Leaking Fuel pump

[Mad Mackie]

Success! I took the old pump apart carefully, and applied a small amount of silicone gasket seal to all the mating surfaces....then, let it dry overnight. This morning, I put the old pump back in, and fired up the generator and let it run for about 30 minutes, with No Leaks.

I talked to B&S, and it seems that this Bogus Replacement fuel pump requires "mounting modification" to be used on engines built before 2002...Yeah..No Chit! I guess that is all part of the corporate Planned Obsolescence. As for EPA considerations, the Old style pump is probably less likely to pollute than this new unit. The old pump is sealed, so no fuel should escape....whereas, the new style pump has a wire mess "breather", that probably seeps some gas while running, and would probably leak out any fuel left in the pump at shutdown, unless the tank valve is shut off...so much for the EPA.

The dry side of the diaphragm is vented so it can pulse freely, this is the normal configuration.
My 4000 watt Powermate is a 1994 and has gravity feed to the updraft carb.

 

[deminin]

silicone gasket sealant and gas doesn't mix. I just hope you good luck on that. :thumbsup:

Yup, this is probably a temporary fix...I ordered a pump rebuild kit on EBAY, since the correct pump seems to be no longer available. The gasket sealer made an immediate difference, in that after 1/2 hour of running there was no evidence of any gas leaking. I fire this generator up about once a month to keep it running good in case we need it....since we live way out in the boondocks. I'll let it sit for a couple of weeks and run it again, and probably run it every two weeks for the next couple of months to see how this sealant holds up. If I see any more evidence of leaking, I will rebuild the pump..should have the parts in a couple of days...for $4.

 

[reynoldston]

..."silicone" anywhere, of ANY grade, in any engine, is not good practice. PERIOD.
Read my thread to illustrate one failing of such foible:
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/small...a-fr541v-top-end-bobbins-rocker-assembly.html

For workshops it is in the product name - Silly (method) Cone (coneheads use it) :thumbdown:

Even it bathrooms/washrooms it fails and there is
the intended use for the base product!!!

KK

I guess we don't agree on this. If used right I have found silicone sealant is a very good high temp. sealant for oil or water. It also just seems to last forever. Just not for gas because for some reason gas turns silicone sealant into a soft slim. I have found a good sealant for gas is seals-all or JB weld.

 

[deminin]

silicone gasket sealant and gas doesn't mix. I just hope you good luck on that. :thumbsup:

I checked the pump again today, and there is no evidence of leakage...I left the tank valve open so the pump should be full of gas. The stuff I used is called ProSeal gasket sealant, and the guy at the auto parts store said they've had good feedback on that brand. The excess that is on the outside of the pump has formed into a hard "rubber". I thought of using JB Weld, but I wanted to be able to take this pump apart again, if needed, to replaced its "innerds", without damaging the pump body. I'll know in a few weeks if this jury rig will hold. At least, we are past the Spring storms, so all I want is for this old generator to be in prime condition when Winter arrives. I've only needed it for a few hours, 2 or 3 times, in the past 15 years, but it sure comes in handy if a power line or transformer goes out in the area. We have a total electric house, and I have a big outdoor wood furnace that supplies most of our Winter heat...and the generator supplies enough juice to give us lights, TV, and keep the wood furnace blower running.

 

[reynoldston]

I checked the pump again today, and there is no evidence of leakage...I left the tank valve open so the pump should be full of gas. The stuff I used is called ProSeal gasket sealant, and the guy at the auto parts store said they've had good feedback on that brand. The excess that is on the outside of the pump has formed into a hard "rubber". I thought of using JB Weld, but I wanted to be able to take this pump apart again, if needed, to replaced its "innerds", without damaging the pump body. I'll know in a few weeks if this jury rig will hold. At least, we are past the Spring storms, so all I want is for this old generator to be in prime condition when Winter arrives. I've only needed it for a few hours, 2 or 3 times, in the past 15 years, but it sure comes in handy if a power line or transformer goes out in the area. We have a total electric house, and I have a big outdoor wood furnace that supplies most of our Winter heat...and the generator supplies enough juice to give us lights, TV, and keep the wood furnace blower running.

