1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

[Tom M.]

I'm bringing my '69 350/300 out of hibernation and one of the "preventive maintenance" items is to change out the original AC fuel pump for one that will survive with todays fuel.
I started searching for rebuilders. So far in this forum searches and Driveline "services" havn't revealed anything other than already-rebuilt AC units from the vendors.

Is anyone offering rebuilding services for these 'disposable' pumps? Or is the best bet to spend $150 for a vendor-rebuilt AC unit?

Thanks
Tom

[Joe M.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

Try Arthur Gould, 631-269-0093.

[David L.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

I'm bringing my '69 350/300 out of hibernation and one of the "preventive maintenance" items is to change out the original AC fuel pump for one that will survive with todays fuel.
I started searching for rebuilders. So far in this forum searches and Driveline "services" havn't revealed anything other than already-rebuilt AC units from the vendors.

Is anyone offering rebuilding services for these 'disposable' pumps? Or is the best bet to spend $150 for a vendor-rebuilt AC unit?

Thanks
Tom

Tom,

Are you sure you have the original pump? Does the stamped date code on the pump match up with when your car was made?

Dave

[Tom M.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

Dave,
No, I do not know that it is the original pump and it is my mistake for labeling it as such. I havn't checked it out that closely.
The pump is an AC and was granted full points at the Lake Placid NCRS National.
The goal is to update the pump (or replace) for survival with todays gas while maintaining the current integrity.
I have contacted Arthur Gould as Joe suggested and they do not rebuild the sealed pumps. Still looking.
Tom

[Lyndon S.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

I have seen some pumps from Crain Corvette on eBay sold as a reproduction? I don’t know if they are truly a new reproduction or just a rebuilt pump. You might look into those

[Jim T.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

Tom I have done something different. My original owner 1968's fuel pump failed in July 1975. Replaced it with a AC Delco fuel pump flange stamping 292M40658. This pump lasted a long time, almost 36 years, replaced it in May 31, 2011. The replacement, an AC Delco #40709 7470110 has a flange stamping 298R40956 and only lasted about 6 months before it quit pumping. I purchased this pump about 25 years ago and stored it in the 68's jack storage compartment to have a immediate fuel pump replacement if I needed one away from home.
Since new AC Delco fuel pumps are no longer available I purchased an AIRTEX 40709 replacement. Although not having the AC identification on the pump, the external appearance is much the same as the two failed AC Delco pumps I have. Airtex Products, LP is located in Fairfield, IL.

[David L.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

Jim,

Back in the early 1990's I had four NOS 40658 AC fuel pumps that were used on 1968 & 1969 Corvettes. The pumps were stamped "DI 40658" where the "D" = April and the "I" = 1969.
GM # 6417337 (AC 40658) was replaced with GM # 6470110 (AC 40709) in August 1971 which was then discontinued sometime between Jan, 1982 and August 1985 as per GM Parts History.

My 1969 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (Oct. 1968) lists GM # 6417337 (type 40658) for 68-69 CORVETTE (327,350) models. However, my 1969 Corvette Parts Catalog (Sept. 1969) lists GM # 6417337 (type 40658) for the 68-69 Corvette (327,350)(exc, Sp. H/Per.) and GM # 6470110 (type 40709) for the 69 Corvette w/Sp. H/Per (350). The 1969 Corvette AIM lists the 6440709 pump with the "LT-1" option which apparently was actually the L-46 option since the LT-1 option did not exist in 1969.

Do you still have your original 1968 fuel pump and, if so, what is the stamping on the flange? Apparently AC continued making the 40658 pump (GM # 6417337) even after it was replaced by GM by the 40709 pump in August 1971 as your "292M40658" is dated the 292nd day of 1973.

Dave

[Jim T.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

Dave I did not keep my 68's original pump that was replaced in July 1975. I was hoping to get many years of service from the AC 298R40956 that I installed in may 2011.

[Jim T.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

Tom I have done something different. My original owner 1968's fuel pump failed in July 1975. Replaced it with a AC Delco fuel pump flange stamping 292M40658. This pump lasted a long time, almost 36 years, replaced it in May 31, 2011. The replacement, an AC Delco #40709 7470110 has a flange stamping 298R40956 and only lasted about 6 months before it quit pumping. I purchased this pump about 25 years ago and stored it in the 68's jack storage compartment to have a immediate fuel pump replacement if I needed one away from home.
Since new AC Delco fuel pumps are no longer available I purchased an AIRTEX 40709 replacement. Although not having the AC identification on the pump, the external appearance is much the same as the two failed AC Delco pumps I have. Airtex Products, LP is located in Fairfield, IL.

Update on my AC fuel pump replacement experience. The AC Delco #40709 7470110 is back on my 68 and pumps great. There was nothing wrong with this pump. After installing the new AIRTEX pump it would not deliver any fuel to the carburetor. Disconnected the fuel supply line that came from the fuel filter connected to a fuel pressure regulator I had installed way back in 1974 between the fuel filter and the carburetor. Gas flowed very well from the disconnected line.
The fuel pressure regulator has a small glass type fuel bowl. Looking at this I saw that the little magnet that was cemented to one end of fuel bowl had come loose and was lodged under the float level function of the fuel pressure regulator and would not allow gas to enter. Such an easy fix. Remove the fuel bowl and remove the little magnet.
Finding my fuel flow problem I reinstalled the AC Delco #40709 that I had just taken off. I did this in FEB 2012. The AC Delco pump still works fine today. Wish I had disconnected the fuel line to the fuel pressure regulator when I thought the fuel pump I installed in 1975 quit on me to verify it had.

