I have a Bosch fuel pump from a 930. Took it out to paint it... That was stupid. The pump has two screw pegs that come out for the electrical connectors. Apparently jostling the 30 year old pump disturbed a seal. It now drips fuel out where the electrical connector peg comes out. This is a low mileage pump, and I hate to spend 300$ to replace what is a good fuel pump... The pump is not rebuild able... Any one know of a glue/ epoxy to seal a pinhole leak, that's fuel proof? I was going to solder it, but can't. The peg is isolated from the pump body by an o ring, and solder would destroy that. Anything with heat, is out... I know this is an odd question, but someone must have had a tank leak or some other leak they fixed.... Argh... If it ain't broke...don't take it out to beautify it... Barring a miracle solution, I will get a new pump tomorrow... And yes, I know, I am being a penny pinching son of a ..... Bo
POR-15 (and others, I'm sure) make fuel tank sealer. Fuel System Restoration I've also successfully repaired pressurized fuel lines with Metalset. http://www.smooth-on.com/tb/files/METALSET_A4_TB.pdf
Jb weld works well. I try to avoid using it. But sometimes it's a great fix. Clean the area very well. Use carb cleaner and than brake cleaner (to remove all residue). Scratch surface up, then spray again with brake cleaner. -I used this method last month after over a decade of not using the product. Sealed up my son's dirtbike crank case until the new one arrived. It was hit hard and had a slow leak. It stopped 100% of the leak.
Another vote for JB Weld. I did some modifications to a couple of Holley carbs that have seen over 10 years of service and it is still in place. Just be selective on how you use it. I would not use it in a place that failure would result in in a dangerous condition. Cheers Jim
Permatex makes an epoxy putty specifically for fuel tanks. The key is getting the surface clean and dry, and folding it over enough times to get the two parts well mixed. It hardens quickly, so once it's fully folded (mixed), you've got about 5 minutes to get it where you want it. Permatex 12020 Instant Gas Tank Repair, 1 oz. stick : Amazon.com : Automotive
I have used this product with great success to field repair a cracked pot metal carb while on tour. I intended to make a more elegant repair later but the putty worked so well I never got around to it. I now carry the putty in my break down kit.
Nice! A buddy of mine came to me with a motorcycle which had a 3" x 2" caved-in section from where the drive chain let go and cracked the cases. If he were a normal customer, I would have told him that his bike was broken beyond repair, because a) I thought I probably couldn't fix it and b) liability if it failed. Because I trusted him not to sue me if it failed, I patched it with this stuff, and two years later, it's still holding just fine!
Why risk having a really nice car burn up for just $300? The pump is 30 years old! Just spend the money on a new pump and then you can have peace of mind and not have to worry about it leaking again in your lifetime. It is cheap insurance. Be glad that you don't have to replace the fuel pumps on a modern Ferrari. We have had to replace complete 360/430 pumps for $4500. Complete 550/575 pumps are now $7000+ for a pair.
Any fix like JB Weld in my opinion is temporary and will leak again. Sooner or later you will replace it. Keep looking around and I'll bet you can find the same pump cheaper. Have you tried Rock Auto?
It's been many years since I was fooling around with my '69 911, but I seem to remember the fuel pump was external, it was mounted just aft of the fuel tank, and it wasn't anything particularly special. If that's the case with your Porsche, why not take the old pump down to a good auto parts store and say, "Gimme' something like this". Chances are you can duplicate the effect for WAY less than 300 bucks, perhaps with the addition of an extra fitting or two.
You are working with a 930 correct? I too would think that getting the proper fuel preussure/rate would be critical. I've used JB weld on a holley carb for one of my corvettes to seal up the threads on the nut where the hard chrome line comes in and it held for many years.
I'll say again, I'm no Porsche guru, but I think your Porsche has a fuel pressure regulator at the injector module. Although the pump near the fuel tank is indeed a high performance (high pressure and flow) pump, I'm pretty sure the pump output pressure is not the determining factor when it comes to fuel pressure at the injectors. Here is link to Porsche pump specifications you might find interesting, especially if you are thinking about buying a salvage yard pump or a non-Porsche replacement pump. The position of the pump makes it a little tricky if you go to a "you-grab-it" salvage parts yard, but a good floor jack and a couple of stands should be sufficient. CIS Fuel Pump Options for more fuel! - Pelican Parts Technical BBS
That was my first thought. The fuel is leaking into an electrical connection. It doesn't take much to cause a fire which would be, of all places, in the fuel line. Hmmmm... is that a smart place to fool around? Have you looked to see if there are any alternative fuel pumps available as a replacement that would save you a few bucks? After my second SU fuel pump died in an old XKE I owned, a friend suggested another brand (don't remember at the moment) pump that would do the job. Since the pump was hidden in the back, out of sight, I didn't care about brand, I just wanted a dependable fuel pump. Changed it out, that did the trick. No more fuel pump problems and saved a bunch of money by buying a pump that was available OTC at any auto parts store. Just a thought.
I like the parts store idea. This ebay ad seems to indicate that there might be an alternative High Performance Fuel Pump Same as Bosch OE 0 580 254 911 | eBay Bosch Ref. #: 0580254911, 0580254950 Mercedes Ref. # 0020918801, 0020915901, 0020918901, 0030915301 Universal Replacement Pump for following Bosch numbers: 0 580 254 945 0 580 254 946 0 580 254 950 0 580 254 951 0 580 464 030 0 580 464 034 0 580 464 040 0 580 464 041 Fits following Mercedes Models: W201, W202, W129, W107, W126, W140, W124 300E 2.6, 2.8, 3.0, 300CE 300TE 260E E320 E420 E500 E320 1986-1995 Sedan Coupe Cabrio Wagon W124 190E 2.3, 2.6 190E-16V 1989-1993 W201 420SEL 500SE/SEL/SEC 560SEL/SEC Sedan Coupe 1985-1991 W126 560SL (300SL 500SL/SLC Euro) Convertible Coupe 1985-1989 W107 C220 C230 C280 C36 AMG C43 AMG (C180 Euro) 1993-2002 W202 300SL 500SL 600SL SL320 SL500 SL600 Convertible 1990-2002 W129 All C-Class 1993-2001 All E-Class 1993-2001 All S-Class 1993-2001 Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks guys... The fuel pump is in the front of the car, away from the motor, and 6 inches off the ground. It drips a drop every 5 seconds or so... The bosch pumps are odd, as I understand that the internals are bathed in the flowing gasoline, to keep the armature/etc cool. Not sure how that works, but thats what the web seems to suggest... I will try the JB weld. Searched the web, haven't seen anyone that found a suitable replacement... I know it seems cheap to try to fix this, but I have been going through this car for about 2 years now. There probably isn't much I havent fixed/replaced/adjusted/etc. $300 here and there, for every little thing, really starts to add up... It just kills me that there was nothing wrong with the fuel pump, until I was silly enough to move it from its restig place... Bo
Ok, this has been enlightening!!! I want to thank all of you... I did look at Rock Auto...and the original Bosch pump was only $150... So, I ordered it... That, blows my mind. I called all of the porsche discount mailorder places and it was $254. Thats a HUGE difference... Anyone else ordered from Rock Auto? I see them advertise on muscle car TV shows, but never thought they would have porsche parts... Fingers crossed that it is the same - pictures sure look it. Rockauto's reviews are 5/5 stars with over 15,000 reviews! Wow. Bo