I've been good about upgrading in the proper order - 4" exhaust, BHAF guages, etc. and have resisted the temptation to add fuel until I replace the POS factory torque converter. Huges said that they finally got a rebuilable core and mine shpould ship out today, so on to the slippery slope we go!

I opened up the VE pump last night, prepared to rotate the AFC fuel cone, only to find that it already has an Old Smokey (or a copy) fuel pin. It was almost anti-climactic because I was hoping to gain more power with a little tweaking. I pulled the pin out to ensure that the other "follower" pin, the one that rides on the AFC pin, was moving properly - it isn't. I pushed on it with a screwdriver from inside the housing, and it will move in, toward the front of the vehicle, but cycling the throttle lever doesn't make it move out, towards the firewall. It's barely visable from inside the housing, even at max throttle. Looks like I need to work it loose and lube it like I've read about on other posts. My guess is that I'm not realizing the benefits of the Old Smokey if this smaller follower pin isn't moving, correct?

Also, the nylon washer that was installed with the Smokey pin is .062, is this the correct thickness?

 

That still sounds like some really good news! Machines have been my life [and a long one] and there's the difference between night and day comparing a machine that's just got the right parts and one that has the right parts AND IS DIALED IN TO PERFECTION! A little bit of time and careful attention to details can reward you with a screamer now that some good parts are already in there. Sorry I'm too low on the learing curve to offer advice.

 

I just posted a thread a few days ago on this same problem. "Cleanliness, cleanliness, cleanliness". I had to pop the top off the IP and press out the shaft holding the pivot arm that pushes against the small pin. The seal is just a small "o"ring around the pin and the clearance between the bore and the pin is very small. If you are going into the pump to fix this, I would suggest that you spend $15.00 for a 3200 rpm governor spring. You will have to disconnect the spring that is in there to remove the top, so why put it back? I also bought the overhaul gasket kit for the VE for $25.00 including tax and shipping just to use the new "o"ring and case gasket. I found the Bosch stock number in the tech section. The kit comes with all the seals necessary to do a complete rebuild. I bought them from Industrial Power in Virginia Beach.
The main thing is keep everything hospital clean. The smallest partical of dirt in the wrong place can mess up a pump.

 

I actually already have the 3200 RPM spring waiting to go in, but thought that I'd start with rotating what I thought was the stock fuel pin, so that I could see the effect of each individual tweek. Now that I know that I not only have an aftermaket fuel pin, and that I need to free up the "follower" pin, I guess I just dive in and do it all.

I saw a VE gasket kit on EBAY, but I'm not sure of the quality. I'll have to see if I can find a Bosch shop in the Seattle area, or one that does mail-order.

While looking closer at my pump, it looks like the previous owner also removed the collar from the full fuel screw, so I'll have to play with that to see if it and the smoke screw and star wheel settings are optimized. So much for having a factory baseline, but at least I don't have to buy a fuel pin - money that can be spent on bigger injectors!

 

Ya you have less then stock base line with the lower fuel pin not working!