BMC 1.8 Fuel Pump

[Flocal]

It seems to be the season for problems :/!

I have a leak coming from my pump, noticed it a couple of weeks back but didn't act has other jobs going on. Tonight I could smell diesel in the engine room (semi trad) and it's now at the for front of niggles.

My question really is, is the pump quite straight forward to remove and are the seals/ o rings easily available?

Regards

[Albion]

Assuming that you're talking about the lift pump (not the injection pump) then it is easy to remove. Don't think that it is reconditionable though as they always used to be a simple (and relatively cheap) replacement. Simple gasket between the pump and block. The only thing to watch out for is that you get the lever arm on the correct place on the cam. Probably best to turn the engine over until the pump arm is on the back of the cam lobe to make it easier to refit.

Roger

[Flocal]

Sorry, it's the injection pump, just below the alternator??

[Albion]

That isn't a job for the untrained I'm afraid. Removal is difficult as the nut at the back of the pump is difficult to reach. I had to severely modify a spanner to get in there IIRC. Even if you can get it off then the rebuild should be left to a specialist diesel shop. There is also a torsion spring drive (looks like a splined mushroom) in the nose of the pump drive which adds complication. Then there is the re-timing of the pump to do afterwards. Not for the amateur if I'm honest.

Roger

[RLWP]

Iirc, the leaks are usually from parts that can be taken off the pump, without removing the pump and upsetting the timing

 

If not...

 

Richard

[Flocal]

I need to do some further investigations then. Sounds like I really dont want too have to take it off.

Will report back later on tonight.

With something like this are there companies that come and remove the pump, refurb and 're-time/ fit?

[Albion]

The norm in the motor trade is that you remove and refit and take it to the diesel specialists for them to do the specialist work only. You could always ask I suppose. However, as Richard has said, it could well be something that could be removed/renewed on the body of the pump itself so that removal of the pump isn't required. The only thing that might be leaking that I can think of that would certainly require the whole pump to be removed would be the drive shaft seal but, if that leaked, it would be into the timing chain case IIRC so I doubt that it is what you are seeing/smelling. However, as always, diagnosing over the internet without seeing the problem first hand is always difficult.

Roger

[Flocal]

Hmmmm from memory the diesel was at the back close too the alternator. My worry is when we adjusted the alternator we knocked it slightly as it is very close!

[RLWP]

That's very unlikely. The pump is stopped from rotating by nuts ans studs which have to be slackened off first. Even then, it's hard to rotate the pump because of the steel injector pipes.

 

It would help a lot if you can work out exactly where it is leaking. Give it a good wipe down, then run the engine. That should help identify which end or which area leaks. If you want to get more specific, try wrapping bits of kitchen towel or rag around particular joints or parts. They will soak up diesel before it spreads out, so you can see if a particular bit leaks or not

 

Posting pictures would be a help too

 

Failing that, this is the kind of work that I do

 

Richard

[Albion]

Externally, it could be the hydraulic governor, the inlet and outlet unions and the injector pipe unions. As Richard has said drying off and using fresh kitchen roll at strategic points is an excellent tell-tale for identifying sources of leaks. There is no way that adjusting the alternator belt should have caused any problem with the injector pump unless someone has been really brutal/careless with where they levered the alternator to tighten it.

Richard's offer of help is a good one.

Roger

[Flocal]

Great stuff, cheers chaps I will have a look tonight.

light as a bit of a issue, if I can't get right in there and see properly I will tackle it Saturday AM.

[Flocal]

Have you any idea what make the pump is Albion?

Assuming it is the original?

[Tony Brooks]

CAV/Lucas/Delphi (same company) DPA I think.

[Albion]

Have you any idea what make the pump is Albion?

Assuming it is the original?

See Tony's post below. It is the original pump that I had reconditioned by a diesel specialist in Oxford (Borehams Car Electrical and Diesel, at the time. Now moved premises and only doing car radio type stuff I believe) when I rebuilt and marinised it. The core engine for rebuild came from Calcutt Boats Ltd.

Roger

 

CAV/Lucas/Delphi (same company) DPA I think.

[p6rob]

If it's anything like the BMC 1.5, the injector pump has a scribed line on the side of the flange (around 10 O'clock on the 1.5). If you end up removing the pump, make sure the corresponding timing pointer is in line with that before removal. Then, if you align the scribed line with the pointer on reassembly, the timing should remain as accurate as it currently is.

