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[TomMull]

I just stripped my good working fuel pump for a thorough cleaning as I am doing an engine rebuild, as part of a restoration. I happened to notice that fuel pump kits were part of this weekend’s sale at one of the parts suppliers. Seemed good timing until I noticed that the sale price was just shy of four times the regular price of one of the competitors. In fact, it is slightly more than the competitor aftermarket replacement pump. The argument would be that the expensive kits are that much better, in fact they do include new shaft seals, which I don’t think are included in the cheaper kits.
I know you have to pay for quality, but these AC fuel pumps were simple, rugged, cheap (at the time) and ubiquitous. Does anyone have comments or experience with rebuilds or kits? Thanks.
Tom Mulligan

[TR3driver]

I'm reviving an old post here; maybe no one cares any more.  But based on my experience with the "expensive" kit, and other's reports of the "cheap" kits; I would say that they are worth every penny.  TRF assembles the kits themselves, as even Burlen no longer offers the complete kit, and the parts are top notch.  Filter screen is brass as original (repros are frequently plastic that can distort and not filter); the shaft seal is included (as you noticed); and most importantly the diaphragm will stand up to E10 (or E15 when it comes) while some of the others can be attacked and start to leak again within a matter of months.  The sediment bowl gasket is rubber so it doesn't shrink and leak like the old cork did, but it also seems to stand up to E10.

I'm not an originality freak, but IMO an original pump rebuilt with one of those kits is a better product than a new pump.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh260/TR3driver/DSCF0002_cropped-1.jpg

[TomMull]

Thanks Randall. I'm slow but not quite that slow. I've got it back together with a cheapo kit. I have a repro for a spare and if the rebuilt gives any trouble, I'll spring for the expensive kit. Tom