in???

Reply to
Aaron Ackerman

"Aaron Ackerman" wrote

Why? Because the fuel pump push rods "always" fall down when you remove the fuel pump. It has to be held up in order to install the fuel pump lever (foot) under the push rod. I've seen fuel pumps just jammed in there and a lot of damage can result.

How do you do it? There are two ways. You can remove the plate that is between the fuel pump and block and then the push rod will slide right out. Put wheel bearing grease on it and slide it back in place. The wheel bearing grease will keep it in place, (unless the engine is hot). Or you can use a pair of needle nose pliers to reach in and pry the push rod back up inside the engine. When it's up as far is it will go, hold it with the needle nose pliers and stick the fuel pump lever under the push rod. At this point you can get the pliers out of the way and begin to install the bolts that hold the fuel pump in place. This procedure takes a bit of practice, but it saves having to remove the intermediate plate, scrape the old gasket off, and re-install the intermediate plate and gasket.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Reply to
George

Yes, this works, and I can't imagine trying to replace a fuel pump in a SB Chevy any other way. I've seen where fuel pumps failed because the block cavity was so packed full of wheel bearing grease that lube oil couldn't reach the arm pivot.

For the OP, this bolt is (IIRC) the second on up from the oilpan on the front face of the engine. On an 85, it is probably one of the bolts that hold the air pump mounting bracketry to the engine block. If your Suburban doesn't have an airpump, you'll find at least one bolt down low facing front that looks like it doesn't do anything (except it does). Once you find the two front facing bolts, it should be rather obvious (by eyeball) which bolt points directly towards the fuelpump pushrod. A 3/8" coarse thread bolt about 2"-2 1/2" long should do the job sufficiently, just screw it in by hand and snug it up gently (you don't want to bend or gouge the pushrod).

This 20 minute job has been going on for how many days now?

Reply to
Neil Nelson

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! That's all I was asking and you were the only guy who gave me a stright answer on this. Yes I simply pushed the pushrod up with some needle nose plyers and slipped the fuel pump right in. The OEM manual says NOTHING about this!

Reply to
Aaron Ackerman

"Aaron Ackerman" wrote

You are welcome. By the way, Doc's method works well too, and the suggestion about the longer bolt is a good one too. I've never used the longer bolt method as it takes two seconds to slide the pushrod up, hold it in place while you stick the foot under it.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Some of us are a little more fumble-fingered... 8^)

Reply to
Neil Nelson

"Neil Nelson" wrote

Maybe, but I'm just as happy that I haven't had to replace one of those old style fuel pumps in quite a few years now. Never was one of my "favorite" jobs anyway. Is there even such a thing as a "favorite" job?

Oh yeah...lifting my beer glass to my mouth. That works.... (grin)

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

HEY, I said that too, well I didn't elaborate too much though. Glad you got it in. B

Reply to
Battleax

Didn't he say he had a straight 6? I don't remember them having a pushrod. I remember an eccentric on the crank that drives the fuel pump.

KenG

shiden_kai wrote:

Reply to
KenG

"KenG" wrote

I can't remember now, but he wrote back saying how happy he was because he got the fuel pump back in, so I assume that something we said here helped him.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Just worked on a 250 I-6 the other day in a 78' C10; had a pushrod. The few

292's I've worked on had them as well.

Doc

Reply to
"Doc"

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