6 Cylinder Flat Head Fuel Pumps

[Kevin Tighe]

It seems like there are two different fuel pump rocker arms on the 6 Cyl Dodge fuel pumps I've come across. I will try and attach two photos. I am wondering if one of them runs against the side of the cam and the other runs against the bottom? Are they interchangeable?

[Kevin Tighe]

Fuel pump question clarification

The upper photo is a KEM 4895 Fuel Pump for Dodge Trk 1958-60. Presumably a 251?. The Lower is from a 1953 M37 230. The question is: will the former work with the latter and vice verse?

[Gordon Maney]

My first thought is that they look too different with respect to lever geometry.

My second thought is I would think they would be interchangeable.

I would want to touch and hold them.

Are they both 230's? If they are, then I would think they must interchange.

We will get some other comments here, I am sure.

[phil bazemore]

6 cylinder flat head fuel pumps

Hello Friends,
Any fresh comments on this subject? I am working on a '63 M37. My old fuel pump looks like top picture, replacement looks like bottom picture. Thanks for any experience you might share.
phil

[Matt Wilson]

I'm doubtful that they will interchange, but it's hard to say for sure. Are both pumps oriented the same way in the two photos? (Meaning both are right side up, or both being upside down?)

[Kevin Tighe]

Flat head fuel pumps

Yes, I took those pictures 2 1/2 years ago. Both pumps are oriented the same.

[Bruce]

My Mechical Fuel Pumps

The top one is the original one, the bottom is what I went with.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=3&theater

My truck is a 53, but my engine is a 43/44

[phil bazemore]

fuel pump interchange

Hi Guys,
I have concluded that the two different style fuel pumps are interchangable. I installed new pump. I was hesitant at first, then thought what-the-****, worst it could do is ruin the new pump or break the cam. It works like a champ. Thanks for the input,
phil

[Gordon Maney]

Good job!

[Paul Cook]

Single Action Fuel Pumps

Both pumps pictured by Bruce look like they are single action. M37's had double action pumps to provide vacuum for the wipers.

So did many cars back then. I first drove flat head MOPARs in 1956. Through the years I found that pumps with the same part number on the boxes had the levers riding on different positions on the cam. The only thing I paid special attention to was being careful that the gasket was properly aligned since the lever riding position meant that the lever required different angles for insertion when mounting the pumps.

[Bruce]

Paul, i think my engine is 10 years older than my M-37, hence the wrong pump?

[Kevin Tighe]

251 vs. 230 L6 fuel pump

I am amazed that as a group we can't resolve this! Seems to me that the 230 pump has the actuator rubbing on the side of the cam, diaphragm goes down to suck fuel in. 251 acutator rubs on bottom of cam, diaphragm goes up to suck fuel in. 230 valves are on top of the pump...251 valves are on the bottom of pump.
I guess my real concern is: are they interchangeable?
I've pulled 251 pumps off 230s and seen bad scoring on the actuator where it contacts the cam. Worrisome!

[Cheyenne Dave]

Since I started building high performance versions of the 230, I have stopped using mechanical fuel pumps altogether, and switched to gear-driven electrical units, mounted back near the fuel tank, just ahead of an in-line fuel filter. The main issue was too little clearance behind the forward exhaust header.

I have also replaced the mechanical pump in stock applications, eliminating vapor lock issues that can plague these pumps. I keep a spare pump on board, but have had no failures to date. Very clean installation, and replaceable in the field without messing with gaskets or working in hard to reach, hot locations.

This modification may not be desirable for those M-series applications that use the mechanical fuel pump to generate vacuum.

cd

[The Other Ross]

Did that exact same thing to my flat fender Jeep pickup back in the day. Same fuel pump issues as already mentioned on the 226 "Super Hurricane" six.

[Chip Sandage]

M-37 Fuel Pumps

My M37 quit this afternoon driving up a road. It would not start. I called AAA thinking I was out of Fuel (The Fuel Gage never gets off 1/4 tank). AAA came with 2 gallons. It still would not start. AAA called for a tow truck. I tried for 45 minutes to start it. No luck. The tow truck came, hauled it back to my house. The M37 started right up. I drove to the Gas station and put in 20 gallons. If it has a 28 gallon tank, it had 5 gallons when it quit. Was this a classic case of vapor lock? I'm reading about electric fuel pumps. I've see retro fit kits. Is this the way to go?