Total amateur/stupid mistake (fuel pump related)

[mattinhertford]

Just to clarify, I'm the amateur. I think I've just learnt my first lesson which is don't just jump in and try something if you're not 100% sure what you're doing!

Help/guidance pls:
I've just reconnected a brand new fuel pump. Definately got the fuel in and fuel out right. I think I got the wiring right first time....negative wire to the casing (top of the picture below...although not connected in this particular photo....and therefore postive wire to the other end (bottom of the photo below...again not connected in this particular photo)[frame][/frame]

Keyed the ignition and the engine turned over but wouldn't fire up. When the ignition key was half turned i.e. electricity flowing, then the pump was clicking, which is right isn't it?....although with each time i tried the ignition again the clicking got slower.....and now it doesn't click at all with the key half turned?

The car was standing for a week with no fuel pump, would that have had any effect on fuel flow? Definately fuel in the tank.

Lastly, if I had connect the leads the wrong way, what would have been the result? Would it have fried the pump?

Thanks

[aupickup]

the new pump first of all had no fuel so it clicked like mad, until the pump and carb was full then it will click slower
after this with ignition turned on it may only click once

[bmcecosse]

When it has filled the carb bowl...it stops ticking... Simples ! What's the problem?

[mattinhertford]

Ah, OK, so any ideas why the engine didn't fire? I've been reading some of the other old related posts and would i be right in saying i should first double check the fuel pump is working (take it off, connect it up to a battery and a small container of petrol? and see if it pumps through int a separate container?)

Then if it is....what should I investigate next?
(new amateur so pls bare with me!!)

[bmcecosse]

Could be many things of course - but indeed test the pump delivery - won't take long to do. If that's ok - then you need to start investigating the ignition system.... initial test -is there a spark at the plugs? Take one out - lay it on the head and crank the engine - is there a spark?

[katy]

Don't take the pump off to test it, Leave it in place and disconnect the line from the carburetor, put the line into a container to catch the fuel and turn the key on.

[bmcecosse]

But NOT at the same time as testing for a spark.......

[mattinhertford]

Gotcha, thanks. I won't do the two together. The car is also outside so plenty of wind to blow any fumes away!

[mattinhertford]

Ok, been doing a lot more reading on the web, and watched a few hundred short Morris Mnor youtube related videos (some are very handy for an amateur like me as I don't always find the Haynes easy to follow as I find it rather text heavy...the MMOC community should have their own channel on youtube where you experts post all sorts of helpful diagnostic videos for amateurs like me!!).

Sorry...digressing!

So next for me (at the weekend) is to check the new fuel pump is working (by getting it it to pump into a container of some sort), if it isn't working then I know to strip that down and have a look (been reading about the condenser and contacts etc). If it works, then I move onto the spark plugs and see if they're working.

However, might as well ask now, what would the likely damage have been, to the pump and/or anything else, if the electric connections to the pump had been the wrong way round (positive/negative)? (stupid I know! ). Is that likely to have damaged anything in the pump?.....or anything else it all connects too?

Going to spend Saturday sorting this out, but if one of you experts knows it will definately be a damaged x/y/z then at least I could order one in advance, save me waiting for another week without having driven my new mid-life-crisis-projects!!

Thanks

Matt

[bmcecosse]

A 'points' pump should be ok - unless it was fitted with a diode (to suppress arcing) ....even then -it should be ok. An electronic pump 'should' be well protected against wrong polarity - it just won't pump till the polarity is corrected.