General TR Using an Old Fuel Pump

[KVH]

Is there any protocol to storing an old fuel pump? Do the seals deteriorate or rot? Good twenty years off the shelf?

 

[dklawson]

That's a good question. I don't have an answer other than to suggest contacting Dave DuBois on this board. He is an SU pump guy. Even if you are talking about an AC brand pump I would imagine the life of the rubber bits would be about the same. Dave could probably tell you the shelf life of the pump.

 

[TomMull]

Leaving the real answer to the pros, here's my 2p. Under the best circumstances, e.g. no ethanol, no moisture, no crud and corrosion the pumps can sit for a long time and 20 years is not unreasonable. However, the best circumstances rarely exist and it is relatively easy and cheap to change the diaphragm and valves.
Tom

 

[martx-5]

Although an older pump might work just fine, at least in the short haul, the rubber compounds in the diaphragm(s) and seals might not be compatible with ethanol based fuels that are the norm today. There was a rash of fuel pumps, both new and rebuilt from new parts, a few years back that succumbed in short order to the dreaded ethanol. As of late, the suppliers have gotten a handle on that problem. I rebuilt my pump about five years ago and it's still working fine with the ethanol fuel. I wouldn't trust a pump that has been sitting on the shelf for twenty years.