Spectra Premium fuel pump review

General Discussion about the Datsun PL510
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Butts
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Location: Orlando, FL

Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by Butts »

Maybe there's a lesson here...

My '71 L16 had a Mr. Gasket electric fuel pump in it when I got her from the PO. It ran the car just fine, but was poorly integrated into the car and the outlet fitting popped out once, which always made me nervous. I decided I wanted to go back to mechanical since the car is 99% stock (except for the Weber 32/36 carb and a Mark Ten ignition). I had two mechanical fuel pumps in the PO's parts bin, which both had issues; one's diaphragm was shot and the other was a Nikki which pumped fine, but its oil seal had disintegrated. I considered trying to make one good pump from the two, or buying the Nikki rebuild kit from the guy in Canada, but both options seemed irrelevant with new aftermarket mechanical pumps at Autozone available for less than the rebuild kit, so I figured I'd try the Spectra Premium pump. It didn't look great but it'd do.

After doing a substantial amount of fuel and cooling system cleaning and associated work this past weekend, including the new Spectra pump, she fired right up and the test drive went great. Drove maybe 5-7 miles at speed, no issues. Yesterday was a nice day so I thought I'd drive Mabel (the car in question) to work. I got about 10
miles up the road when the engine lost power and quit. Had her towed home (woohoo Hagerty Roadside assistance!) and today found that the pin which holds the diaphragm lever in place had come out of the recesses meant to hold it, and thus the pump wasn't pumping.
I didn't like the look of this thing when I put it in, and I should have trusted my judgment. The lever return spring has no positive capture feature, and could easily have ended up in my oil pan or timing chain. It appears that the lever pin was pressed into its recesses, and was supposed to be held there by flattened metal lips which I assume were hammered in during final assembly, or perhaps the pin was forced past them. The pin is hardened steel and the recesses are part of the casting. It seems it's these formed lips which didn't do their job, and allowed the pin to come free of the pump housing casting and almost grenaded my engine.

I'll return the pump to Autozone for a refund but I was interested if anyone else here has experience with these pumps... Did I just get a bad pump, and should try another one? There's also an Airtex pump of similar price and quality... Are there any other options for new pumps? Or should I take the refund and buy the Nikki rebuild kit here http://www.new-datsun-parts.com/datsun- ... -fuel.html

I'll post pictures if asked; I just threw the thing in a ziploc and its box to return it tomorrow.
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okayfine
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by okayfine »

Spectra looks like a crimp-top pump. In my Whitebird thread I posted pictures and P/N for a cheap, NOS Japan fuel pump I got off RockAuto, but it seems that stock is gone. Realm search took too long, but it's there somewhere.

Here's a screw-top pump. http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinf ... cc=1209181
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okayfine
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by okayfine »

Here's the pump I bought with P/N. Not sure you can track one down, or if it's any better than the rebox Carter above:
viewtopic.php?p=195382#p195382
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
Butts
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by Butts »

Rockauto only seems to carry one Beck Arnley item now, and it's an electric pump. These are good leads though Julian, I'll keep investigating, thanks!
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okayfine
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by okayfine »

The Carter is the same/similar screw-top pump. Beck and Carter are both reboxing anyway.
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
Butts
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by Butts »

So the Carter pump came in yesterday, and imagine my dismay when was the same design as the Spectra Premium & Airtex pump; stamped metal crimp-top and the same pressed-in design of the lever pivot shaft. If you order Summit part CRT-M70111, you will NOT get what's shown on their website: Image
I mentioned this to Summit and they're accepting the return. Also talked to Carter customer tech support, and he stated they don't have any more stock of the screw-top pump.

So, the search continues... or I may just order the rebuild kit.
slamurai
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by slamurai »

Hey, I know this is a couple of months old but I had the same experience. I bought my Spectra pump off of amazon and it broke within a week. Right where the pin is cast into the body. I then bought a fuel pump from O'Reily, dont remember the brand and broke the arm off of that one. Bought another pump from Autozone and the broke on that one too. Returned it and got another one and it is holding up. It looks like a an old oem nissan pump.

I noticed that all the pumps had different arm lenghts and were all set at different angles. Some pumps bottomed out as the cam eccentric spun causing them to break. All is good now. I have a L16 with a weber 32/36 with a fuel pressure of about 5psi. I had to remove my weber fuel pressure regulator to finally get it to run right. I also bought a used oem nissan fuel pump and keep it as backup with a toolbox in my car since I have been towed twice due to my fuel issues. Hope this helps
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bertvorgon
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by bertvorgon »

The Weber 32/36 likes about 3 - 3.5 PSI at the needle and seat.

If 5 works, great, but if you find the carb "spitting" a bit at idle, it is because the float level has crept up.
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datzenmike
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by datzenmike »

I've never had a fuel pump fail. Ever. The factory pumps are that good. A used one is better than most replacement pumps. There must be thousands of used L 4 mechanical pumps around.
"Nissan 'shit the bed' when they made these, plain and simple." McShagger510 on flattop SUs
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510wizard
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by 510wizard »

As mike mentioned, I have never had the OEM pump itself fail as far as pumping fuel. What has failed is the oil seal under the diaphragm, which is not available by itself. The common outcome is the spraying of oil all over the firewall. I have a box full of oil spraying pumps that just need a new seal.
datzenmike
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Re: Spectra Premium fuel pump review

Post by datzenmike »

Don't know about this seal but there is a pressed in pin just below the two mounting bolts that the the pump arm pivots on. I've had that get wet with oil. De-grease and a dab of RTV seals it over. The two gaskets are another, and most common oil leak.
"Nissan 'shit the bed' when they made these, plain and simple." McShagger510 on flattop SUs
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