My truck ate another plunger last night. It was a modified one too.

Has anyone tried replacing the rubber with a brass tip? Any reason I should not do something like this?

I made one last night and I'm going to try it tonight when I get home, maybe it'll work maybe it won't we'll find out.

Pic's are awaiting approval.
Edit:

 

I dont know, but let us know. I have been pondering a similar idea for a long time now, like a nitrile plunger...brass should work though???

 

Does brass tend to flake or chip under extreme pressure? What about compatibility with #2? Just some thoughts to ponder.

DP

 

What do you consider extreme pressure? The location will be at case pressure, while I do not know what that is right now, I'm sure it is not that high. I don't know if it would flake, I have though about that. Actually one of my concerns, but not from pressure. I'm worried about it flaking from repeatedly hitting the seat in the hydraulic head.

As far as compatibility, there's plenty of brass parts already in the pump, throttle shaft bushing, plus most of the threads in the pump are brass threads. I can see a different kind of rubber having compatibility issues, but not brass.

 

I'd like to see your idea work.

 

So do I, but so far, no good. It shut the truck down when it was cold, but after I got it hot it wouldn't shut it down. I'm going to try a different shape and see what happens.

Maybe more a needle point will work.

 

I must have a pathetic pump, mine still hasn't eaten the one I modified 2 years ago.

I think a shape more like a needle in a carb would be better. I think the only way to know if flaking is going to be a problem is to take it apart again after a couple weeks.

Cool idea.

 

Don`t feel too bad, my pumps been at 100% since the GTG in Aug and it still shuts down fine.

 

The spring holding it down is probably not strong enough worry about. If it is seating against brass, then it should work better over time as the seat forms between the plunger and whatever it is hitting inside. Problems could arise later if the seat on the inside is harder (or softer) than the plunger. Then you would have wearing and possibly bits of brass coming off inside the pump. I'd go along with just keeping a close eye on it for awhile and see how it goes.

I went to a pull cable before installing the BD fuel pin, just to be on the safe side.

 

Update:
I modified the the nose so that it has an angle that seats on the pump head. It doesn't work everytime, but the more I shut it down the better it gets. Some times I have to turn the key back to run then off again to shut it down.
I'll check it a week or so and if it doesn't look good I'm going to a cable.

 

Mike, how did you go about adding/attaching the brass?

Brazing?

 

Yes, silver braze (or silver solder to some) to be exact.

 

Kewl! I've got some 15% as well as some 5% out in the work-truck. 5% should work just fine. . .. ?

 

I'm thinking if you used a tool steel then you wouldn't have to worry about pieces coming off. But then there's the whole, will it seat well enough issue......

 

I've been thinking about beryllium copper, but I don't know where to get a piece big enough, we have it at work, but its finished parts and most of its really small. I can heat treat beryllium copper so thats it would be tougher than brass.