[RWebb]

the fuel filter is downstream of the pump; OTOH when I first pulled the old fiter out, I cut it open and it seemed clean - if it was just lots of miles then wouldn't the black area be distributed around the entire circumference and not concentrated in two spots? (the two spots make me think that they are where the brushes sat for a long time)

I may break out the macro lens & big camera to take a better look at that area of the commutator