Are all mechanical fuel pump arms and push rods the same size for small blocks? Here's why I ask.

So I installed a mechanical fuel pump on this small block, (which I think is a 327, not sure it's in a 40 Ford Street Rod). It ran for about 5 minutes and died. I removed the fuel pump, and it was broken. I thought maybe it was a defective pump so I swaped it out for another one. It then did the same thing.

I do know when I installed it I had to push the pump on and then bolt it down for it to fit flat. I just thought the lobe on the cam was pushing the rod out some.

What's going on here? Could I of possible gotten the wrong size push rod? I've only ever seen one size listed, and they fit both sb and bb. Help!

Does anyone have a sb push rod laying around that they can measure for me, so I can compare it to mine?

Well I just found out from ARP's website that a pushrod for both sb and bb is suppose to be 5 3/4" long. I measure the one I have it that's how long it is too. So now I'm really stumped.

Maybe the cam was ground wrong?

I guess my only option now would be to cut a little off of the push rod. But that would be guess work.

are yousure you didn't put a big block pump in it? I needed a pump late one night and had a bb pump put it on a sb. it broke the arm after a few min.

Did you turn the engine over to find a low spot on the cam so you can stick the rod up there? WHen you find the spot, pack the end of the push rod with some grease, stick it up there, and all should be well when bolted on. You can also use the front hole/bolt trick to hold the rod and to install the pump. If your engine is a SBC, the pushrod will work. It worked on the old pump, right?

The bolt thats plugging the hole in the front of the block too long, binding the pushrod??

It never had a mechanical pump on it, it was an electric pump.

Well the big block pump idea might be something I should look more into.

But I'm sure the bolt in the front of the block is out of the way, because the engine did run on the fuel pump for a few minutes before it broke.

Jeff, thanks for the idea. I think that may be the problem. I had the parts store double check the part number and it's for a 366 big block :rolleyes: . I'll be trying a 'real' small block one soon, so I hope that works.