fuel pump push rod bushing removal

D

donald1950

Senior Member
Has anyone successfully removed and replaced the fuel pump pushrod bushing with the 1953 Ford EAB motor in the car? i do not wish to run an electric fuel pump unless the removal and replacement of the bushing is not realistically possible......
 
on this motor someone took the fuel pump off and screwed a 3/8 bolt into the bushing to stop the oil from coming up into the lifter gallery. the motor out out of the car right now while i go through the transmission and i would like to have a manual fuel pump on it if possible......
 
The bushing is a very loose fit with the rod. Do not worry if the fit is sloppy. The later bushings are thicker wall than the earlier ones so have plenty of wear allowable. They are pressure lubed from the oil pump so are always in fine shape.
 
donald1950 said:
on this motor someone took the fuel pump off and screwed a 3/8 bolt into the bushing to stop the oil from coming up into the lifter gallery. the motor out out of the car right now while i go through the transmission and i would like to have a manual fuel pump on it if possible......
Click to expand...
Thought that the bushings were 7/16" ID so the 3/8" bolt would just drop in??
 
Can you back the bolt out and see what is going on? If the bolt was just screwed in then the bushing should have no more than a little knurling inside of it. The bushing are a hardened, so I doubt the bolt did much if anything to the ID.
 
JSeery said:
Can you back the bolt out and see what is going on? If the bolt was just screwed in then the bushing should have no more than a little knurling inside of it. The bushing are a hardened, so I doubt the bolt did much if anything to the ID.
Click to expand...
Wonder how a 3/8" bolt can be "screwed" into a 7/16" dia. hole?
 
i just pulled the block off plate and looked in and it could be a 7/16 bolt. i am going to pull manifold tomorrow to get a better look and i will also have the ability to try a pushrod and see if it fits if the bolt did not do much damage....
 
In the middle of a 8BA build now. I plan to run an electric pump and when I pulled the fuel pump rod there was no bushing. I compared the rod to the one removed from the engine in my truck and found there are differences. I plan to tap the hole and use a plug. That way it should be reversible.
 
41LjH said:
In the middle of a 8BA build now. I plan to run an electric pump and when I pulled the fuel pump rod there was no bushing. I compared the rod to the one removed from the engine in my truck and found there are differences. I plan to tap the hole and use a plug. That way it should be reversible.
Click to expand...

Or just put a bushing in there and if you ever wanted to use a mechanical pump all you would need to do is drop a rod in there and wouldn't need to remove the intake manifold.
 
I would just install a cup shaped welsh/freeze plug in there. I don't have the part number right now, but thats what I have done. You should be able to get them at any auto parts store I'm not sure of all the brand names, but Dorman is a major brand name to ask for. Just tap it in flush with the casting & you can pull it out if you ever would like to reinstall a bushing. I would not tap the hole as once you do that you are stuck with it. JMHO. Bill
 
There are 2 different situations with 8BA style pushrods. Some of the early blocks had NO BUSHING and used the smaller diameter pushrod. So, a 3/8" bolt might, or might not, be appropriate to fit the bore.

I agree there is seldom a wear issue and even the presence of threads made into the cast iron of an early engine would not disqualify it from using a pushrod. However, it would be important to procure the correct diameter rod.

JWL
 
Im trying to figure out what you want to acomplish by freezeplugs and bolts ?
Since the oil is restricted by the hole in the bushing it wont affect oil flow plugging the top of the bore, oil will just flow downwards.
Are you trying to keep stuff out of the bore ?
If you want to stop the oilflow a pressfit rod or plugging both ends of the bore should be needed.
 
Here's 2 photo's of both fuel-pump rod bushings, the sizes are listed here also to help!

The early bushings measure 1.625" (long) x .438" (o.d.) x .375" (i.d.). A conventional 3/8" bolt slides into it easily.

The later ones measure 1.565" (long) x .596" (o.d.) x .437" (i.d.). A conventional 7/16" bolt also slide inside it easily.

(Add) To remove the larger bushing we simply use a slide hammer after tapping the 1/2" thread (mentioned below).

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. It would take a 1/2"-13 tap (or equivalent) to put threads into the later bushings with the .437" i.d. The bushing on the right has a small oil-feed hole, not visible in the photo, drilled into the circular "band" in the center.
 

Attachments

  • Flathead Fuel Pump Bushings A.JPG
    Flathead Fuel Pump Bushings A.JPG
    51.6 KB · Views: 124
  • Flathead Fuel Pump Bushings B.JPG
    Flathead Fuel Pump Bushings B.JPG
    50.7 KB · Views: 111
Last edited:
This is the plug I turned to using in the fuel pump bushing. The idea is to keep the oil out of the engine galley. Excessive oil in the galley can increase the oil vapor blown out of the breather (similar to the reason Ford moved the oil filter return away from the galley. Not sure it's a big issue, but extremely easy to install in the bare block.
 

Attachments

  • Fuel Pump Rod Bushing Plug.jpg
    Fuel Pump Rod Bushing Plug.jpg
    52.3 KB · Views: 63
  • Fuel Pump Rod Bushing Plug 2.jpg
    Fuel Pump Rod Bushing Plug 2.jpg
    56.7 KB · Views: 78
Rather than try and remove or plug the bushing you could just make a rod with a cover that seats on top of the bushing. The other end of the rod would be attached to the fuel pump block off plate. The rod "seats" into a countersunk hole in the bottom side of the fuel pump block off plate when the fuel pump block off plate is screwed down. Or you could use a rod with a tapered point larger than the ID of the bushing that rests on top of the bushing (thereby blocking the opening) and the other end of the rod securely fastened to the fuel pump block off plate. That way you don't have to worry about plugging or removing the bushing at all.
Here's a similar idea with an oil fill tube combined with the block off plate. There is no oil splash into the valley since the rod seats on top of the bushing. Of course, an electric fuel pump must be used, but it could easily be converted back to a mechanical pump without any "bushing problems". This particular set up has been operating for last 15 years. Engine is 8BA. Oil pressure is excellent and the bushing remains in place. JSerry's idea is excellent. You could also thread a small hole into the top of his plug so that you could screw in a removable long rod for easy installation and removal of the plug.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1831best small.jpg
    IMG_1831best small.jpg
    72.2 KB · Views: 86
  • IMG_1850 (Small).jpg
    IMG_1850 (Small).jpg
    49.1 KB · Views: 75
  • IMG_1852b.jpg
    IMG_1852b.jpg
    26.8 KB · Views: 75
  • IMG_1834 (Small).jpg
    IMG_1834 (Small).jpg
    24 KB · Views: 76
  • IMG_1839 (Small).jpg
    IMG_1839 (Small).jpg
    29.3 KB · Views: 69
  • IMG_1841.jpg
    IMG_1841.jpg
    23.8 KB · Views: 68
  • IMG_1842 (Small).jpg
    IMG_1842 (Small).jpg
    40.2 KB · Views: 59
Last edited:
my kudos to the machine shop that built this motor in 2001 in Washington State. when he removed the push rod, he took a 1/2 bolt, lathe machined it for about an inch to .445 with a slight taper down to .430 (with no threads) and tapped it snug fit into the bushing. came right out and a push rod dropped right in.. thanks to all that responded....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top