Fuel pump push rod replacement

[Manaboy]

Can anyone tell me if the fuel pump push rod can be removed from the fuel pump port hole in the block. I tried pulling up the rod but not sure if this is the correct way . This is a 59 squarebird 430

[scumdog]

Can anyone tell me if the fuel pump push rod can be removed from the fuel pump port hole in the block. I tried pulling up the rod but not sure if this is the correct way . This is a 59 squarebird 430

I doubt there is one - all the Ford V8 (except for flat-heads) I have dealt with did not have push-rods.
Older Chev V8s do however have one and from memory they can be removed through the hole in the block.

[partsetal]

Yes it can after removing the plug at the top of the pedestal. If it is too hard to pull up, that is because the brass tip has mushroomed slightly and you may have to remove the timing cover and trim the tip.

[Manaboy]

OK- so the brass tip can be separated from the push rod and if so, is the brass tip a "slip fit" or "threaded"? Also, this is a 430 MEL and not able to access the push rod except through the fuel pump arm access port. Thank you for the info you've provided so far has been a help.

Note: The push rod tip has worn down to the point that the fuel pump did not function. I fabricated a plug and installed on top of the rod and it is now working however that was going to be a temporary fix. I found a rod on ebay but wanted to be sure I can remove the push rod from the fuel pump arm access port.

[partsetal]

I have never seen the brass tip separated from the steel rod so I'm not sure how it is fastened. The plug at the top is just an expansion plug, similar to what is used to seal water and oil passages in the engine. Be aware that there are two different pushrods, one for the Lincoln 430 and one for the Thunderbird 430.

[scumdog]

I doubt there is one - all the Ford V8 (except for flat-heads) I have dealt with did not have push-rods.
Older Chev V8s do however have one and from memory they can be removed through the hole in the block.

Whoops!
Sorry, I neglected to note that it was a 430 you were dealing with, my apologies!

(BTW in my defence I’ve never dealt with one of those motors!)

[Manaboy]

Scumdog- No worries mate !

Partsetal- I also don't know if the brass tip can be removed. I'm just scared to death of breaking the rod. From what I can see, I'll have to remove the entire front of the motor. Maybe my plug was not a bad Idea after all. It seems everything I touch on this bird ...breaks !

The seller of the push rods also doesn't know how to separate the brass plug or if it can.

[jopizz]

I've seen a few of those push rods and the brass tip does not look removable to me. I also saw the ones listed on Ebay and none of those look like you can remove the tip.

John

[simplyconnected]

This may be a silly question but...
Why not use a piece of 3/8" diameter drill rod that's 4-7/8" long? Drill rod won't wear out and it's tough steel that won't bend. - Dave

[Manaboy]

Yes, drill rod will work as well however, that is not my issue. The original question was how to get the existing rod out. If you know how, will you let me know. It's a 430 MEL .

[Derbird]

I have a brand new push rod sitting in my shop that I will not use, the builder put a new one in and I am using an in tank electric pump. Shoot me a price.
Drill rod could wear the lobe off the cam. I assume the brass end is supposed to be sacrificed.
Don’t know if you got the old one out yet, but the easy way is to remove the fuel pump, take a punch and hammer and remove the frost plug above the pump and pull the rod straight out.

[partsetal]

I have to agree that the drill rod would cause unnecessary wear on the cam. Here is a photo of the back side of the timing cover showing the mounting of the push rod and the brass tip.
Carl

[simplyconnected]

The fuel pump eccentric is hardened and smooth. If the drill rod end is (polished) smooth it would not wear the eccentric.

BTW, fuel pump arms are also hardened steel and they work just fine on eccentrics of all engine brands.

We have other examples of two hardened surfaces that wipe like cam lobes and lifters that see extreme pressures from valve springs. This application doesn't have extreme pressure.

The fuel pump pushrod is a pretty simple part with no critical tolerances involved and no real excessive loading but bronze parts are sacrificial and they should be expected to wear. Sometimes, the bronze end mushrooms, making extraction difficult or nearly impossible. When that happens it's time to remove the timing cover.

Ford isn't paying for expensive drill rod in production quantities.

Put grease on the ends of whatever rod you install. - Dave

[pbf777]

As I recall, apparently, there have been different length and configuration pushrods over the years in the MEL 430 engines:
1958-63 was 4.875" (+/-)
1963-65 was 4.812" (+/-), length also shared with the 462 cu.in but w/o brass insert.

I believe the brass tip would be required on the earlier engine units as the eccentric bolted to the camshaft was of one piece design lending to a direct loading or wiping effect upon the wear faces. And when unacceptable service was realized from excessive wear of the softer sacrificial brass (some sort of yellow metal alloy) a pushrod of steel w/o brass was utilized, but this was coupled to an eccentric of two piece design providing an additional rotary motion w/ a deflection effect for compatibility.

There were also different fuel pump assemblies utilized with different pump arms, which coupled with the different eccentrics may explain the required pushrod length differences. So realize that mixing inappropriate components may lead to unsatisfactory performance. Do your home work, establish what you have.

And, I would definitely recommend against using "drill-rod" material as a substitute!

And as a note: the camshaft to lifter relationship is not one of "wiping" (unless the cam is "wiped-out"), but rather of a rotary travel effect of the lifter face rolling off center across the cam lobe surface.

Scott.

[Manaboy]

Thank you all for the technical info. I fabricated a cap to fit on the push rod. Works. In addition, I ordered a new tank, fuel line and in-line fuel pump.