Replacement Fuel Pump issues on 2.25 liter engine.

[bsims88]

Working on 1974 Series III Model 88 Land Rover I have owned since it was new.


Installed new ProLine PLC349 fuel pump from Rovers North and still have no flow to the carburetor. I’ve checked to make sure all the hoses and fittings are cleared for flow, from the fuel tank to the carburetor. I first used the hand primer to operate the pump. That filled the glass bowl, and pumped on through the filter to the carb. The engine will start fine but only runs for 20-30 seconds. I’ve done this four or five times and each time the engine will fire off and run for a bit.


But the pump is not delivering any fuel when relying on mechanical drive from the engine. I pulled the hose from the carb and cranked the engine but got no flow at all from the fuel line. To check this further I pulled all the spark plugs so I could turn the engine easily while reducing the load on the battery. Turned the engine with the starter for about 15 seconds and nothing, no fuel to the carb. Zero.


I feel like I got a good straight and tight fit installing the pump to the spacer block on the engine. This would be the third fuel pump I’ve installed on the Rover so I do have some experience with this procedure.


My troubleshooting tells me that the rocker arm that is intended to ride on the engine crankshaft is not the proper geometry. I noticed when I took the new pump out of the box that it had a very differently shaped rocker arm.


So my question is this:


Has anyone here on the forum recently installed a new PLC349 fuel pump on the standard 2.25 liter engine? Did you have any issues?


Here's the Rocker Arms on both of the fuel pumps involved:

[siiirhd88]

Check if a phenolic spacer is on the block. I had this same problem when I installed an aftermarket pump, as the shorter arm on the replacement pump wouldn't reach the cam with the spacer in place. The spacer is an insulator made of phenolic or plastic about 1/4 inch thick and can look like part of the engine block.

[bsims88]

Check if a phenolic spacer is on the block. I had this same problem when I installed an aftermarket pump, as the shorter arm on the replacement pump wouldn't reach the cam with the spacer in place. The spacer is an insulator made of phenolic or plastic about 1/4 inch thick and can look like part of the engine block.

Yes there is a spacer plate mounted to the engine block. The removal of that plate would seem like it might move the rocker arm inboard enough to contact the camshaft cam. When removed does the new pump still have the proper seating to provide a tight fit to the block?


Thanks for your feedback and help.

[siiirhd88]

The pump I installed worked fine and sealed OK using a new gasket. Many Series mechanical fuel pumps have long term problems due to ethanol in the gas not being the best for the internals. Like others I ended up installing an electric fuel pump with a return filter near the carb, which also helped with vapor lock and carb heat soak due to the same ethanol lowering the boiling point of the fuel. A different problem but one you might find depending on the summer temps where you live.

[jimrr]

that is a huge difference between those arms in your photos. My OEM fuel pump lasted well past 10 or 15 years. (i've owned my '73 88 since new as well)) I have seen new pumps (for other cars) have the check valves installed backwards. you could put a piece of tape on that arm, reinstall, rotate the engine and see if the cam is hitting that arm? I've always avoided a electric pump for the land rover but if i was to get one it'd be a commercial grade unit, usually found at summit racing or someplace. I don't recall any spacer on my block. my current pump from RN is about 8-10 yrs old but I do note that one can't buy a rebuild kit for the pump anymore, you have to buy a new pump. possibly that english outfit in england still has the kits but i haven't looked.

[bsims88]

A followup on this issue:

The suggestion by siiirhd88 was correct. Many thanks for the help!

I took the spacer block off with the phenolic block still attached because I wasn't sure what I would find under all the gunk.

After some cleaning I just slid a small putty knife under the edge of the phenolic block gasket and gave it a tap with a little ball peen hammer. The phenolic block and with gaskets popped right off.

I cleaned and painted the spacer block and installed the new pump on the plate without the phenolic spacer, but with the gasket supplied with the new pump.

After some further reassembly and testing all is fine and I'm BACK ON THE ROAD!

Some further notes that may be of interest.

1. If I had it to do over I would remove only the fuel pump leaving the Spacer Plate with its six bolts in place. The phenolic block could be easily removed and after some cleaning the new pump could be fitted. Removing the spacer plate required cleaning of the mating surface on the engine block, and this was difficult given its location. I used multiple applications of gasket remover and hours of careful scraping with a single edge razor blade. I also had to hand make a gasket for spacer block to engine block fitting.

2. After I got every thing cleaned, painted and ready to reassemble I dry fit the plate and pump to the engine, removed the spark plugs, and pulled the fuel line from the carburetor. I then primed the system with the hand lever on the fuel pump and finally turned the engine over slowly with the hand crank. This should prove that the rocker arm on the fuel pump was correctly engaging the engine camshaft. After just a few cranks I could see that the pump was delivering fuel successfully into the jar I had set up to collect the pumped fuel. After this testing I removed fuel pump and spacer plate and reinstalled them with proper gaskets and tightening. Ready to go!

I'll post a few photos to show progress on the job.