Ok, Friday night the truck started sputtering. We knew it was the lift pump so we parked the truck to help save the VP-44 and the prime...After removing the old pump we tested it and found out the motor was still functional..We opened it up to find that the nylon/plastic bushing that connects the Shaft to the Impeller was half disinagrated and it fell out and we could not find it..So we've come to the conclusion that the reason our LP's die is that bushing disinigrates then causeing the impeller to spin freely on the shaft and burn up the pump. SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS FOR EXPLANATION..Any one have any info on this? And is there a replacement bushing for the LP, because ours is still alive, just that bushings gone and we dont want to risk it...



Mike

 

If someone could come up with a replacement bushing, they would make a lotta bucks, because we'd buy at least one!

 

Yeah!!!Were gonna take out dead holly apart(the impeller seized) and see if the bushings the same....Tho the bushing would have to be like brass to make a diffrence..

Mike

 

I'm trying to remember what the impeller plate on my torpedo heater looks like. I know for a fact it uses the same type of rotor, but can't for the life of me remember what bushing it uses. Wonder if we can "adapt" a bushing?

Anybody got one opened up to look at? I'll try to get a chance later this week to break mine down and look if no one else knows.

Ed

 

Well, hopefully someone with a machine shop will read this thread and get busy!

 

Kudos for posting pictures and showing us one reason why these pumps fail.

This isn't the only reason these pumps fail. The other reason is motor failure. Until that problem is addressed, I wouldn't be in a big hurry to recondition your pump.

I urge you guys to read my Walbro posts. A Walbro sells for $140.

 

Well the pump spinning freely burns up the pump, causeing the motor failure...We'll open up our holley pump thats got the seized impeller tomorrow and take pics...


Mike

 

The motor in a pump that has a bushing failure is already damaged. The windings have probably been hitting on the magnets. And it stalled so the brushes are probably burnt. And fuel got into the motor compartment.

That motor is probably toast.

The guy who put a plastic bushing in a pump that feeds an engine with a 350,000-1Milion mile lifetime should be SHOT. Wouldn't someone at Dodge have a look at these failures and put 2 + 2 together and build a better pump.

I applaud your efforts. It is a shame that the Dodge community has continuously suffered with lift pump failures.

But these are still carburetor type pumps. Get a high pressure, fuel cooled gerotor pump, run it at 20 ish PSI and it will last forever.

End of problem. No bushing required.

 

Well theres no major fix for it(besides FASS or a Walbro system) so we gotta find a cause and fix somehow...

 

Walbro ! Read my posts.

 

I know, but the idea of fixing your LP, before it dies is a BIG accomplishment to the CTD community..

Mike

 

I agree with superduty.
Two years ago I thought about using a high pressure pump from a ford and using a bypass, just never had the ambition or the time to work on it.
Now after reading all the lp posts and watching my pressure dropping, its the way I'm going.
Basically you have fuel circulating by the IP all the time, restrict your bypass to the pressure you want and you should not see a drop in pressure.

 

I had this same thought about using the Ferd pump and even went so far sa to buy one, I just haven't had time to monkey with it. I need to come up with some kind of a regulator that bypasses to the tank so it won't biuld too much pressure. The PSD runs at about 65psi and has a fuel pressure regulator on the filter housing. I am not sure how much pressure this pump would biuld without a regulator on our fuel system just off the amount of restriction through the lines.

Steve

 

Actually, if you take enough of the Carter pumps apart, you'l find the biggest single reason for failure is the internal bypass goes out. Usually, with this failure, fuel pressure gradually drops off over time and is never noticed until engine performance is affected or a pressure reading is taken. The pump stays running the whole time.