Pump Restoration Comparison
Not EVERY RESTORATION IS EQUAL
We may not be the only pump restoration option but we're pretty comfortable saying we're one of the best. From testing to plating to calibration, not a single part of the pump escapes our process.
The two pumps you see here are actually the same pump. On the right you have a supposedly restored pump that was sent to us without even being installed in the vehicle for reasons we will point out below. On the left is the pump after going through our meticulous restoration process.
It's not all about cosmetics either. While we want the pump to look good, it needs to work as well, and there are many reasons a pump would operate poorly if not fully disassembled, cleaned and calibrated.
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Take a look at our comparison slides below to see everything we took care of that the prior restoration missed, ignored, or overlooked for one reason or another.
CORRECT
INCORRECT
On the front of the pump we can see six screws highlighted in the circles. On the left they have been meticulously cleaned and plated with bright zinc, which has a silver/blue coloration. On the right you can see they are worn and dull. While you may think plating the screws is just for cosmetic reasons, the rear end of the screws enter into the gasoline chamber and come into contact with the gasoline, so any contaminants from the screws will get flushed into the pump and engine, potentially causing serious issues. The front window plate along with the bolts should also be plated with bright zinc rather than yellow zinc. Lastly, copper seals were used with the window plate bolts instead of lock-washers. This changes the torque specs of the bolts and does not provide the correct resistance which will lead to leakages in the future.
Here we can see the yellow zinc plating from Black Forest on the left versus a much darker yellow plating on the right. Exact coloration can vary, even between our batches, but a lighter color is more typical of the original plating. We also can see the pump on the right has the screws plated with yellow zinc where they should be bright zinc as seen on the left. The pump on the right is also missing washers which results in the ends of the screws extending further than intended which can be seen in an image further down the page.
Similar to the first image, you can see the screws on the left have been individually cleaned and plated leaving them bright and looking new. We've also hand-installed new lead plugs. On the right the bolts are dirty with visible residue on the surface of the pump body. The lead plugs also have visible wear leading us to believe these bolts were never removed during the "restoration" process. You can also see residue on the pump body itself. Since this pump was never run in the vehicle after the previous restoration, this should not be present and calls into question the restoration as a whole.
Here you can once again see a worn and unplated bolt and even some missing parts. It's possible the client kept this on purpose but a quality restoration should have replaced the old parts or requested the original to be restored alongside the pump. On the left you can also see copper seals used while the one seal present on the right appears to be a different material. Copper seals should be used where fluid is moving due to its elasticity and compression.
Above we have another example of worn and deteriorating material. If you look on the interior of the openings on the right, you can see very clear rust which has not been removed. Any rust from this area will contaminate the pump and engine, not to mention that rust in this area implies a lack of cleaning which we can only assume means we'd find the same in other hard-to-reach areas. This is a sign that the restoration did not necessarily ensure the interior of the pump was in good working condition and, at the very least, indicates a less-than-thorough cleaning process. Any residue or rust found on the interior of the pump will contaminate the engine and lead to running issues, if not catastrophic problems.
If you look closely you can see that the yellow zinc plating on the right is more pronounced along the edges than in the center of the lever meaning the plating process was rushed and did not provide a consistent coating. We can also see the pins were not plated by their different coloring from the lever. Lastly, as you'll see here and in the next photos, the spring has not been plated.
As stated before, we can see the missing plating on the right along with a gritty spring. You can also see more grit on the pump housing which is another sign this pump was not appropriately cleaned, inside or out. The bolt, pin and nut have also not been plated as previously stated.
On the left of the right-hand image you can see a bolt and washer that hasn't been plated. You can also see the wax seal at the base of the cylindrical port has been replaced on the left while the old, worn-out seal remains on the right. These images also display the difference in plating well. On the left you have a shiny, reflective finish with subtle coloring while the pump on the right is yellow, relatively dull and rough, almost looking like spray paint in certain areas.
Here we see a number of plating inconsistencies. The hex bolt should be plated in bright zinc while the lever pin should be yellow zinc. There are also incorrect large washers were used as well. The photo on the left was taken before paint marks were applied, though, as you can see in other pump examples on the site, we try to keep those a little cleaner in comparison to the image on the right.
Once again we have some erroneous plating and lack of cleaning. The mounting plate appears to have surface rust and the screws are plated with yellow zinc where they should be black-oxide. The large bolt on the end has also been plated in the past and shows wear indicating they did not strip or thoroughly clean this part. You can also see how rough and inconsistent the surface of the pump body is in the upper right of the righthand image.
These images show the altitude capsule as well as the cap and bolt. The altitude capsule on the right is actually spray painted and peeling which indicates it was not restored in any way. To see the extensive process our altitude capsules go through click the image above. The cap is painted red for some reason, shows wear and is not plated underneath the paint. The threads on the rear side also show indications of wear and discoloration, again a sign that the pump was not cleaned.