Like I said I hope you the best of luck with your repair. As for myself I believe Pro Seal is a very good product and use it myself with very good luck. All you care about is that your fuel pump isn't leaking which is all that counts. I am just saying I wouldn't use a silicone sealant around gas because I have been doing this type of work for many years and have had bad luck with silicone sealant and gas. In time the gas will eat away at the silicone sealant. There are many other products out there that are very compatible with gas which to me would of been a better choice. Next winter when you are in very bad need of your generator I hope the pump doesn't start leaking gas which wouldn't be the time you will want to fix it.

 

[deminin]

Like I said I hope you the best of luck with your repair. As for myself I believe Pro Seal is a very good product and use it myself with very good luck. All you care about is that your fuel pump isn't leaking which is all that counts. I am just saying I wouldn't use a silicone sealant around gas because I have been doing this type of work for many years and have had bad luck with silicone sealant and gas. In time the gas will eat away at the silicone sealant. There are many other products out there that are very compatible with gas which to me would of been a better choice. Next winter when you are in very bad need of your generator I hope the pump doesn't start leaking gas which wouldn't be the time you will want to fix it.

Do you have a particular name or brand of sealant that you trust? I want something that will not "bond" these pump components together permanently, so I can take it apart and repair it if need be. I'm open to any good suggestions. The main thing is to Not damage the plastic body of this pump, as it appears that the "replacement" part is not worth fooling with...unless I want to built a special mount.

 

[KrashnKraka]

I guess we don't agree on this. If used right I have found silicone sealant is a very good high temp. sealant for oil or water. It also just seems to last forever. Just not for gas because for some reason gas turns silicone sealant into a soft slim. I have found a good sealant for gas is seals-all or JB weld.

Your "JB weld" seems similar to our FerroPro, a two part epoxy weld for
many base materials. It has it's uses, mostly emergency
- repair later.
For all engine work I have used Permatex #3 exclusively, approved for
aero use it can be an art to use successfully. By that I mean, no mess.
Personally I am also rather fond of the smell it gives to newly completed
work.. it emanates a "ring of confidence".

Certainly we disagree, and being fair to you I would offer you would find
lots of support for your bias. The separating question is however, do you
or those who led you down that path rely on their work as income, or safety
or both.....?
Some lessons are hard learnt. Those advocating silastic sealants have yet
to suffer the consequences of that mistake.

Trust that fills some gaps.

KK

 

[reynoldston]

Your "JB weld" seems similar to our FerroPro, a two part epoxy weld for
many base materials. It has it's uses, mostly emergency
- repair later.
For all engine work I have used Permatex #3 exclusively, approved for
aero use it can be an art to use successfully. By that I mean, no mess.
Personally I am also rather fond of the smell it gives to newly completed
work.. it emanates a "ring of confidence".

Certainly we disagree, and being fair to you I would offer you would find
lots of support for your bias. The separating question is however, do you
or those who led you down that path rely on their work as income, or safety
or both.....?
Some lessons are hard learnt. Those advocating silastic sealants have yet
to suffer the consequences of that mistake.

Trust that fills some gaps.

KK

I think you have been sniffing too much #3 permatex. :confused2:

 

[reynoldston]

Do you have a particular name or brand of sealant that you trust? I want something that will not "bond" these pump components together permanently, so I can take it apart and repair it if need be. I'm open to any good suggestions. The main thing is to Not damage the plastic body of this pump, as it appears that the "replacement" part is not worth fooling with...unless I want to built a special mount.

There many good brand of sealant out there. Just make sure it is compatible to gasoline. As said on a earlier post #3 Permatex is one of many. You just want something that is removable.

 

[KrashnKraka]

I think you have been sniffing too much #3 permatex. :confused2:

Heh.... I just know I m not on the right "stuff" to make the 2.5K post club...!

FWIW,,, yer missing the point. No matter... small bananas in terms of generating
commerce.

KK