Electric fuel pumps

I know I have seen threads about this, but after searching I am not able to find them.

Could someone please link a thread or post/email me a how to with pics, After another mechanical pump failed me after sitting for awhile I think it is time to do this. I have seen ones that mount outside the tank and would preferre to do it this way as I don't want to cut into my tank if I can help it.

BTW running the I6 with no mods, I am also going to be doing the HEI soon as well is ther any thing I can do to set myself up nicely.

 

Re: Electric feul pumps

I've used these in the past. I fed the fuel line from the tank into it, then the output feeds the line to the carb. You just bypass the stock pump. You could remove the stock pump and install a block-off plate if it's leaking oil, but in most cases you can leave it in.

http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail.aspx?mfrcode=PUR&mfrpartnumber=PRO04SV

 

Re: Electric feul pumps

Mechanical fuel pumps are usually very reliable. Did you buy a name-brand NEW fuel pump? Carter, Delco and Airtex are all good, in my order of preference.

You could also carry a spare NEW mechanical fuel pump - that's what I do.

You can put an electric pump in place as a backup - the closer to the fuel tank, the better. Connect it to a switch on the dash. Realize that electric pumps can deliver much higher pressure than the original pump. The spec for fuel pump pressure is in the factory manual - you want no more pressure than the spec.

The electric pumps that mount in the tank are for fuel injection and they supply much higher pressure than you want or need for a carb. Use one of those, and you'll have gas shooting out the top of the carb. All the suitable aftermarket electric pumps mount outside the fuel tank.

 

If you are set on an electric pump (I agree with Tim about a good mechanical pump lasting a long time) anyway...an electric pump for what you have will install a lot like an in-line fuel filter. The thing to remember about most electric pumps is that they push fuel better than pull fuel. In other words, you will want to mount the pump as close to the fuel tank as you can (within reason). Not to say that one will not work further up toward the engine, just works better toward the tank.
As Tim mentioned, fuel pressure needs to be addressed. Many pumps are said to deliver 5 psi max...but they need to be tested, I have seen a 5 psi max pump deliver 12 psi. Too high of pressure will push right past the needle and seat and flood your engine. Sometimes it's not high enough to flood the engine, but just high enough to screw with how well your carb works in the rough stuff. Either way, fuel pressure should be set correctly with a regulator. You can hook up the pump the a separate switch, this can be handy in a few ways and also work as sort of a theft deterrent...because your rig won't make it much past the parking lot with no fuel. You can leave the stock pump in place if you please, it won't hurt anything, just plumb around it. You should have a filter before the electric pump and one after the pump (before the carb). The one before the pump should not be as fine as the one after. It's more to catch the big chunks before they can damage your pump.

 

Well, let me clairify. I am only guessing that the fuel pump went bad. It is doing the same thing it did last time I let it sit to long with hardly any gas, it will turn over just fine but wont fire off, and will fire off if I use gas or ether in the carb but then die as soon as that burns up.

Last time this happened I replace the fuel filter and fuel pump and all was good. This was a little over a year ago. I took of the fuel pump last night and move the arm up and down, it just slides along the little bar on the in side but does not move it.

 

Just to throw out a little clarification on in-tank pumps, there are a couple made for carbs. My 87 F-250, carbed 460 engine, has in-tank pumps that put out about 6psi. It's an easy production work around as the smaller engines all had fuel injection that year.

 

The way way to check this would be to unhook a line from the carb, put a can to catch the fuel, and roll it over. If no fuel comes out, then you're on the right track. Fuel will evaporate if left to sit for a long time, but should not drain back through the pump. If left to sit for a REALLY long time...you will have to crank the engine over quite a bit to get it to fire (fill the carb and all that.) BUT since you poured gas down it, got it to fire for a little bit...it should have "caught" and started to run.
Here is what may have happened (just guessing of course)....Your fuel pump might have went bad, you bought a new one which was a bad one and did not last (it happens). I would suggest to get a good quality mechanical pump and go from there. If you want to go electric...really nothing wrong with that either.

On the Ford in tank fuel pump....if memory serves (may not) they put the same pump in the tank for carb and fuel injected motors...BUT on the fuel injected motors, they ran a second pump in line that was high pressure. The only reason I am aware of this is that secondary, high pressure pump works good for forced induction carbureted engines where you just want to run an in-line pump that has a lot of psi.

 

If you do decide to go with an electric pump, I found a nifty little diagram on another forum that I followed to put one in myself.
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5724580&postcount=10

 

i used to use a small electric pump mounted on the front fender. it was nice to be able to get pressure before cranking it, but we went through fuel pumps like Chevy pickups do even though i ran a filter before and after the pump. We decided to swap an manual back in and i have not had problem with it yet. I'd question why you went through so many mechanicals as hard as they are to kill.

 

Mmm... the rebuilt pumps often don't last long, depending on the rebuilder.

 

My jeep has a electric fuel pump from the PO. It runs all the time,never shuts off,(drives me nuts) is this normal? also there is no return line to the tank. I want to go back to a mechanical pump. is there any reason the PO may have installed this, besides for vapor lock. I checked with an old pump I had and there is plenty of room for it. (motor is a chevy small block) I havent taken the cover plate off of the fuel pump hole, it may be missing the push rod but thats no big deal. is there anything else inside the motor that would have made the PO change to electric?

 

If the pump runs all the time, even with the ignition off, then it must be wired to an unswitched 12v source. I put an electric in my boat and it's only pumping when the key is in the on and run position. The pump I used is:

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=PUR&mfrpartnumber=PRO04SV

 

I had a friend three years in a row lost a fuel pump in the same spot on winch hill 1 at sierra trek. I have a spare manual and elec. pump i carry and never had a problem (knocks on wood).

 

sorry, I should be more clear. it runs all the time when the key is on. I thought it should build pressure and shut off, but maybe the older ones don't. anyway I plan to remove it and install mechanical this weekend, also the fuel lines are rubber from tank to engine, so i plan on going with hard lines as much as possible.

 

Yes, it should shut off after pressure builds. Could take a long time if you have a lot of rubber hose in the circuit, becasue of the bladder effect. It's also possible that you are pumping gas back through the return line.