Hey all -- Thought I'd start a quick thread asking a somewhat silly question: can someone give me a crash course on using the primer pump? When is it used (changing filters I assume, and maybe draining water?) and how?

Also, any ideas on getting an initial prime for the dry fuel system on first start-up?

Yeah, that's about it. You are purging either water or air. Again, it's been a while but...

There's a drain plug at the bottom that, when opened, will purge the filter of moisture when pumped.

There's a screw (opened with a flat head screwdriver) near the top (and next to one of the hoses) that, when opened, will purge the filter of air when pumped.

You pump by pushing (plunging/priming) the round disc at the very top of the assembly with the butt of the palm of your hand.

To purge air,
1. loosen the screw
2. pump...this is purging air
3. tighten the screw
4. pump...this is sending fuel through to the injectors
5. crank the engine up to 10 seconds.

If she starts, that's it. If it doesn't, start at 1. again.

ahh, excellent. thanks a lot.

When I made the swap into the Jeep, I fired the engine up for a test run just by putting the supply and return lines into a can of diesel, pumping the button on the top of the filter ~10 to 15 times, glowed the plugs, turned the key, and it fired right up.

When I moved it over to the tank, I had to drain the old gas out, hook up the lines to, fill the tank with Diesel, re-pump the button on the top of the fuel filter, and whamo--fired right up.

I wish you the same good luck

That's good news. I was wondering whether I'd have to prime the fuel system with an electric pump or similar - the hand pump just didn't seem to me like it would draw all the way from the tank to the filter. Or maybe it doesn't, and you just need some fuel in the filter so the mechanical pump can do its thing. I'll use your method when the time comes.

My truck still has the TBI pump in the tank, hooked up. Bleeding is a snap. Open a line, turn the key. It's been running like this for 2 1/2 years (dare I mention it?!). Good thing, because I have no other primer pump on this beast. The original pump from the donor truck was a nice half-corroded-apart ball of poop, so needless to say I didn't use it. the bottom of the pump/filter housing was literally falling apart.

The Maritimes. Land of Corrosion. Leaking fluids are thy friend (call it Continuous Undercoating) <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />