I think the pump is still useable with some clean up but I would deff be looking for a partial refund.... The O-ring does 99% of the sealing the other surfaces just use RTV anyway.

I ordered my stage 1 pump from Fab9 and it came in a box. But I got a few other items in the same order.

I have no doubt you could get that pump to work after some filing and getting an o-ring, but it's bullshit that you have to do that.

Personally, I'd contact Bryan @ FAB9 and get a replacement sent NDA if that's the way you got it.

Here's pics of mine still sealed in the bag. I'll point out the third picture I zoomed in a bit to show you the edge burr from the milling process. I can't say it's indicative of Boundary Engineering and any "touch up" of the mating surface but it's be highly unusual for the OEM to let that go.

I'll deburr it when I unseal it and as it's on an outside edge it wouldn't impact performance but it isn't something FAB9 would have impact on. It's also very likely that the pump was shipped to me by a wholesaler and not FAB9 itself.

If you decide to surface it yourself, make sure you take care to plug the crank bore and any other ports to keep any aluminum chips out of the pump or you won't like what happens.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3c79ab7b6.jpeg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9e0849eca.jpeg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3c00c8913.jpeg

Yup, that looks similar to mine, thought I've got plenty on the inside edges as well. Thanks for taking the time to send.

To clarify, my pump did come with the O-ring already installed but no other gaskets for the mating surfaces, and from what I'm reading here that's not unusual. Any thoughts on picking up a paper gasket from Autozone or elsewhere and using with this? I'd feel better about the sealing ability of this jagged thing with a gasket.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...db0b1e65b2.jpg

bro, thats not the O ring. That's the crankshaft seal.

this the o ring. (taken from my build thread)

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8d3fc135de.jpg

Dammit, showing my ignorance again. And no, it didn't come with that. Thanks for the clarification. .

OP was your pump sealed in a bag when you got it? If not.... It may have been a return from another customer that wasnt checked when it was received.

Was NOT sealed in a bag.

Incidentally, I just became a "proud supporter" as a result of this thread, and all the good info I've gotten from this site during this rebuild. Can't get this kinda help anywhere else.

I'm beating my own thread to death now but I should include this by way of follow up: I just got a call from Bryan at Fab9 in response to an email I sent an hour ago. He offered to take the pump back and ship another ASAP, or refund my $. He told me that because Boundary is pounding these out so quickly in response to demand, they aren't shipping them with paperwork. He got the SN from the pump from me and is having Boundary email me the pump's specs & documentation. He also told me that Boundary isn't shipping them with O-rings anymore because builders are sourcing their own most of the time anyway. As for the quality of the shipping itself, he owned it, offered to refund or replace. I opted to hang on to this one.

The best piece of advice I'll give you is to call FAB9 directly and talk to Bryan himself to get resolved.

It's possible to take out the high spots with a stone but at that point you're taking on the responsibility for it working or not. Get some dykem so when you stone it you don't take anymore off than you need. And remember to plug up everything.

There needs to be a sticky for DO NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM FAB9 so shit like this doesn't keep happening to us.

Why anyone would buy anything from Fab9 boggles my mind. Good luck OP.

I guess I'm in the minority where everything I've ordered from Fab9 has been fine. Shipped in a few days, got exactly what I ordered, no damage.
I do see threads like this pretty often though. I think Fab9 could use some forum presence to sort out this kind of thing.

The first time I ordered from them it was because 1) They had it in stock and said they could ship it that day, and 2) Prices were good. That first order went just as promised, really quick arrival time, which makes sense since Fab9 is in MI, and I'm in redneck Alabama. With Trackspeed is in Cali and FM is in Colorado, shipping just takes a little bit longer. I've never ordered from BE.

Not such good luck this time with Fab9, and these posts don't encourage further experimentation with them.

From the factory, the oil pump is sealed to the block with silicone and without a gasket, at least in 95. I have always sealed it with just silicone, and never had a problem.

If it has a machined groove, around the block interface and an oring around the outlet, then it's made for rtv.

If it's faced flat, then it's old and should come with a gasket.

If I recall, all the newer pumps superceded the old ones and are rtv sealed. Vvt pumps are desirable for any application. Non vvt pumps are not desirable for vvt motors.

I've had the same experience and will continue to buy things from him as long as I get the service I expect. In 3yr I've had 1 instance where I ordered something and because of stock didn't get what I wanted but he contacted me up front and gave me another option.

I've also had good experience with other vendors here.

Just saw these post. I have not done any business with Fab 9 , so I have no complaints. I bought a stage 2 BE pump from a member on here a couple of weeks ago. It looks pretty much the same in some places. I just happened to talk to him today and asked if the pump had been used. He said no. It was still sealed in the bag, He is a long time member here and I believe him. I think this is just the way Boundary is shipping them right now.

90-93 pumps use a gasket, no o-ring IIRC. 94-05 pumps use RTV, no gasket, and an o-ring around the pressure outlet. As recently as 2 years ago, both types were available directly from Mazda.