My 81 is eating fuel pumps . I've put 2 working junkyard fuel pumps on it that worked for about a week each and put one off a running truck on it and after about 3 days it started sending all the fuel out the return line an none to the carb . i plugged it off an run it for a day or two then that one was done for an now i sit debating whether or not to buy a new factory style fuel pump or put an inline electric fuel pump. Opinions ? only thing i can think of thats wearing out the fuel pumps is the fuel line is bigger than factory an it maybe takes more pressure to pull it to the engine or something. any similar issues?

 

Do you have the spacer the mounts between the pump and the head?


I was missing the spacer on my old 84 22r and was wasting pumps

 

What's the condition of your gas and gas tank? I have a buddy who had an old Ram that had a rusty tank, which isn't good of course, and then he siphoned some gas from an old tractor and put it in the truck. That gas was like varnish, and his pump stopped working a few days later. Of course, that could be coincidence....

 

are there like 2 rubber gaskets an 1 thick rubber spacer?

 

i cleaned the gas tank an its pretty clean in the filter

 

i think i may be missin the plastic spacer from head to fuel pump .

 

That would make sense, then if that spacer is gone the cam might be moving the arm too much and causing failure?

 

Yeah, there should be a fairly thick (compared to the gaskets) plastic spacer.

 

The spacer shown in the pic is on my 81. It is only about 1/3 as thick as the spacer on my '84. This has me thinking, I am gonna see if I can swing by and look at a friends 84 and his 81 for comparison pics.

 

I went to an in line elec fuel pump (low press). Has worked great. Had to do it because manifold for dcoe's wouldn't fit with the mechanical pump.
My '81 had a 1/4" ish plastic spacer between head and pump.

 

Can't remember if mine started with a metal spacer or not...but the dealership sold me a thicker plastic one that's on there now. At least that's what I remember...it's been awhile since I've done much more than routine maintenance on my truck and some of this stuff is starting to fade a little...

 

thanks for yalls help believe i got it fixed it had a black plastic spacer that was really thick an i still had a white plastic one that came off my original pump an i was a little thinner and put it back on an as of an hour ago it was all workin great.

 

Make sure you have the right spacer and two gaskets installed. I this doesn't help, check the eccentric on the front of your camshaft. It could be broken and damaging the fuel pump lever arm.