[Tom M.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

Jim,
Thanks for the update and it's good to hear the AC is back in action. I also did some thinking on the problems with my '69 during the past winter months. Bottom line - fuel now turns bad in 30 days. What I thought was a fuel delivery problem turned out to just be another problem with pump gas turning bad before it's time. I had emptied the tank before storage last winter when I reported the problem and started planning to gather parts for a repair. In the spring I fueled up in anticipation of checking pump flow and pressure but the car ran normally. Problem solved? I don't know as this year was time deprived for driving and less than 100 miles were driven. The 350 never skipped a beat. Sad to say, the tank is now drained empty again and the car is in winter hibernation ...again.
Tom

[Paul J.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

...Bottom line - fuel now turns bad in 30 days. What I thought was a fuel delivery problem turned out to just be another problem with pump gas turning bad before it's time....
Tom

Tom, if you're having problems with pump gas going bad in less than a year, then you have a different problem.

Paul

[Tom M.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

The gas stations here put signs on the pumps at this time of year warning boaters not to fuel their tanks if the boat will be stored for the winter. Fuel goes bad and there aren't any that are ethanol free. It's the new normal.
Tom

[Paul J.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

The gas stations here put signs on the pumps at this time of year warning boaters not to fuel their tanks if the boat will be stored for the winter. Fuel goes bad and there aren't any that are ethanol free. It's the new normal.
Tom

Even ethanol enhanced gasoline lasts more than 30 days, Tom. This is an old wives tale. The warning for boaters has to do with moisture, which can be worse in ethanol since the alcohol absorbs it.

[Tom M.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

I agree - it SHOULD!
Not that every load goes bad in 30 days, but t does occasionally happen here. The two problems I have run across:
Water separation - this one seems to be manageable.
Going stale and turning sticky and impotent. In the '69 this is easy to detect at WOT. Or more commonly this is why perfectly good lawn mowers always end up at the dump in the spring when they dont start with last years fuel.
Regardless the fuel will be as it is so awareness of the problems make working with it easier. My tank is now empty and the car was put away with all systems go on the last drive.
This winter involves re-lubing the windows so I can put them up...but thats another story.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 SB AC fuel pump - rebuilders?

Jim,

Back in the early 1990's I had four NOS 40658 AC fuel pumps that were used on 1968 & 1969 Corvettes. The pumps were stamped "DI 40658" where the "D" = April and the "I" = 1969.
GM # 6417337 (AC 40658) was replaced with GM # 6470110 (AC 40709) in August 1971 which was then discontinued sometime between Jan, 1982 and August 1985 as per GM Parts History.

My 1969 Chevrolet Parts Catalog (Oct. 1968) lists GM # 6417337 (type 40658) for 68-69 CORVETTE (327,350) models. However, my 1969 Corvette Parts Catalog (Sept. 1969) lists GM # 6417337 (type 40658) for the 68-69 Corvette (327,350)(exc, Sp. H/Per.) and GM # 6470110 (type 40709) for the 69 Corvette w/Sp. H/Per (350). The 1969 Corvette AIM lists the 6440709 pump with the "LT-1" option which apparently was actually the L-46 option since the LT-1 option did not exist in 1969.

To confuse matters even more, if you buy a current Airtex #40709, I believe you will get a pump configured like the AC 40658. However, I believe if you buy a Carter M6120, you get a pump configured like the AC 40709.

Do you still have your original 1968 fuel pump and, if so, what is the stamping on the flange? Apparently AC continued making the 40658 pump (GM # 6417337) even after it was replaced by GM by the 40709 pump in August 1971 as your "292M40658" is dated the 292nd day of 1973.

Dave

Dave-----

The AC 40658 fuel pump was used for ALL 1968-69 Corvette small blocks. If there had been a 1969 LT-1, it would have used the AC 40709 but there never was one. For 1969, the L-46 was usually described as "high performance" whereas the stillborn LT-1 was described as "special high performance". Even though the LT-1 never existed for 1969. the L-46 never "took its place" in using the "special high performance" moniker. For 1970, the L-46 was described as "high performance" and the LT-1 as "special high performance". For 1971-72, even though the L-46 was dropped, the LT-1 continued to be described as "special high performance.

Although the GM #6417337 (AC 40658) ceased to be available in the GM Parts System in August, 1971 when it was replaced by the GM #6470110 (AC type 40709), the AC 40658 continued to be available from Delco for MANY years and for most of these years it even still had the AC logo on the sides of the casting.

The AC type 40709, originally used on LT-1's, will functionally replace all applications originally using the 40658. However, the two pumps are not configured the same. For one thing, the 40658 uses a "short" inlet valve chamber whereas the 40709 uses a "long" inlet valve chamber. For another thing, the angular orientation of the inlet nipple on the 40658 is completely different than the 40709. The outlet fittings have exactly the same orientation, though, so the same fuel pump-to-carb fuel line will work.

To confuse matters even more, if you purchase a current Airtex 40709, I believe you will get a pump configured like the original AC 40658. However, if you purchase a Carter M6120, I believe you will get a pump configured like the AC 40709