Rear Cam Bearing Interference with Fuel Pump Pushrod

drolston

drolston

Well-known member
The rear cam bearing got installed back too far; about 1/16" into the hole where the fuel pump push rod drops onto the fuel pump lobe on the cam. Push rod is blocked. Engine is in the car working on an electric fuel pump, but I would like to have it go through the mechanical pump for redundancy.
Suggestions?
Any way to cut out the interfering material without putting shavings into the oil?
Turn down the fuel pump push rod end enough to pass by?
??
 
There's no way to open up the area of the cam bearing that's now in the way without putting metal in the oil.

The only option you have is to reduce the diameter of the push rod so it fits into the now smaller opening. BUT each end of the fuel pump push rod if original is rather hard material and each end is pressed into a tube. If the lower area of the push rod can be reduced without touching the tube material it should work at least for a while.
Keep in mind the push rod hole is in the main oil passage especially on early to 1948 blocks. If the push rod is removed the push rod hole needs to be pluged at the top so there's not a big oil leak in the engine.
On 1949 and latter block's the push rod bushing has a small oil hole in the center of the bushing so the oil leak in the main passage would not be as great as the earlier blocks. However the push rod hole still needs to be pluged if the push rod is removed.
Ronnieroadster
 
Ground down the diameter of the bottom half inch of the push rod by about 3/32", slowly and without getting it very hot, so as to not ruin the temper of the contact surface. Pumps fine now. No effect on oil pressure. The load on that pushrod is pretty light compared to the valve springs, so I do not expect to have a wear problem. I will report back if anything adverse develops.
 
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