Fuel Pump Diaphragm Material

[todd281]

I am working on a Clinton Apache J8 that is in pretty good shape. The fuel pump needs a new diaphragm, and it seems they are not available. It is a flat diaphragm, and I could cut one out if I could get some of the material they are made of. Could someone point me to a source for a replacement that will work? Thanks

[crosbyman]

seems that nitrile rubber  used in common  work gloves  can be cut up to replace  diaphragms .   nitrile sheets can also be ordered on amazon

Joining AOMCI has priviledges 🙂

[crosbyman]

seems that nitrile rubber  used in common  work gloves  can be cut up to replace  diaphragms .   nitrile sheets  of varying thickness can also be ordered on amazon .

Joining AOMCI has priviledges 🙂

[Buccaneer]

I’ve purchased diaphragm material from this place a couple of times……..

http://www.pfs-ware.com/Parts/OllieParts.htm

Prepare to be boarded!

[seakaye12]

I have tried the rubber gloves with very limited success.  The proper material has a reinforcing mesh imbedded in it for added durability;  the gloves I used did not and it failed after a year or two.

I bought some from England of all places.  It was on ebay and it arrived in  about a week or so.  Search for Fuel Pump diaphragm material on e-bay and you will see a couple of choices.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by seakaye12.

[Mumbles]

Beware of the non reinforced diaphragm material from China being sold on Ebay.  I soaked a small piece in fuel for a few days and it curled up and got brittle.

[labrador-guy]

Guys has any one tried to make a fuel pump diaphragm from a piece of thin plastic?   I use palmolive dish washing soap containers to store two cycle gas and mineral spirits.  I know the plastic will hold up to those liquids.  I was just thinking maybe it could be used in a fuel pump.   It cuts easily with scissors and holes punch out good.  I have seen metal diaphragms in snowmobiles way back when they started buzzing around.   We need to come up with something that is flexible and will hold up to the fuels that we use.    New old stock OMC diaphragms fail immediately when alcohol gas hits them.   Any thoughts on this line!

dale

get’em wet…..don’t lit’em set!

[todd281]

Thanks for all the replies. I am checking on the leads supplied, and hopefully will end up with something that will work for me without breaking the budget.

[amuller]

From McMaster-Carr you can get nitrile (NBR, Buna-N, etc) in 1/64″ which is about 15  thou.     I  have left this stuff soaking in gasoline for months without much obvious deterioration.  They also carry Viton sheet in the same thickness.  I’ve not tried that–it’s harder and could be too hard for fuel pump diaphragms.

https://www.mcmaster.com/materials/thickness~1-64/

1 user thanked author for this post.

jcrigan

[Author]

Posts