How do you change the fuel pump?

[skokie]

How do you change the fuel pump on a sbc 350?

Thanks

[Brainchild]

OBviously you pull the old one off.On the front of the engine behind the lower rad hose is a bolt on the lower side beside the timing cover,that appears to have no function,pull it out,and screw in a longer bolt while holding up on the fuel pump pushrod.The bolt will tighten against the rod,and hold it in place.Don't overtighten,and bend the rod,just enough pressure to hold it in place.
Then replace the pump,and lines,and remove the bolt,replace with original bolt,and that's it.

[skokie]

Thanks Brainchild. It seems pretty simple. I am going to go pick one up later today and I will be taking my metal fuel line with me to make sure

[Fred T]

I didn't know about the bolt trick. I have always removed the mounting plate and greased the rod, which will hold it in place while you install the pump and plate assembled.

[toms68cst]

You might want to uncouple the gas line behind the seat. On mine anyways there is a coupling right above the tank. This will prevent the gas line from siphoning when you undo it from the gas pump. Also undo your gas cap. If there's any pressure in the tank it will be relieved. I know this is a problem from experience!

[WRMZ71]

I've never heard of that before toms and i guess i've never had that problem before. But hey i guess you learn something new everyday. I didn't know about that bolt in the front of the block for awhile and it always pissed me off i'd want to change the fuel pump and buy just the 1 gasket, but that rod would fall and i couldn't get it back up without taking off the plate and then i'd be short a gasket.

[Longhorn Man]

Yup, on the small blocks, you can remove said bolt and install a longer one. I think on the big blocks, you don't have that option.
Sometimes when the engine is in certian cars, you can't quite access the bolt. You then have two options.
1. Grease. Use a big 'ole blob od chassis grease, and cover the end of the rod...shofe that rod up in the cavity. The grease will give a you little time to get everything together. Right before you stick the pump in there, poke your finger in and make sure the rod is in the up position.
2. Use a hack saw blade to hild the rod up as you slide the pump in. Bending the blade a bit helps quite a bit.

[Longhorn Man]

I also like putting a dab of lubriplate grease (white lithium) on the ends of the rod too. If you have to do the blob of grease trick, then you can skip this on the upper end, but it is still a good idea to coat the lower section. The fuel pump arm is one of the last places to recieve oil, so it runs dry a bit longer than everything else.
I always keep a small pill bottle full of the white grease in my tol cart. I like to lube everything like this when they go together.

[RainFade]

Man that is timing was going to replace my pump this week !
What pumps are working well for you guys, I don't trust the autozone $12.00 special and wonder if say one from NAPA would be good ?

[Longhorn Man]

I used an $8 OEM replacement from Advance Auto...or what ever they were called when they were still part of Sears back in 97. I used it right up untill I blew my engine last October. ChevyE has it on the 305 that was in there when i sold it and I'm willing to bet it has another 5 to 10 years in it.

[70c10]

I knew about the grease blob trick but didn't know about Brainchild's bolt trick. Thanks for posting those pics Andy!

[Longhorn Man]

Sure thing...that's why i took them.

[skokie]

I have the new fuel pump. Its for a 69 350 and it's ports are both 3/8. The problem I am running into is that my fuel lines are all 5/16. I found out that the 307 (the engine my truck came with) uses 5/16 lines. Unless there is a way that I dont know of (very likely) I am going to have to redo the fuel line from the pump to the tank. Any suggestions

[Fred T]

You should be able to use your 5/16 fittings on the new pump, I believe. I think they both use 1/4" pipe fittings. Depends on how much work you want to do. If the truck is apart, I would bend a new line, or buy a prebent.

On the bolt at the fuel pump, the holes on my block do not go through into the crankcase, so the bolt doesn't work on all small blocks.

[Brainchild]

Maybe this one should be in the FAQ section if it isn't already.

[Longhorn Man]

it is.

[86SILVERADO]

My guess is you have a 67 or 68 with a single line from the tank you bought a fuel pump for a 69 350 because that was the first year for a 350 and that is what you are putting in the truck. You probably now have a pump with a return line which you do not need. You should buy a pump with no return line even though it is going on a 350 because you do not have a return line going to the original fuel tank. Then you will have the one port that should attach to the tank line with a 8" or so piece of rubber fuel line and the threaded fitting that you will thread the 5/16 steel line into that goes to the carb.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by toms68cst

You might want to uncouple the gas line behind the seat. On mine anyways there is a coupling right above the tank. This will prevent the gas line from siphoning when you undo it from the gas pump. Also undo your gas cap. If there's any pressure in the tank it will be relieved. I know this is a problem from experience!

Or just take your long nose vise grips and pinch the rubber fuel hose between the metal line from the tank the the fuel pump inlet connection before you loosen the hose clamp on the inlet.

[Longhorn Man]

A 69 won't have a return line.
If I'm not mistaken, all inline trucks and 2bbl small blocks came with 5/16ths fuel line, while the 4bbl trucks had 3/8 fuel line.
I suspect the v-6 trucks were all 3/8 also, only becouse my old 69 GMC originally with a 305 had 3/8 line all the way to the tank, and the PO was way too lazy to replace that much fuel line.

[72402]

Brainchild; You left out one small detail about the bolt trick. You need to roll the engine over until the rod is all the way to the top, then lock it with t
he bolt. That'll keep the pressure off the lever while you bolt it up. Frank


Skokie; Sorry I didn't get back to you in the earlier thread. I had to leave for a while.

[86SILVERADO]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

A 69 won't have a return line.
If I'm not mistaken, all inline trucks and 2bbl small blocks came with 5/16ths fuel line, while the 4bbl trucks had 3/8 fuel line.
I suspect the v-6 trucks were all 3/8 also, only becouse my old 69 GMC originally with a 305 had 3/8 line all the way to the tank, and the PO was way too lazy to replace that much fuel line.

Thanks for the info Andy. I didn't think it would either but I wasn't sure. It just sounded like he had gotten a pump with a return line for some reason.

[skokie]

Heres a pic of the pump. From what I can see it has a tank line and carb line. And yes I used 69 350 68 327 and 68 307. The 327 and 350 were the same pn# but the 307 was different. The pump I have installed now has a 5/16 tank line on it. The new pump is 3/8. What size is the metal line going back to the tank?

[Tx Firefighter]

On your 307 truck, you'll probably have a 5/16 line to the tank.

Just take a piece of 5/16 hose and connect it to the metal line under the truck and push like hell till it slides up on the 3/8 fitting on the new pump. Secure with a clamp and forget about it.

[GMC AMI]

Another fan of the grease trick. Great PICS Andy! Good luck Brad, it's an easy swap.

[skokie]

Thanks Giuys. Appreciate the help.