Today I had the day off and it has rained for 3 days the roads were clean so I took my car for a ride. After a couple of hours I went home and I decided to fill the alky tank. Just after the akly was leaking all on the ground. So I took the front wheel off and iner-fender and I could see the pump was leaking bad. It was leaking on the top where the plastic and the aluminum meet. Has this happend to anybody else and what can I do?

 

You sure its leaking from the pump & not at the tank ?

Trace the source and replace the parts brother. Meth leak can be dangerous.

 

Yup. On tank # 2 and pump # 2. Welcome to the trouble free joys of meth kits.

 

Go with a custom fabbed in the trunk tank, I haven't had any issues.

 

I use a plastic gasket on each side of the tank feed fitting. Perhaps my pump is to new to show any leaks. Now I am worried

 

I believe that he uses the washer bottle so he knows when the meth level gets low.

 

He can put an float level swicth in the tank with an LED to do the same.

 

It was leaking bad from the pump, it was pouring into my hands, but it had a small leak at the tank also. From what I can tell it leaks right-under the tank too.

 

Is the pump right side up (hoses on top), or upside down (hoses on bottom)? I had issues with mine when I mounted it right side up. No problems with new pump mounted upside down.

 

Had you emptied your system for the winter?
I wonder if meth swells some of the seals a bit, and they shrink when they dry back out if the system is emptied.

 

Sounds like you might be on the right track. I believe some alky kits have special seals to prevent such leaks.

 

Hoses on the top, so what you did is turn it up-side down?

 

That's right, emptied for the winter.
I might need a new one.

 

Yes. I used Cajundude's installation write up initially. That write up has the pump mounted right side up. After the car sat for a few weeks, the pump wouldn't work. After talking with Julio, it turns out the alky can sit in the bearings and deterioate or rust them causing them to freeze. I assume it will also deteriorate other parts which may be why you have a leak.

When you mount it upside down, it allows the alky to drain out of the important parts. I guess it drains to the hoses.

If you have a leak underneath the tank, it is probably where the washer pump was. Check the rubber grommet there. Either replace it, or order a new washer tank from gmpartsdirect and dont drill any of the extra holes.

edit: call Julio! He will get you straight

 

On the bottom of the tank there is a nipple for a vacuum line that is usually capped off, check it!
I thought my pump was leaking until I traced it to the leaking but unseen nipple underneath, it dribbled down the backside of the braided line onto the pump and made it look like the pump was leaking.

 

The pump has a diaphram that can shrink if the wrong chemical hits it. Example if someone puts racegas mixed in with the alky, the petroleum in the race gas can shrink the diaphram on the pump. Once the diaphram shrinks, it can no longer seal against the upper body and thus the leak happens. The fix.. replace the diaphram.. problem is cost of the diaphram from Shurflo exceeds the cost of the pump.. so the fix is to simply replace the pump.

Now there is a small dime sized seal underneath the pressure switch assembly.. that can sometimes tear or in the case above shrink. This will also cuase a leak. This is relatively inexpensive as a part. Seal kit is like 8.00.

Now the orientation of the pumps on the kits went from head up to head down when the pressure sensing option was added in Dec 05. The feed and pressure hoses also went longer 6 inches to allow that change. The main reason was to allow trimming the pressure switching of the LED from Red to Green. At that time sealing of the cases of the pumps, including new grommets for the low level on the tanks.. etc was done. So if the pump is the older style pre dec 2005.. then I would suggest upgrading the pump and getting the pressure sensing module added.

The pumps come with a full 1 year warranty. And there are pumps out in the field now from 2003 still operational with 100% methanol. But contamination is the #1 killer of these pumps. Typically from some sort of petroleum making its way into the alcohol. Locally about 2 years ago I had 5 pumps went bad.. the source was a local speed shop that sold race gas and methanol. They only had one pump and would take the pump out of the race gas tank and then put it into the methanol tank.. the methanol would have a purple tint to it.. I have seen this with fuel cans, funnels, etc that are used for oil and fuel then for the alcohol. Also seen when someone puts oil mixed in with the alky.

The WW tanks should live a very long time. Plastics and alcohol are fully compatible. WW fluid is part methanol. The grommet on the low level should last more than a few years. And is readily available from GM still.

But if someone puts race gas into the alky tank, the pump will start leaking within a month. This is why the pumps are mounted outside of the vehicle. If you think its a mess when a leak occurs.. think of inside the cockpit.

The pumps and upgrade kits are available through ECS. And as maintenance, I would suggest a new pump every other season. As far as changing the orientation of the pump.. that is a personal choice, but on an older kit, it will require two new hoses. At least the feed line will need to be longer.

In 2007 I only warrantied out 1 pump. Its failure was race gas was put into the tank. I see for repair 1 pump every 4-5 weeks. There are thousands of these out in the field. While they may fail, its rare. the older they get.. the more of a chance for a failure, hence the suggestion for every two race seasons swap it out. It is the only part really needing attention. And also understand the pumps used today and they way they are built is radically different from 2003/2004/2005 ERA. As time goes by improvents are made. Like anything else.

HTH

 

And I thought you were going to tell us you had a drinking problem.

 

 

I was trying to get the car ready, but it look's like I need a pump.

 

Thank's for the help!! I guess a new pump is all I need. The alky pump is over 4 years old.