Thread: Electric fuel pump, or.......??

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All those reasons are why I use aluminum tubing for fuel lines......

I really don't understand all the smack down on electric pumps. An electric pump is a MECHANICAL PUMP that uses a DC motor to drive it. All of your electricity is generated by machinery that use electric driven mechanical pumps for auxiliaries for example. Uhhhh they run 24/7. A Gerotor pump is pretty damn bullet proof. Thats why they are one of the most popular mud pumps in the oil drilling industry. If you think that a rubber pulsating bladder (ie automotive mechanical pump) is more robust than two high strength metal gears that don't even touch (Gerotor) then bless your hearts.

That said it ain't usually the electric pump's fault, be it Gerotor or RV, that it has problems; it is generally misapplied or specified for the application intended.

I had a 427 Vet that had a mechanical pump and would run out of gas above 4500 rpm. Guess what an electric pump solved that problem. I ran a Carter electric pump in 70's and never had a problem. You just cannot make me believe they are ANY less dependable than mechanical pumps.

And finally, I challenge any of you to show me a mechanical driven pump on any modern factory car.

Practice your bends on cheap steel and not aluminum stock. It will have similar modulus and strength properties of stainless steel. Not everyone is a natural plumber. The sand trick will indeed help but you sure don't want that ending up in your carb.

Kitz

Originally Posted by kitz

I really don't understand all the smack down on electric pumps. An electric pump is a MECHANICAL PUMP that uses a DC motor to drive it. All of your electricity is generated by machinery that use electric driven mechanical pumps for auxiliaries for example. Uhhhh they run 24/7. A Gerotor pump is pretty damn bullet proof. Thats why they are one of the most popular mud pumps in the oil drilling industry. If you think that a rubber pulsating bladder (ie automotive mechanical pump) is more robust than two high strength metal gears that don't even touch (Gerotor) then bless your hearts.

That said it ain't usually the electric pump's fault, be it Gerotor or RV, that it has problems; it is generally misapplied or specified for the application intended.

I had a 427 Vet that had a mechanical pump and would run out of gas above 4500 rpm. Guess what an electric pump solved that problem. I ran a Carter electric pump in 70's and never had a problem. You just cannot make me believe they are ANY less dependable than mechanical pumps.

And finally, I challenge any of you to show me a mechanical driven pump on any modern factory car.

Practice your bends on cheap steel and not aluminum stock. It will have similar modulus and strength properties of stainless steel. Not everyone is a natural plumber. The sand trick will indeed help but you sure don't want that ending up in your carb.

Kitz

Kitz (and all),
I prefer a mechanical pump on a carburated engine. I have a need for 5-7psig and - not 45-100psig and for sure a lot less flow. Additionally, I do not want to run additional fuel lines, a return line.

Dependability? The standard mechanical fuel pump has enough plus is available for a SB Ford at ANY auto parts store. A rotary vane pump - Holley's e.g., they ain't so great in my experience, and I have run them extensively. A gerotor pump - well if I could have found one that supplied 14psig that could have been regulated down to 5-6 without a return line and special regulator, I might have considered using one.

As far as a new car - yep, they all have some sort of electric pump - but they are all fuel injected vehicles, have the need for high pressure, have return lines and are for the most part controlled somewhere in the system by electronics, i.e. a computerized fuel management system. I have a carburated engine, single fuel line that had some chassis interference with the only electronics being the MSD distributor and 6 series control box.

I opened this discussion because I felt that I might need to replumb differently and would have considered an electric pump - I do have to do some rerouting - but don't have to reroute/rebuild everything - and with an after market and now fully loaded 'A' chassis, not an easy task. I did spend a bunch more time researching viable alternatives - and do have to thank all who responded. There are other alternatives that now fall under the shoulda/coulda/woulda heading, but.....

Dave

I use ss hard lines everywhere---with a decent bender there isn't any problem bending up to .049 wall---generally I will use .035 for the bigger id.
A bigger roadblock is making AN 37 degree flares in the ss----it takes a GOOD tool for 37 and a 45 can't be used----if you don't have the 37 tool use compression fittings on it----
For templets, I use a lot of coat hangers or welding rods---

Jerry

I plumbed my A-bone with Swagelok fittings - but back then, I had a free supply.

my coat hangers are free

A friend worked in the supply room of one of the large companies near here and plumbed all his lines including the nitrous w/Swage-Locs. He got fired But it sure was nice looking plumbing.

I do have a good Rigid brand 37* flare tool. Unfortunately my bender for 3/8" tubing is mediocre and my very good 3/16 bender wont quite hack it!!! . I've been dragging my feet today(mowed the lawn, rebuilt the weed whacker recoil, etc) and tomorrow may wander a bit to see if I can find and invest in a better bender. For templates, I generally use 3/16" steel brake line - it USED to be fairly cheap - like $2-$4 for a 4 or 5 foot length - no more, $5 to $7 on Friday.

with the bend radius being different--you are wasting your time/money using 3/16 tube--if you want, buy some of the 3/8 tube at the auto parts store and make some pattern bends of the radius you bender is---then you can use them for mockup/visualizing----you don't need to fab a whole complete pattern up, just the bend areas and twists---

and go buy a good 3/8 bender-----