9 replies to this topic

[cakes]

IM LOOKING FOR AN ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP FOR MY 1275, THE ONE I GOT IS KNACKERED AND NEED A REPLACEMENT ????
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST AND WHERES THE BEST PLACE TO SOURCE ONE !!!!!

[Cooperman]

IM LOOKING FOR AN ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP FOR MY 1275, THE ONE I GOT IS KNACKERED AND NEED A REPLACEMENT ????
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST AND WHERES THE BEST PLACE TO SOURCE ONE !!!!!

Facet Road Pump from Mini Spares, Part No. SS501. price about £32 + VAT.
Mail order - next day delivery.

[bmcecosse]

The mechanical pump has much to commend it - what's wrong with the one you have ? Why not just renew it ??

[dklawson]

What are you replacing... a mechanical pump... or does your car currently have an electric pump? If the existing pump is electric, what is it doing that you feel it is worn out?

If you have an electric SU fuel pump the first and most common problem is/are burned or glazed pump contact points. These can easily be dressed with wet/dry paper so the pump will last for many more miles. The outlet "banjos" can sometimes crack or begin to leak but those can also be addressed. If the pump diaphragm has failed, that is a more involved repair but even that can be done at home for a reasonable expense.

On the other hand, if you really can't be bothered with repairing an electric SU pump, the Facet mentioned above is a good choice. However, do not throw out an old SU pump. Give it to someone who may fix it or use it for parts.

[cakes]

ITS THE ELECTRIC PUMP THAT SITS IN THE BOOT NEXT TO THE FUEL TANK........... I STILL GOT THE OLD ONE BUT IT LOOKS KNACKERED AS IT WAS IN THE CAR WHEN I GOT IT !!!!!!!!!!

[cakes]

had a look at that electric pump i was talkin about,,,,, it says SU pump on the casing, i also cleaned all the connectors and was getting power to it but there doesnt seem to be any life as far as the pump working....... anyone any ideas ???? or will i just buy a new one ???

[dklawson]

ITS THE ELECTRIC PUMP THAT SITS IN THE BOOT NEXT TO THE FUEL TANK........... I STILL GOT THE OLD ONE BUT IT LOOKS KNACKERED AS IT WAS IN THE CAR WHEN I GOT IT !!!!!!!!!!

Well... that's not standard. The stock SU electric fuel pump is mounted on the rear subframe, underneath the left-hand tank, outside the car... not in the boot.

Regardless of whether it is in a stock location I would give fixing this pump a try before spending money on a new one. (New SU electric pumps are quite expensive). Start with the most basic and counter-intuitive test. Since you know the pump is getting power (and I assume you have insured that it also has a good earth connection to the pump body), turn the ignition key to the "run" position, then return to the boot and use a block of wood or a wooden mallet to strike the metal part of the pump body. Seriously. Give the pump a whack on its metal body. If the pump fires up and begins the characteristic ticking, you have a "normal" SU pump issue.

If whacking the pump works, remove the black plastic cover from the end of the pump where the power wire attaches. Underneath you will see a blue spring steel strip with two contact points on it. Take a piece of fine wet/dry sandpaper and draw it through the closed points. Make sure you use the sandpaper on both the points on the blue spring steel... AND the ones below those on the brass components.
Then dip a piece of heavy paper or cardboard in alcohol and draw it through the points to remove any grit or dirt removed by the wet/dry paper.

Once the points are clean the pump should work indefinitely until the points oxidize or wear to the point you need to set their mechanical adjustment. Try the "whack" method first. Through the 1970s I never met a person with a British sports car who did not carry a piece of wood to strike their pump with.

[cakes]

a piece of wood its gonna be then !!!!!!!!!!! ive already cleaned both sides of the contact set, but can i ask what u mean by saying that the pump may need its mechanical adjustment done ????????? how do i do that

[dklawson]

The points in the pump have a series of adjustments that must be set correctly for the "toggle mechanism" to work correctly. The adjustments require disassembly of the pump so this is not something typically done in the car. The procedures are described in most older (early car) manuals and in the SU service book (which covers both carbs and pumps). What Mini manuals or books do you have?

If you have already cleaned the points in the pump, the block of wood may not help. Of course, my earlier comment about checking for a good earth connection still applies. If the pump doesn't have an earth connection on its body it won't run.

If you give up on this pump and decide to go with a Facet as recommended earlier in this thread... please do not throw out the old SU pump. Find someone who likes to tinker with carbs and/or pumps and give it to them. New SU pumps cost a fair amount so a rebuildable core will be of value to someone.

[cakes]

JUST GOT TO SAY DOUG , YOUR A BAG OF KNOWLEDGE MATE,,,, DONE EVERYTHING YOU SAID WITH REGARDS TO CLEANING THE TERMINALS AND THE POINTS ON THE PUMP, AS I SAID I KNEW IT WAS GETTING POWER BUT STILL WASNT RUNNING !!!!! UNTIL I TOOK YOUR SOUND ADVICE AND WHACKED WITH A LUMP OF WOOD AND " HEY PRESTO " IT KICKED INTO LIFE........ I HAVENT GOT IT ON CAR YET AS IVE GOT SOME WELDING TO DO AND IM GONNA GIVE THE TANK A QUICK PAINT B4 I PUT IT BACK IN..... THX AGAIN FOR YOUR PRICELESS KNOWLEDGE AND YOU DO REALISE THAT I WILL BE PESTERING YOU WITH MORE QUESTIONS AND QUERIES AS I CONTINUE TO BUILD THE CAR........... CAKES