The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Asking for 1950 chevy 216 fuel pump help.

Is there a modern mechanical pump available from local box store to replace the original ac pump with glass filter bowl on top.
At this point I'd rather not have the filter attached to the pump. I plumbed a filter at the bottom of the fuel tank to use a replacement pump if i can find 1.
I want this replacement to use the truck while deciding to rebuild the original pump.
The napa b0006p will not work.
The vehicle in question is a 1950 4400 fire fighting pumper truck with 3067 miles on it.
thanks for any help.

wrenchguy, I recently purchased a new no-glass filter fuel pump from Jim Carter for my 1951 3100 (w/1954 235). The ME221 works great and allowed me to remove a previously installed fuel pressure regulator for a non-original pump that had too much output pressure. It has the correct straight across piping connections, has modern internal components and can be rebuilt at some point in the future as it's not one of the sealed can type pump.

Hope this might help you out.

thanks gdads, i'll check em out, though it looks like the napa b0006p.
btw seems carter shows their pump right side up! most online photo ads show it upside down. (even napa)

One note on my new pump installation. Before installing, I made sure to manually cycle the pump using pressure on the arm with lines hooked up and draped into a can of fuel to test the pump function. It took a couple of arm pumps to "prime" the pump and confirm function. I did this because of the numerous recent problems some folks have encountered with non-working pump right out of the box. Saves one from going through all the fun of installing a new pump only to find out it isn't doing its job. I think they call that an ounce of prevention.

great call!
my in cab tank gravity feeds the pump, so should be easier to prime.
never thought to "hand prime" it. lol.
did you do it in the engine bay? tight quarters in there, gonna have to take that darn breather tube out for sure now.
thx.

I sent mine to Then and Now Automotive to be rebuilt. 8000 miles later it works fine.

www.then-now-auto.com

Got it running with aftermarket pump. my priming procedure was more involved.
i had line at carb disconnected and hand primed it to there.
after reconnecting it and mounting the pump to the block it wouldn't start.
poured lil gas in carb and it started,... had to do this twice.
then it started on its own 5 times in 20 minute period.
we'll see it it starts ok in the morning.
THX.

Maybe I just live a charmed life.
When I went to fire up my 216 which had been dormant for years in my garage, it fired right up with a rebuilt fuel pump (Then and Now Automotive kit), and rebuilt Carter YF (kit from carbking.) I never even had to prime anything, just cranked it over after putting 5 gallons of gas in the new tank. I did have to clean up the oil mess when the plastic cap over the oil filter return line fitting popped off. I didn't expect that there'd be that much pressure there to dislodge it.

Good. In the meantime, rebuild your original pump or have it done. It is only a matter of time before the one you just installed fails.

Here are two pumps like yours that failed on me. The gold topped one lasted 300 miles. The silver topped one wouldn't pump a single drop of fuel straight out of the box. The arm on the first one was assembled incorrectly as you can see. Only one of the riveted pieces of the arm contacted the cam.

This is a universal problem across all makes and models of aftermarket mechanical pumps. Many people on this site have identical experiences as mine.

Right now I'm keeping original '50 pump together original on the shelf. Its 74 years old with 3067 miles on it since December 1950. The diaphragm is shot/leaking. I've rebuilt several ac 429's in the past but have to get a core for rebuild when the china special pukes out. I'll let u know how many miles it has when it belly-ups. It was under $30.

I actually did my hand test/prime uninstalled. Figured it would be easiest as no tight quarters or things to bust my knuckles on and to be sure it works before getting down into the engine compartment to actually install it.

thank u for ur help, i connected the lines without mounting it to the block and full cycle prime it till i has gas at the carb. we;ll see if it starts this am.