 

Rob

[Speedwell]

There is a really good post on this subject by Monkey 1 http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=52164

Sorry about scruffy link but it's my first attempt

Arthur

Edited January 21, 2014 by Speedwell

[Flocal]

It is where the stop cable comes out. Only a very slight leak on application at the moment.

[Tony Brooks]

Slacken the clamp that secures the lever to the cable and move the lever a very small distance from the stop & re-tighten. You may get lucky. All this will do at the worst is to slightly restrict your maximum power. Otherwise I think a new O ring will sort it. Remove the long bolt securing the "turret" that the levers are fixed to on the stop lever side and I think the lever will just pull out on the most common pump. To be honest I can not remember if it will just push back in again or if you need to take the turret off and manipulate the governor valve but i think it just pushes back in.

 

Once again a warning to those with DPA or any other DPx type pumps. Now we are using low sulphur diesel ALL the seals in the pumps are likely to shrink a bit and may leak so it is vital that you "do a Lister" and keep a very close eye on the sump oil level. If it starts going UP the the main shaft seal is suspect (it could be the lift pump but less likely nowadays). It is then time for a pump overhaul.

[Albion]

It is where the stop cable comes out. Only a very slight leak on application at the moment.

See Tony's post above. You have the DPA pump with the hydraulic governor just for info. Unfortunately Monkey 1 has removed the source photos from his posting that Speedwell has linked to in Post #16 above or that might have helped explain things better. You certainly don't need to remove the pump for this repair.

Roger

[Flocal]

I had a guy come out last night and have a look. He's pretty confident it will be fine for a while yet, it only drips ever so slightly when I pull the lever. He is a diesel engineer and more than up for the job when it comes.

Good to know I won't have to remove the pump.

Once again, thank you muchly for your priceless experience and advice.

F

[RLWP]

That's a good result.

 

Richard

[Flocal]

Yes indeed I am quite relieved that is something that can hopefully be fixed in house as it were.

 

Albion..was having a look through my paperwork this evening for Boat. I found alot of very useful drawings and notes (hand written) about the engine torques, wiring looms, fuses and where cables go. Also found a self written guide to certain areas of the boat. Did you do these?

[Albion]

Yes indeed I am quite relieved that is something that can hopefully be fixed in house as it were.

 

Albion..was having a look through my paperwork this evening for Boat. I found alot of very useful drawings and notes (hand written) about the engine torques, wiring looms, fuses and where cables go. Also found a self written guide to certain areas of the boat. Did you do these?

I don't remember preparing anything but I did design, make and fit the complete engine loom, the split charge system and the engine instrument panel itself. I also fitted (at a later date) the Victron quasi sine wave inverter, the mains socket in the LH front well locker and all the mains wiring including the selector switch opposite the galley work surface and also the Kestrel alternator charge controller that I have previously described. As I did the fuse board etc I might have prepared some paperwork though but it is too long ago to be sure. If I could see a scan of a piece of the paperwork I could soon tell from the handwriting. The people that bought Naiad from me though owned it for many years so it might have been prepared during their time. As far as I know (from what they told me when we met them at Lymm as they were mooring up opposite us one year) the only thing that they modified significantly was something to do with the cooling of the engine. It was skin tank cooled only when I had it but they told us that the engine had started overheating some time after they had had the boat and they had fitted some sort of indirect raw water cooling to assist (or perhaps replace) the skin tank.

Roger

[Flocal]

I will try and get it scanned for you and post it up. It is a'll very detailed, even a diagram showing the different coloured wires in the loom and wHat they are and where they go.

Not quite sure about the cooling, still definite use of the skin tank as I have bleeded it because of over heating.

[IP24]

I have this problem also. On the verge of just buying an exchange pump. However, I also have a number of other issues on my engine, and would ideally like an engineer familiar with the BMC 1.8 to have a look. Problems include; fuel pump leak, idle speed, white smoke/steam, belt wear, pulley adjustment. Shaft alignment, exhaust hose, exhaust elbow. Not too bad then! Forgot to say, I am mechanically challenged to the extreme. Location is Torbay. Thanks in advance