Help installing 87 2.6L Fuel Pump

[markmakeitso]

Hi all,
Couple issues on what I thought was a quick project. Working on replacing a fuel pump on my 87 2.6, and first I would like reassurance that the Airtex 1384 that came in a box with the truck is right. Rock Auto lists it as correct, but the fittings are a bit different. Eventually I'll have to figure out how to connect those I suppose.

More importantly, I'm having trouble sneaking the lever arm inside the head past the head bolt and jet valve spring. The old one came out with moderate side pressure. The replacement one is a solid arm instead of 2 pieces of thin metal, so that strategy is not useful on install. My carb is off for more maneuvering room, but intake is still on. The dogleg in the lever arm hangs up between the head casting/bolt head and the spring. the pump body is almost to the ends of the mounting studs.

This thread shows the style pump I have to put in, and also the rod arm in position. Doesn't show the jog that's causing me trouble though.

http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...l+pump+install


I played with it for about half an hour before my light ran out, along with a fair bit of my patience. Long post, dumb problem, sorry. What's the hot tip?

Thanks,
Mark

[geezer101]

Try taking out the spark plugs and turning the crank over by hand so the camshaft pump lobe isn't facing in the direction of the fuel pump arm. It should give you enough breathing space to get the pump bolted up. The fuel pump has a decent amount of spring tension in it but once you can get the nuts done up a couple of turns, the wrenching will do the rest. There are different fuel pumps for 4G54 engines (the pump actuator arms have different offsets). If the end of the arm isn't lining up with the cam pump lobe, you have the wrong pump.

[hutch]

When the engine is TDC both #1 cylinder valves closed the cam lobe for the fuel pump will be at its lowest point to install the fuel pump.

[markmakeitso]

Hi Geezer and hutch,

Thanks for the info. Alas, the tip of the lever arm isn't even close enough where lobe positioning is the issue. Would love to be that far honestly. Nor can I draw the pump in farther using the studs and nuts, as neither is anywhere close to having exposed threads past the pump body flange. Maybe I need to start from scratch, practice install using the old one to see if there's some insight gained that way, and take a deep cleansing breath.

Should be back at it again tomorrow, good stuff.

[markmakeitso]

Hello all,
Limited success today. After some more wasted time wrassling with the new Airtex 1384 pump I decided to call around. Parts store 15 miles away had one on hand that looked like it had the twin sheetmetal arm rather than the single thick metal arm like the 1384. In profile the curve is the same, but the dogleg (viewed from above) is different. Maybe on non-jet heads either would work or some other variation.

The one that bolted up for me was a Spectra A1093MP, for $35 from an Autozone. The Precision M16104, from O'Reilly's for $42, might have worked too, but it was a couple days away. Still required some coaxing with a screwdriver to finesse it around the casting and jet spring, but got there with no herculean efforts.

So valve cover is back on, carb is bolted back down, and fuel supply line is connected. I still have to figure out how the remaining two lines connect to the carb, as neither new pump came with labels for that. Should also probably make sure that it actually pushes fuel out before getting too excited.

Thanks for the help guys. After working for O'Reilly's for almost 7 years I'm sure I have some karma to work off for sending people home with the wrong parts occasionally.

[geezer101]

The thicker fuel hose goes to the main fuel inlet on the carb, the other one goes to the top barb on the accelerator enrichment pump on the side of the carb and the bottom barb on the enrichment pump goes to the fuel return line.

[solartony]

hi Mark, same issue here, the fp hits the back of the mikuni carb, and it won't come out ...
does the carb need to come out, and empty the radiator first ?