This is another good depiction of the incorrect plating and surface debris found throughout the pump. You can also see the screw extends farther on the pump on the right due to missing washers on the front of the pump. It's unclear if these were removed during the restoration process or were missing previously but these should be replaced. You can also get a good idea of the pump surface in these images. The pump on the left is a consistent grey with regular texture and minor imperfections while the pump on the left has more inconsistent cavities packed with grime and even some surface scratches.
Here is a close up of the lever and lever assembly displaying inconsistent plating, undesirable surface texture, yellow zinc rather than bright zinc on the bolt and missing plating on the lever pin. You can also see a lack of plating on the spring and grime on the pump body as has been called out before.
Here you can see the air filter with general surface wear indicating a lack of restoration. A layer of paint is peeling while the overall surface is stained and inconsistent. On the left you can see the proper yellow zinc plating as well better condition overall. This piece should actually be replaced with a new original part from the manufacturer which are readily available. Even so, we clean and replate the air filter as even the quality from the manufacturer is inconsistent. Either way this part should not be painted or left in the condition on the right. Check back for more info on our process with refinishing the air filters after we receive them from the manufacturer.
Here we see the solenoid. There is visible wear on the surface as well as rust on the end. Not only does this indicate a lack of cleaning but the rust could impact the function of the pump and the vehicle. You can also see the new gasket in between the solenoid and governor on the image to the left. On the right the gasket is worn and dirty meaning this was not replaced. It is likely the solenoid was not even removed during the "restoration". Bolts also lack bright zinc plating.
The altitude capsule has multiple issues. It is spray painted rather than plated, shows extensive wear, and lacks paint markings from installation. It appears the altitude capsule hasn't been cleaned or restored and likely wasn't tested at all. Click the image above to see our extensive process for restoring altitude capsules.
This close-up reveals wear on the bolt. These are often seized and brake during disassembly leading us to believe this was never removed, which in turn means the thermostat was not removed as it is locked in place by a pin on the bolt. As seen in the fifth image, this thermostat showed signs of heavy internal rust and, if not removed, that rust will be flushed through the pump and into the engine. Further, if the bolt is seized, it cannot be adjusted and the vehicle will likely be stuck running too lean or rich.
Lastly we have another example of an old gasket left in place. Not only will this eventually lead to leaks and less-than-ideal running conditions but it indicates the governor was not removed during the service. This essentially means that the condition of the interior of the governor is unknown and any cleaning or calibration of the pump will be largely futile. There's no reason to go through this process without addressing the interior of the pump. Not only do you not know the condition of essential parts but calibrating a pump without ensuring correct operation leads to a wide array of potential problems, confusion and will lead to poor running conditions overall. Unfortunately there's no quick fix when it comes to fuel injection pumps and anyone that tries to calibrate a pump without ensuring correct operation is basically putting lipstick on a pig if not causing additional problems.
Here we have some images of parts from the interior of the pump showing further evidence that the previous restoration did not disassemble and clean the interior. On the governor itself you can see an old paper gasket which has deformed and has begun to separate.
When viewing the body, you can see grit and grime where the plunger and barrels sit which will contaminate the gasoline and enter the engine, potentially causing engine problems. You can also see the wear and discoloration of the camshaft bearing which effects the performance of the bearings and thus the camshaft itself.
Here you can see wear, grit and more signs that this pump was not disassembled or restored, if even cleaned. The interior of the thermostat is heavily corroded and rusty. The seal material at the top is crumbling and peeling off. The O-rings have visible grit, indicating an imperfect seal and contamination of the pump. This grit is being transferred through the pump to the engine causing unknown issues. Further, the O-rings themselves are not providing a tight seal meaning the overall calibration of the pump is off and all adjustments made in-turn are incorrect. These O-rings are readily available and should not be reused.
Overall when this pump arrived it appeared to have gone through a minimal restoration, if any at all. Various parts are missing or incorrect and worn-out parts that should have been replaced remain. It seems that parts of the interior were completely unaddressed and, despite never being installed on the vehicle following restoration, surface grime covers the majority of the pump calling into question what, if anything was actually done.
Despite paying a premium, it's questionable this client's pump got any more than a quick clean and some calibration. Issues were evident enough that it was sent to us without even trying to run the vehicle. This is not to call anyone's work out but we think owners should know what they should expect and what it means for their classic. A "restoration" of this kind could leave you with a poorly running vehicle or worse, possible contamination from debris and rust could actually damage the engine. Further, if the pump is incorrectly calibrated, operation can lead to premature wear of essential parts in the pump and engine, meaning your meticulously restored classic will be back in the shop long before it should be if it ever runs well in the first place.