Help locating a “Fuel Pump Rack Spring” PH/ AVA (MJD46).

[Harehope]

Can anyone help me locate a “Fuel Pump Rack Spring” for my Petter PH1 that I’ve just acquired. … The engine runs fine, but the previous owner has done a real botch job with the original spring (see pic). … The part number is MJD46 and I believe it’s also fitted to AVA engines. … I can’t seem to find one anywhere through the internet. … Any help would be much appreciated.

[ajaffa1]

Hi Harehope, I can`t help you with finding a replacement I`m afraid. However it looks from the first photo as if the original is still there just bent and out of shape. I have had considerable success in the past with repairing damaged/bent springs using a blow lamp. Warm up the spring until it glows red, then bend it back to it`s original shape using a couple of sets of pliers. The problem with this is that it takes the temper out of the spring steel, to fix this just warm it up until it is glowing and then drop it into a tub of oil.

I have also found it is possible to make replacements, using the same technique, if you can find high tensile wire of the right thickness. Fencing wire and the stuff used by steel fixers for tying reinforcing bar are both good candidates.
Good luck,
Bob

[Harehope]

Hi Bob,

Sorry I didn’t get back on and thank you for your advice before now.

I had heard of what you described as a fix in the past (by watching some kind of blacksmith documentary I imagine ). … Not springs, but other metal work - Samurai Swords comes to mind too!

Anyway, I was going to give it a go but first I wanted to chase up an email attempt that I’d made to someone 2 weeks previously that I had been surprised that I’d had no answer. … There had been a phone number on the guy’s website so I thought “let’s give the guy a phone”.

Long story short, a woman answers the phone and tells me the man I’m looking for passed away last April. … Explains why I got no email reply!

I imagine a lot of people on here knew this man; “Jim Perkins”. … I chatted with his wife for quite a while and she actually put me in touch with “MEAD Plant” who had a spring in stock - yeehaa!

It was going to take about a week to arrive so I was still going to have a go at fixing the original spring using your method, but a couple of days ago when I got down to it, I noticed that both “pigtails” of the spring were actually broken off. … Broken off, but each one was still there, wrapped around it’s locating point. … Damn! … The week was almost up so I just decided to wait a day or two more for the new spring.

It arrived the following day (yesterday), now fitted, and she started first kick last night and performed well.

I took the adjuster nuts off the rack extension and notice that with it all back together in the original adjuster position that the spring is not at rest or with the slightest of tension on it but actually stretched out by a good few mill (See pic). … How should this spring be at rest? … I imagine with no tension, or the slightest of tension as it holds the rack extension against the “stopper” of the governor rod arm.

I’ve attached a few pics - well, I’ll edit this post and add them in.

Thanks again for your help. … Was looking forward to trying your method but it wasn’t to be!

Regards,
David.