I think my pump is dying... help! (Buzzing noise from pump solved!)

[blackdogvan]

So my pump is making strange noises, kinda a buzzing, mostly when I shift & the engine over-runs. A touch while cruising & less when I accelerate hard. Power seems all there. I have heard this sound before though. Whan I first got this motor running I used a normal banjo bolt for the fuel return off the pump. That caused a large air bubble to take up residence in the pump & make this buzzing noise. At that time there was tonnes of air in the fuel lines (they are clear) & you could see the fuel surge through the system. Now everything looks perfect in the lines, no air at all, not a single mini bubble.

Could I have a bubble stuck in the pump & not see anything in the lines? What are the signs of a dying pump anyone's experienced? I'm a bit worried & plan on installing my Tintin built spare to see what's what.

[8v-of-fury]

i don't think you have a bubble trapped in the pump, the out bolt is the highest point really.

[blackdogvan]

Giles called it from a few thousand km away; loose pump mount bolts. Well not loose but not FT. Once they were re-torqued the buzzing went away.

[ORCoaster]

Remembering to get that one down under behind the pulley gets me about every other time.  Just when I am packing up the 13 mm socket I remember and have to get underneath with the 17 turn the engine while I finger the line up hole and then tighten the nut.  Cause yeah it sort of buzzes if you don't. 

Nice call from a long way away.  And he didn't even need to hear it to figure it out.  Man's good.

[blackdogvan]

The Bee-otch is that with the LR pump I'm using an adjustable ALH sprocket. It doesn't have the nice holes for easy access to the mount bolts. Means you can't adjust the timing with the engine running either. Which is fun,

[ORCoaster]

Define FUN here.  That sucks is my opinion.  How do you ever find the sweet sounding spot?  I guess it is more of a try and if you like it leave thing then.  I have heard of folks using welding pliers to grab the top of the pump in order to move it back and forth when timing.  Maybe you could do a clamp off on the bracket or something.  Get just behind the pulley and over the edge of one of the upper bolts.  To not have it running is to not have it right.  But that is just me.  I need ears on it more than eyes.  Other Hillbilly tuners work it the same way.

[blackdogvan]

Maybe I should have said "interesting"? I actually have reasonable success making minor tweaks with this pulley setup.

[blackdogvan]

So the buzzing/ticking sound went away after having the pump mount bolts cranked up & not its coming back. I should mention that after the re torque my engine never ran so good, crazy smooth, unreal quiet, I was loving it so much. Now mr ticky is back & I'd really like to figure out how to permanently fix this. I've never had this trouble before & this setup's almost a year old for me. I do have the proper pump bolts with the bridge between etc. The plan is to replace every fastener on the pump & mount bracket.

Has anyone else ran into this issue at all?

On a side note, i'd recommend checking your pump bolts, you might be shocked to see a noise reduction!

[ORCoaster]

I have noticed that at startup my pump shakes to the point that at times I have trouble getting it to rev at all.  There is something the pump does not like about vibration.  Like it can't pump well as it is shaking about or something.  Going to go over all the bolts on mine to see what I can see.  I did have it off a bit ago when swapping out the head gasket and motor mount.

Thanks for the tip.