I have a 54 with a 6 which has an electric fuel pump. I'd like to replace it with a mechanical pump. I've had the truck for 35 years and about every 8 or 9 years the electric fuel pump fails. I just failed again last week. I got an airtex 9887 mechanical pump but the lever seems to long and I can't mount it to the block. It looks just like the pump in the shop manual. Is it possible that I need to buy the pump for the 55 instead? Airtex does make one for the 55 and the lever is straight instead of curved and looks shorter.

 

This subject has come up here before but I can't find it doing a search. Several fuel pumps were used from 54-64......since you don't have the original, you may have to keep trying them till one fits.

 

Carter makes a mechanical pump for those. Sold at NAPA and O'rielly auto parts.
I use mechanical on my '54 which I was replacing about every 2-3 years due to the check valves inside the pump fall out of position. I started taking them apart when they sopped working and reinstalled the check valves so they do not drop out of position. I no longer have pump failure.
I will be adding an electric to help with vapor locking.

 

Thank you. I checked NAPA and it's the same one I already tried. I think I'll try the pump for a 55. Although is sounds like the electric might be more dependable than the mechanical. The original mechanical pump lasted 23 years though.
I curious why the pump for the 55 would be different when the engine is the same.

 

The difference is the fuel pump boss is reversed on the latter blocks so the latter pumps fit with the "bowl" for want of a better term pointing down not up, not interchangeable.

 

The parts book shows the same from '52-'54 then '55 -'64 for the six cyl.

 

What parts 'book' lists 1952 thru 1964?

1948/56 Ford Truck lists two different 215/223 pumps for 1952/54, two different 223 pumps for 1955/56.

The 1955/56 223 pumps part numbers were updated in the 1957/63 Ford Truck catalog, these same two 223 pumps are listed in the 1964/72 Ford Truck catalog.

 

The NAPA parts book. Obviously not the same as a factory book, sometimes its all we have.
My '54 takes a diff one than my '63 and '64.

 

I had always thought, perhaps incorrectly, that the 2 different pumps referenced above for different years had to do with whether they were strictly fuel pumps or combination fuel/vacuum pumps, the mounting
specs were the same.

 

Correct, that is the difference between the pumps, but 1952/54 215/223 is different than 1955/64 223.

 

My 54 has a mechanical fuel pump, however not being used. The PO installed an electric pump that is working fine now. I am thinking of going back to using the original mechanical pump and eliminate the electric pump but I am not sure if the one that is on the engine is operational. The engine is not the original one so I guess I would have to take this pump off and see if I could get one to match up. (If you are using an electric pump you should also have a oil pressure safety switch installed.) I can see about getting some numbers off my pump since it is probably newer than the 54 version. It might help you find one that fits.