I am replacing my fuel pump as one of my many efforts to getting my 56 Merc Wagon on the road again. I cannot seem to get the fuel pump holes aligned and the surface to square up with each other. I have carefully inserted the rocker arm into the block but no luck. What am I not doing correctly? Thanks - AR

The arm of the pump may be bumping against the lobe on the cam. Get a mirror with a handle on it and put it down near the fuel pump hole. Then shine a light on the mirror and look and see if you can see the lobe . If you can you will need to tap the starter over a bit to move it out of the way. When it is up and out of the way the pump will be a breeze to install.   

55Birdman  Hickory NC

If you hold the pump and start the bolts ,by tightening the bolts down evenly the pump will "pull" into place.Do Earls suggestion first.

  

All makes perfect sense! Thanks guys for your feed back - AR

what Earl said.....exact-a-mundo...

If you've got two gaskets for the pump mount opening - use 'em

- it cuts down on the heat transfer from the block to the pump housing.

Take a close look at the fitting you have for attaching the fuel lines to the pump - mine for instance were stepped down to 1/8 pipe threads (thick walled too) and had such small openings that pump suction was being "hindered".

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Has anyone else noticed that the constantly repeating leverage applied to the pump arm has a tendency to loosen properly torqued mounting bolts? Blue Loctite may be indicated here, especially if double gaskets are used?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Torqued mounting bolts???? Never had a problem but I better check them now..

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Thanks guys, fuel pump is in!

Question: I have a clear plastic inline fuel filter right before the gas from the tank enters the fuel pump. At idle the filter is less than a 1/3 full. No real change at higher RPM's. Would this be normal? Thanks- AR

I've got an idea you are sort of backing into the same difficulty many of us have found with this era of vehicle - tank pollution. The line running back there can have rust and crud in it - the end of the suction line in the tank can be fouled - and the tank can be delivering a "fresh supply" of new crud every time you give it a good slosh. You also have to have a vent for the tank too - this is "pre-emission control" stuff. If you run the engine with the gas cap off - its a quick test.

The filter you have installed is a means of protecting the engine parts - but more than likely will add to the total restriction. When you open the line - on the fuel pump side of the added filter - does fuel run out (besides the fuel you see in the filter)? On mine - it depends on how much fuel is in the tank ....which indicates that some "head pressure" is required to get fuel to flow.

I tried cleaning out the fuel line - painful feeding of a wire through to agitate the stuff and then blowing through with compressed air and a cleaner (petroleum ether - starter fluid). Crud came out - but it doesn't work much better after the effort than before. Which means....I'll probably have to remove the tank and have it cleaned (along with the equipment inside) - or replace it. I also bought a new stainless fuel line from "Classic Tubes" pre-made to fit the T-bird - such a service may not be available for the Merc wagon.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona