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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Early 1500 Midget fuel pump.

A strange fault. My fuel pump. Having removed it from the engine, the pump passes fuel when hand operating its lever, with two short lengths of hose (1) on the pump's inlet (in a can of petrol), and (2) pump's outlet (hose open end dangling in a bowl.
But when refitted to the engine block, the pump doesn't suck/expel fuel from the car's tank when turning over the engine.
Using a Hilka manual hand pump, I can pull fuel from the tank, through the car's pick-up pipe and hose.

Time to buy a new pump ('straight arm' type, RKC1624).

Does anybody know of a retailer who can supply an ethanol resistant pump RKC1624?
Many thanks.
J Thomson

When you operate it by hand you're probably working the lever over a much bigger stroke than the camshaft does. Also much slower. So not a completely fair test.
Is there an inline fuel filter?
If your pump is the type with top and bottom parts held together by five screws you can get a rebuild kit for not very much. Valves, springs, seals, diaphragm &c. It's a super easy job.
If the two halves of the pump body are swaged together, not so lucky.
There's a number of variations on the theme of these pumps, straight/bent arm and different length arms.
Last time I bought one I got it from Rimmer Bros. Seemed okay.
Look out for the camshaft trap when you fit the pump.
Greybeard

Thank you for your reply and considered thoughts, Greybeard.
'Moss' tell me their RKC1624Z pump is safe with ethanol. But my heart fell when I saw the label on the packing box . . 'Made in Taiwan'.
Anyway, new Moss pump is now fitted, and the engine is running. Again, thank you for your reply, appreciated.
J Thomson

We have found that many aftermarket pumps are putting out twice the pressure of the original, so if there is any tendency for the carbs to flood then check the system pressure.
Paul Walbran

Paul said:

>>We have found that many aftermarket pumps are putting out twice the pressure of the original, so if there is any tendency for the carbs to flood then check the system pressure<<

My understanding is that this is because the venerable AC Delco type Y pump is still in production for use mainly in small engines for (eg:) agricultural machinery and grass cutters &c,&c,&c. I've personally seen them used as lift pumps on small diesel generators and high power industrial pressure washers for example.
In that application they are required to supply higher pressures than for 1500 midgets and I speculate that is achieved by higher poppet spring rates.

For anyone else looking for a 1500 fuel pump it's worth remembering that it's the same device used on Spitfires, GT6, Dolomites and blah-blah and the main variables in operating arm configuration are to cope with some engines using spacer blocks and heat shields where others don't.
The basic design has been in continuous production for at least 70 years, maybe because it's simple, cheap and it works.
Even the Russians copied it perfectly for the Ladas they made from a stolen Fiat design because the Fiat had an electric pump that was too expensive.
Greybeard

This thread was discussed between 02/07/2024 and 07/07/2024

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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