ConcoursMustang Forums
Restoring - General discussions that span across many different groups of years and models => Drivetrain => Topic started by: lightwtjet on January 24, 2025, 12:53:50 PM
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Carter 4441 fuel pumps that are original and date coded are valuable so rebuilding to make them reliable is a good option. I have found some U tube restoration videos do not reflect working on 56 year old parts, but this one at the 428Cobra Jet site is very good.
https://www.428cobrajet.org/how-to-fuel-pump
I used this procedure successfully. Removing the diaphragm from the housing did require aggressive twisting to get it out. The old rubber diaphragm in my pump was cracked on one side. It had low miles but was in use since 1968.
On assembly, there is a stiff spring that was a challenge to install. Pictured is a method that you may prefer using a screwdriver to compress and slide the base of the spring in place. First though, there is no fulcrum (pivot point) for the screwdriver so you must create one by adding a piece of wood (3/8 inch wide) placed in the pump lever - see attached picture. Insert the screwdriver in the second coil from the bottom, compress the spring and push it into place. I also temporarily added a 1/4 inch bolt (7/8 inch long) underneath the spring to create an arch. See Pic
A well used pump body may require tumbling or vapor blasting. Dead Nuts sells an ink stamp for numbering. I was advised the pump is installed after the engine paint was applied. Finished pump shown. Good luck. Roger
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Thanks for commenting on rebuilding your fuel pump . Documents and observations indicate the fuel pump was typically not in place when the engine was painted regardless of if a big block or a smallblock.
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Agree that the pumps on a production car would not have been installed before the engine paint was supplied. The instructions Ford had for engine assembly notes that in those documents. Given the history and use of your car I wonder if that could be a results of some of the testing and playing with the drivetrain in its first few months.
Thanks sharing those pumps are very easy to do especially in comparison to other crimped styles
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Jeff mentioned the car had a number of modifications when Ford was using it to correct wheel hop and engine oil temperatures >325 DegF. It may have been one of the first cars to have staggered shocks installed.
I just found weld splatter on the inside of the rear window glass. Apparently the result of welding the supports for the shocks with the fuel tank removed. Still visible on the fuel tank in red crayon - SAVE for V818-16 (its engineering number).