<VV> Followup to engine cutting out

[Brown, Douglas T CIV NAVAIR DEPT]

I have had the check valve in the fuel pump become dislodged - on the road.  I knew I wasn't getting fuel (intermittent problems had led up to this event), and tried the manual actuation of the pump for vapor-lock.  This had worked before, but with no results, I took the top off the pump and found one valve cocked in its seat.  I reseated it and staked it down well with a screwdriver and hammer.  Replaced the cover and never had another problem with it.  

Toby

------Original Message------
From: "Anil Mittal" <anil@anil.com>
To: virtualvairs@corvair.org
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 10:51:20 -0400
Subject: <VV> Followup to engine cutting out
<SNIP>
I took a closer look and it seems
that the check valves are in a metal cage which is then pressed into
a metal bore and then staked into place. On the bore where the valve
fell out I notice that there was only 1 very light staking mark, not
two deep oned like the other check valve, I also noticed that the
bore was a bit chewed up. 

  I think 1 of two things could have been happening:

    The valve fell out of the bore the pump and the pump would stop
pumping, then somehow with cranking the valve would pop back in and
the pump would pump again.

    The bore would expand around the valve when the engine/pump got
hot which would not allow the check valve to work efficiently and the
pump would not pump. Then the pump would cool/contract back around
the valve and the pump would pump again.

   From what I have read on the list over the last 10 years the only
failure mode of a Corvair Fuel Pump is tearing of te diaphram and
leaking of fuel. I have never heard of this type of failure. Has
anyone seen this? BTW, the pump is from one of the Major Vair
Vendors. 

   Thanks for listening, hope I have solved my intermitant problem
which has been a pain to track down.

Anil