New member and fuel pump question

[ianw1608]

Hi All,

I’m a new member, although I have been looking at posts a lot over the last 6 months whilst I looked for my E Type, and found it a great help.
Now the proud owner of a 1962 series 1 FHC. This has been a child hood dream for me since I was 10, and my dad ( who owned a garage at the time ) bought home a 1970 series 2 FHC, and I fell love.
Managed to pick it up before the lockdown. Drove straight to a garage to fill it up. After a couple of miles I had a strong smell of petrol in the car. On investigation the fuel seems to be coming from the nut at the top of the submerged fuel pump where the electric leads come out. ( picture below ).
Is this a known issue if you fill up the tank?, Should there be some sort of seal in the nut?. I have since syphoned off some of the fuel, replaced the underfill and the smell has gone for now.
Any advice welcome.

Thanks
Ian

[rswaffie]

Hi Ian
Welcome to the forum. Lovely looking car, looking forward to seeing more pics! What’s the history of the car?

In terms of your leak, take a look at this post viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13817&p=112517&hili ... ng#p112517

I suspect you would be better off getting a replacement from SNG or one of the other suppliers as it’s not worth the hassle of trying to seal it!

[Heuer]

Agreed. You can't safely repair it and it will leak again as soon as you fill up. Buy a new design in-tank replacement from SNGB.


https://www.sngbarratt.com/English/#/UK ... eBranch=UK

[ianw1608]

Thanks Guys, I suspected as much. SNG currently OOS, but I guess i have a bit of time with the lockdown and everything to source one.

Richard, to give you a bit more history. Its a matching UK numbers car ( well, Chassis and Engine ). Under went an older full nut and bolt restoration in the early 90’s, done over a 7 year period ( i have all the invoices, and pictures of each stage ). Owner prior to me had the car for 16 years and used her lightly as it only has 7k miles since restoration. Added some nice upgrades in the time he had it. copper craft brakes, Alloy Rad, Spin on oil filter, Dynamite alternator, stainless steel exhaust, improved headlights, to name a few.

Just need to get out and driver her now!.

Thanks for the help
Ian

[288gto]

Added some nice upgrades ...............Dynamite alternator,

Ian

Welcome to the forum Ian. Combined with the fuel leak isn't that a bit risky?

Simon

[ianw1608]

Thanks Simon. : Blooming spell check...should be Dynalite..

[rswaffie]

If you do go for the SNG or other supplier Pump, check to see what pressure it runs at. I had problems with the new item as it was pumping at 5-6 where it should be around 2.5 - 3 psi. I tried two but they were both the same so had to fit a regulator before the carbs as they were constantly flooding. That cured it!

[malcolm]

Hi Ian, and welcome to the forum. Great looking car. And this is a great forum, particularly useful for people like me with little knowledge! Always someone here with the answer you need.

[tinworm]

Bit late to the table on this one - just in case anyone is still using the old D2FP pump (and I am one) the cause of fuel smells and subsequent leakage from the electric cable gland on the mounting plate is -- the armoured hose which contains the flex rots unseen inside the armourings allowing fuel into the tube.The gland at the top just has a rubber bush which is designed to grip the cable (to help stop it being pulled out).
To repair this you can carefully cut this off leaving the spigots top and bottom and substitute a piece of fuel hose of appropriate size. The armoured sheath does help to earth the pump - needed due to static electricity (although there is a special washer for that purpose on one of the mountings).So for piece of mind it would be better to fit a braided earth wire as a back up. The top of the pump is sealed against fuel leakage and this is not likely to fail - just the pipe above.

probably talking in an 'echo chamber' with just me in it

still, this may be of use
regards Barrie

[abowie]

probably talking in an 'echo chamber' with just me in it

still, this may be of use
regards Barrie

No, we're listening.

Looking at the OP's picture I think that he has one of the SNGB replacement pumps fitted, which leaked around the gland.

I've had 2, the first leaked and so did the replacement. I stripped them down and sealed them properly.

The problem in part was the use of some heat shrink on the cables which made a nice conduit for fuel to exit.

[cactusman]

For anyone with a Lucas 2FP pump....I'm one there was an excellent series of articles in the E type magazine a couple of years back from memory (my old magazines are in the loft!) that cover the whole stripping and refurbishment process for the submerged pump.
I was fortunate to find a pump on fleabay for £50 six months back and used the magazine articles to strip and refurbish as a spare. The pump is beautifully made and my spare has a 1961 date stamp. No idea how much use it has had but really it just needed a clean and a new fuel hose, electric wire covering hose and electric cables as these were brittle. The rest of the pump was almost as new! Used a pressure gauge from Amazon to set the delivery pressure to around 2.5 psi pumping parafin and it is now in my repository of spares!

[tinworm]

Hello cactusman , good to hear there are at least two of us. I have 3 pumps - plus parts of others if - bragging stakes are in order !
I find the D2FP remarkably resilient and as long as you look at it from time to time it should go on for ever. I have been matching up 'O' rings to replace the seals - just have the top one to get right now.
Two things come to mind - if the pump keeps running but no fuel appears the relief valve can be at fault - if the earlier spring type the ball gets forced up the spring weakening its seating pressure. Also if you find one that has the gauze broken at the bottom don't use it - very important !
I did a write up for these 25 years ago for the Jaguar driver.

regards Barrie