Oh what you find in a used car! My 72 BB has a funky electric fuel pump in the front...bummer. When I took of the fuel pump eliminator plate, I found the rod about 1 inch from the bottom...STUCK. I can't budge it with a screw driver. Am I shafted, so to speak? Any ideas on how to get it out?

Dale, on the big block there is a pipe plug right below the eliminator plate. remove the plug then slide out the push rod. This is where you install the rod too. Confused me the first time I saw it too http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif

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–Joe454–
"67 Malibu"






[This message has been edited by Joe454 (edited 07-25-99).]

No confusion here. I took out the pipe plug first, hoping to get rid of any gush of oil...3 drops. After taking the plate off, it appears that the rod is jammed against the "back" wall of the area.
I spoke with the previous owner and he said he got the fuel pump lever on top of the rod instead of under the end and started the car. He was slim on details, but said he couldn't get the rod out after that and put on the electric pump.

The answer to the question "how do I get it out?" is "any way you can." My favorite: take the big pipe plug out, reach carefully through the hole with a 6011 or 6013 welding rod attached to a Lincoln buzz-box. Weld the welding rod directly to the end of the pushrod, being careful to avoid welding the rod to the side of the hole. Then Vise-Grip the rod and beat it out with a hammer. This operation requires the help of a heavily experienced welder, obviously. Put the ground directly on the engine block.

One welder told me he was afraid the pushrod would end up welded to the block instead of the welding rod but I've successfully done this job three times.

You might be able to drill and tap the end of the rod and use a puller on a long bolt, but the end of the rod is hardened and may be difficult to drill and tap. I haven't tried this myself, I figured I'd end up breaking off the drill or tap. There are some real hard drills available nowadays.

I've seen one guy use a 1/4" carbide burr on a die grinder, he reached in through the fuel pump hole. The burr was straight-sided with no teeth on the end. He made a notch shaped sort of like a check mark, pried it out a little with a new Snap-On screwdriver through the fuel pump hole, made another notch, pried it out a little further, etc. Worked for him but I don't know how he got all the metal out of the engine. You could plug the oil drain back hole before starting, I guess.

Overall I'd say that the ones I've done and seen done were not really stuck all that hard, if you can get a little force going in the right direction they weren't that hard to move. YMMV!! IMO!! YMMV!!

Tom

i had same problem with my 307 10 years ago and had to take it to a shop (saved me a lot of agrivation) and im the one that screwed it up by puting the new pump on top of it.