Fuel pump troubles? First timer...

[joedirt]

Hey folks, I'm new around here but thought this looked like a good place to get some advice. My girlfriend has just bought her first car, a 64 2dr Minor, and we got it cheap. I had heard the car running and so we bought it but were told it needed a new battery so i replaced it. The battery goes in normally facing the right way and the negative connects to the earth lead on the right, connected to the body. The positive connects on the left going to a fuse box of sorts by the looks of things.

I replaced the new battery exactly the same and it did start up and drive.
My first question is: does this make her car normal polarity then?

The second problem is that when we first started her up the fuel pump (i think) could be heard priming then went quiet, but as we took it for a spin it started making a loud vibrating noise which grew louder until it was constant, and now happens everytime you turn on the ignition. I tried tapping and listening to the fuel pump with the ignition on and it does sound like the noise is coming from the pump.

Does this sound familiar, i deal with classic vw's myself so i'm a bit lost on these. I wondered if i or the previous owner had made some mistake in regards to fitting the battery and blown the pump?, i have no problems fitting a new one if it sounds like a dicky pump. If this is the case any ideas on where is a good place to purchase a new one? It is an electric pump by the way.

My last question is: should the brake pedal feel really hard? My 60's beetle has about an inch of give then it gets harder but the moggy is really solid. The car has 9months m.o.t but i'd rather check the brakes myself once more as i'm obviously concerned about my girlfriend driving it.

Any help on these matters would be appreciated

Thanks.

[ColinP]

Joe,

First off, welcome

"Normal" for a moggie is Positive earth (i.e. positive terminal to the car body). Lots have been changed to negative earth without problems (usually for a radio or alternator conversion).

The fuel pump is a noted problem - it's just the fact that it's electrical and the points fitted under the plastic end seem to burn out / need adjsutment far more frequently than in the 60's...
I'd suggest that you remove the plastic cap, run a bit of card between the points and the contacts to clean them, reset the clearance to 30 thou and buy a new set...
The on-line/mail order people are good - phone today, in the post by tomorrow. I find it's usually next day delivery (phone early in the morning)

(PS SU fuel pumps are made by Burlen - the warranty on new pumps allows you to change the points!).

If you have drum brakes (these were standard) and you have a solid pedal - well done! That's really good, but a little worrying for the beetle...

All the best,

Colin

[joedirt]

Thanks colin!!

I will give it a go over the weekend and see if i can fix it. Should be a nice little car given a bit of TLC, I used to own one a few years back now myself in Oxford Blue?, was a great car but sadly by now I'd forgotten how most things work!

As for my beetle, I think all is correct as the manual states an inch of play before it goes firm!...I hope!

Thanks again for the advice!

Scott aka joedirt (dont ask)

[Chris Morley]

The SU pump normally ticks over quite a lot but it's not constant noise unless the fuel tank is about to run dry, or there is an air leak in the fuel system. Usually if you turn on the ignition you hear a series of clicks which stops after a few seconds. Another possibility is a tear in the pump's diaphram but I guess that would probably stop it from pumping fuel.

A hard brake pedal isn't a problem unless it indicates that the fluid isn't returning properly to the master cylinder. If that is the case then the brakes will start dragging and lock on very quickly. If that hasn't happened and the brakes work properly then don't worry about it.

[iddy]

I had a similar problem with the fuel pump. It was very noisy in operation, and although the car would run ok for days at a time, now and then the float chamber would run dry in the carb. Left for 5 minutes the car would start up and away to go again.
Eventually I changed the pump, and now I've not had a problem. The new pump is much quieter and pumps less frequently.
Over Christmas, time permiting, I intend to rebuild the old one. So it will be interesting to see the condition of the diaphram, because the points were ok when I checked them prior tochanging the pump.

[Willie]

IDDY...when you service your old pump do not disturb the position of the
diaphragm until you have checked the adjustment as found in the workshop
manual (throwover of the points). You will probably find that it needs re-
setting and that that is the cause of your pumps unreliability.

[bmcecosse]

Pump running continuously will be lack of fuel - or an air leak on the suction side - or perhaps the carb float bowl is flooding over. It's unlikely to be a faulty pump - they usually go quiet/just stop pumping - and usually (as siad above) it's the points that are needing cleaned and/or perhaps the 'throw-over' needing adjusted. So - start off by adding some fuel in the tank, and go on from there. Hard brake pedal is a good thing - although it could mean the brakes are partailly jammed on - but that will be obvious when driving!