Fuel Pump Push Rod Broken? PLEASE HELP!

Hello,  I think I either broke my pushrod or the cam lobe is worn.  Strange thing is the motor is relatively new (383 Small Block).   After storing the car during the winter, I went to start the car and it wouldn't start.  I check and noticed I had not fuel pressure.  I tested the fuel pump and it pumps gas; the pump is fine. I also cranked the motor and verified that rod is moving.  Now, I have a strong feeling there is a gap between the rod and the lever on the pump.  I even bought another fuel pump and the same thing.  Is it common for rods to wear or break?  What about the lobe getting worn?  when I took the pump off, there isn't a broken piece of the rod at all...I"m confused and running out of ideas...
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated..

Is it a roller cam?

I just looked at the specs sheet.  It's a hydraulic flat tappet camshaft. 

how far was the rod moving when you tried it?

hard to say...if I had to gestimate, I would say about half an inch..now that I think about it, it doesn't look like the rod extends far enough to pump..but I'm not 100% sure..

Are you sure your filter is not plugged. Will fuel come out through the line? Pick up ok?

Yes, I checked and replace the fuel filter.  it's not clogged...thx..

The 1/2 inch of movement sounds about right, check what mike said where do you get the fuel pressure reading from?

Pick up appears to be fine.  At first I thought that was the problem until dismounted the pump and manually pumped it.  I pumped it until fuel came out of the out port on the pump.  Note: I also have a fuel pressure regulator inline and fuel went throught there up until the fuel filter, but I have no pressure.  It's almost as it's barely pumping at all because at first, I had no fuel in the filter and after cranking it several times, I noticed fuel in the filter..but again, no pressure in the line.  I have a gauge on the regulator and on the rail and nothing....

Here is my hillbilly diagnostic methods coming out  lol.. crack the line coming out of the fuel pump a bit and have someone turn it over see if it pumps if it does not get a small can of gas place it away from the car and attach a hose to the pump and gas can turn it over see if it pumps if it does that the problem may be a plugged sceen in the gas tank or the the line from the tank maybe compromised. if it doesnt pump its pump or rod/cam related.

I type to darn slow lol   Id wonder what the pressure is before the regulator..

Thanks Griff...I did the hillbilly diag already..lol...I tested gas flow from the tank to the engine compartment, I was able to build pressure by manually pumping it...Question for you and everyone else....Is it a challenge to replace the fuel pump rod?  I'm thinking about replacing that but I didn't really investigate on how to remove it...looks like I can just pull it out...

The plate behind the pump will come off and the rod will just slide out.

awesome..I'll try that...I just find it very odd and I'm sitting here thinking....It can't be the cam or the rod...some guy told me if the rod broke, you would notice it right away...I appreciate it...

Check out the post below....it's a little long, but It might give you some more ideas.  it is highly unlikely the rod is broke, more likely the lobe died and it wore down evenly...

http://www.camaroforums.com/m_46963/tm.htm

Keep us posted on what you find.  If lobe died an option is to go to an electric pump...

G

Crap...that sucks...I just spent about a hundred on a new mechanical pump...I guess I'll have to go that route then...thanks for you help..I'll check out that link...

rod didn't slide out?  Plate is removed, but I can't pull the pump rod out?  Any ideas?  BTW, I went with an electronic fuel pump instead.  I think my cam lobe is worn or now, the rod is worn..

Damm that sucks..

Sounds like the end of the rod mushroomed, which is a bitch and unusual..they are really hard to get out when that happens...

Usually when you wipe out an intake or exhaust lobe on a cam, you pull the engine back down...it's a tough call on a pump lobe....

If you decide to run it as is, be sure to change your oil and filter a couple of times...if you wiped out a lobe or mushroomed the rod, that metal has to go somewhere and the only place to go is into the oil.... 

I would be concerned that the pump lobe died...they ususally do not as there isn't that much pressure on the pump lobe..makes you wonder whats up with the rest of the cam....
If you decide to pull the engine down and the rod is mushroomed, the way I got one out of a 427 tall deck was to pull the cam out,  then push the rod up until you can see it through the cam hole, grab it with a pair of needle nose vise grips then go after the mushroomed sides with a good file (or a small stone and a dremil tool) until you get rid of the lip, then pull it out...


You'll have to go through the engine rebuilding thing... bearing and gaskets are kinda expensive,  worst case, if you loose a bearing at 6000 rpms and sling a rod or grenade a piston.. then you could loose the whole motor...and that is a very expensive deal...

Good Luck
G

Thanks for the update.  I really hope the engine doesn't blow.  The engine was purchase from a company in TX which looks like they are no longer in  business.  I tried calling them up but it looks like the phone # is out of service...sucks big time!!!.   I'm thinking I'll change the oil and check it for metal filings.  I'm going to just put the block plate on and leave the rod in there.  I'll cross my fingers..and will try to pull the pump rod out next winter.  I just can't believe this crap happens..? I mean, the existing fuel pump appears to be working fine, so I don't know what could have cause the wear on the lobe and the mushroom on the rod?  Cheap parts? 

When you first mentioned it I was thinking maybe they used the wrong pushrod for a roller cam for some it should be bronze tipped maybe they used a bronze tipped one with your cam? I wonder if you could put some epoxy or somthing on it to hold it so it doesent rattle around actually there is a bolt hole there you could put a bolt in it to hold it. Come to think of it too long of a bolt in that hole could also have caused it to mushroom. Or maybe it was a chinese rod...........

Hi Griff, I"ll give that a try..I'm going to put the plate on and run it..see if I hear anything....

Is the fuel filter between the pump and the guage?
Is it possible that a piece of vacuum hose is being used between the fuel pump and gas line?

In my application with my mechanical fuel pump, yes.  My filter was inbetween the pump and the gauge.  I wouldn't recommend vacuum hose..get fuel line hose..there is a difference.  I now going to use an electronic fuel pump; the filter will be inbetween the tank and the electronic pump....hope this helps..

The reason I mentioned Vacuum hose in the fuel line is that if you are using a piece of vacuum hose instead of fuel hose on the suction side of the pump it could be collapsing when the pump trys to pull the fuel from the tank. Also it worries me that the rod does not slide out of the motor when the plate is removed. Check on the front of the motor, there is a bolt that goes through into the push rod cavity,
if the bolt is too long it will bind the push rod. Take the bolt out and ckeck how long it is.