Sorry it took so long to get back on this...in my rush to get ready for the Maine Winter Romp last February I tossed my failed pumps in a box that ended up in one of my parts trucks. Anyway, here you go...the end of the valve with the hole in it faces into the pump, not out.

This first picture shows the correct orientation of the valve (it's sitting on the spring, in the pump) without the 'nut' that the high pressure line screws into installed.


In my second picture (below), you can see how the valve sits on the spring...the end of the valve with the hole in it goes into the spring, and that then goes into the pump. (The end with the hole will be facing away from the high pressure line when the line is connected to the pump.)


This was the only part of the pump you took apart, right?

 

so i had it backwards which is actually a good thing cuz that means the pump isnt shot. next time i'm in Pittsburgh there might be a random 99 disco with NC tags in your driveway and me inside with a big box o' cookies for you. cant tell you how much i appreciate you posting this. and yes thats the only part i disassembled. mechanical curiosity isnt always a good thing!