Listers:
Don't need that advice now about how to stop the fuel flow from the
tanks through my leaky SU fuel pump. Seven gallons of fuel poured out
and evaporated into the California skies.
I managed not to blow up me and the Tiger, though, through no credit to
me. Here's what I did (as advice so don't you try this at home): I
tightened up the nut holding that end cap on the SU fuel pump. Still
leaked. I tightened some more....and more...and more.....more leaking
and then the end of the nut broke off! Off comes the end cover to the
pump...fuel gushing out...no way now to stop it! Seven gallons or so
later the tanks are now empty and the fuel has evaporated thankfully. I
finally was able to wrestle the pump out. Of course, in doing so, I kind
of mashed a bit of the fuel pipe coming from the tanks. I might have to
attend to that now too. Now I know what's inside that darn fuel pump
cover. A simple round cork gasket. It must have been bad to start as I
smelled a bit of fuel even after it was installed new a few weeks ago,
and on up the highway to United...getting worse on the trip back. The
theory of this SU fuel pump gasket appears to be that it can't be
tightened down too much (as I have unfortunately found out) or tightened
down too loose...it will leak either way. This gasket covers the hole
(with a bolt going through it, prone to tearing at this point, which
mine appears to have done, starting my fuel pump fun) and the outer edge
of this gasket must seal along a very narrow edge, also prone to failure
or mis-alignment, and the gasket is then held in place very delicately
by that stupid end cover, through which the bolt goes and, in theory,
holds the gasket in place.
So, in the morning it's off to find the fittings with which I can attach
rubber fuel lines to the metal fuel pipes where the fuel pump is so I
can go buy an aftermarket fuel pump to plumb in there. I think after
three SU pumps doing this to me over the years, it's time to go with
some other brand with a better design.
I've got to get a real life one of these days.
Steve Sage
1967 MK1A
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