Well it seems that after only about three years my fuel pump has died. Fuel pours out of end of pipe under the wheelarch and you can suck it through the pump (tastes foul ) but nothing squirting out of the pipe when turning the engine over.
I've just ordered one from ecas but are there any tips for replacing it - should I completely fill the spacer with grease for example or just a smear?
Thanks,
Richard

You could if you wish but it's not going to stop the diaphragm splitting as it's only for the connecting rod that powers it....I don't think "packing" it would be too good an idea and a modest blob should be adequate.....

I know it's not going to help the rubber bits but not having fitted one myself before wondered what the best practice was.

I have taken the old one apart but can't see anything obviously wrong - a couple of black bits in the fuel filter which could be from the pump I suppose?

Could be bits of rubber from the feed pipe on the tank - I think that if this is split, even though you can suck fuel through, the pump won't pull fuel properly - if you have taken the pump to bits, and the diaphragm is split you should be able to see this clearly....

The rubber pipe to the tank is ok - renewed not too long ago. The diaphragm looks ok - according to the ecas site the little poppet valves can just stick open/closed.
It has always started first turn of the key from cold if used every day or so, but leave it for longer and it has recently taken progressively longer to fire.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw= ... &_from=R40

You could put one of these in the fuel line before the pump,to stop rain back if a poppet valve is sicking.

Not a bad idea - 6mm would do wouldn't it?

It sure would

Well I've just fitted a new pump with SPOG studs instead of the bolts and the car roared into life.
Thanks for the advice everyone.

In hindsight it was possible to see the pump was on the way out as the fuel drained straight back out of the in-line filter as soon as I stopped sucking on it. With the new pump, I primed it by sucking and the fuel filter held onto the fuel until I connected it to the carb.