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I have a 35 1200 with the 320cui engine it uses the AC combo gas/vaccum pump. The car has an accesory electric fuel pump.

When the car is started or the electric pump is on and the engine is not running I have fuel leaking around the sediment bowl. I reached under it and there seems to be a screw adjuster to increase the pressure to get a tight seal, I tightend that by hand and obviously thats not happening. so questions:

- if I loosen the adjuster can I remome the bowl with out pulling the pump off the car?
- if there is a gasket, with gas what would the gasket
be made from?
- a source for the gasket?

Thanks for your input.

Of course there is a gasket and it sounds like you need a new one.

Yes you can loosen the bail retainer, swing it to one side and remove the glass bowl, that was a routine part of the annual maintenance to clean the filter screen and fuel bowl - and something you should be doing regularly.

The original gasket was cork and you could get one by purchasing a fuel pump rebuild kit, but far easier is just to get some cork gasket material at the local auto parts store and just cut a new one. When you remove the glass bowl and old gasket watch for the fine mesh bronze filter screen which should be present.

The fact that it leaks with the electric pump is to be expected with a faulty gasket as the electric pump is pressurizing the line to the mechanical pump which under normal conditions (w/o an electric pump) would be under suction, not pressure. And in that case I would expect the mechanical pump would have a very hard time providing fuelto the carburetor without "push" from the electric pump. Fix the gasket and you'll probably not need the electric pump except to prime after prolonged periods of storage.

If the mechanical pump hasn't been rebuilt since the advent of ethanol in gas, you should have it done now as if the rubber diaphragm hasn't failed yet, it will soon. And if it is failing, good chance the vacuum diaphragm in the pump is also questionable which would have an adverse effect on your power brake booster. Both Gould Rebuilders on Long Island and Terrill in Texas can be recommended.