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MG TD TF 1500 - Three Times and your Out--Fuel Pump Leaks

For the last three years in row I have had fuel/gasket leaks on my SU fuel pump. In all cases caused by a gasket failure in which the gasket material has softend and disintigrated into sticky goo.

The suspect culprits:

Bad gasket material. (MM)

RFG reformulated gasoline requiements and the use of MTBE or % of Alcohols. A known problem for vintage cars. I only use Shell or Mobil fuels, who rigidly control the % of MTBE in there gasoline.

Use of the so called "fuel stabilzers" over winter storage. Tom Wicks (tech guy) @ Sta-bil did not feel his product was the issue. I am testing to find out.

Our fuel pump guru Dave Duboise kindly sent me a pair of Burlen Fuel gaskets and all is repaired and working fine. After doing the old suck and blow test on the pump I found that one of the brass inlet/outlet disks was leaking, not allowing fuel to be pulled out of the tank. Sucking air and not fuel manifests itself as a rapid running pump.

Would like to know if anyone else has had this problem.
Colin Stafford

Colin - The vlave disks are often worn to the point that the have a grove in them, but unless the seat is damaged, they usually will seal enough to pull fuel from the tank unless there is an air leak on the inlet side of the pump. If the disks are worn, they can usually be brought back to a usable state by lapping them on a piece of 400 grit sandpaper on a smooth surface (I use the sole plate of an old flat iron) and then finish up with some 600 sand paper. I would also advise cheking the pump body for a crack around the inlet fitting or even the filter plug. a crack at either place will cause an air leak on the inlet side of the pump. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Dave I just took one of the discs out of a spare pump and used it.
Colin Stafford

This thread was discussed between 22/05/2006 and 23/05/2006

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.