Thread: 1970 Buick Riviera fuel pump problem.

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Put a new fuel pump in my Buick about 8 months ago and it ran great.
Well went out and tried to start it about 2 months ago and it would not start.
well I just got around to looking at it because I don't drive it that much. Checked to see if it was getting power when I turned the key on, so I had the wife try to crank the motor over while i checked the test light. Nothing, so I ran a ground & a power strait from the Battery. Now my test light came on but still was not pumping. Ok so I took the pump out turned on the Battery charger and hooked it up. Yep it ran, RRRRRRR.
Well this is the first year that Buick put a electric fuel pump behind a 455 motor so there is not a lot of info that I have found. I looked to see if there was some type of fuel pressure regulator but I don't see one. though it could be built in to the pump it's self. I guess the float needles could be stuck in the carb again, but before I could hear the pump running and I can not now. I also had to use a fuel pump from a Chevy Corvair the last time because they don't make these Buick pumps anymore. they only made them that one year and I think I know why. I would like to go with a external fuel pump instead of having to tear open the tank every time this thing don't want to run, which seems to be more then it wants to run. Any suggestions for running a external pump??? Oh I also took the block off plate for the fuel pump on the driver's side of the block and pulled the distributor to see it there was a pump button on the end of the cam bolt to pump a mechanical pump and there was not. Thanks for any advice.

Shouldn't be any big deal to install an external pump. There will be some additional noise I'm sure.

Here's the one that I put on my 53. Pretty common pump on lots of carburated engines. I have mine wired up so it won't pump till the S terminal for the starter latches the relay for it.

i like that small one Seth and that maybe small enough to go on top of the tank between the view plat or bottom of the truck. I don't like the design of the fuel system but really it is the best way to run it. But you would have thought the Buick would have customized some tube for it or something. It runs out of the right side of the trunk in to the wheel well, yep right in to the wheel well and runs arounf the inside lip. Now what happens when you have a blow out??? KABOOM??? Twice??? But this is a X type frame and you guess it, the drive line runs thru it up near the middle of the car. So then the fuel line runs under the door thresh hold and then up thru the front fender. If you try to bring it on the out of the wheel well then it would be right beside or on top of the exhaust. so I'll leave it where it is and try to get a small pump between the tank & the bottom of the trunk to help protect it from heat and all. I also got a spot where the exhaust runs under a rubber line that I am gonna build a heat shield for way up near the front fender. That's how I got the car. The lady had taken it in to have it fixed, she drove it a couple times then it wouldn't run again. The exhaust had burn't thru the rubber fuel line and all the gas had drained. Good thing she didn't get it to start or the car would have caught fire. Where did you get that pump at Seth and do you know the name I see Genuine Facet. Thanks

The trick when mounting an external pump is to mount it completely to rubber and then mount the rubber to the steel of the car, completely isolating the pump and thus the noise. Use a length of maybe 2 or 3 inches of non-metal fuel line hose on the suck and the push side of the pump, then run your metallic lines from there.
Here's an example of what I have used over the years.....
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...11-2/overview/

You will also want to mount a filter on each side of the pump and check them regularly for cleaning.

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A good in tank fuel pump will last a decade or more.

Why not upgrade the in tank pump with something better?

Kurt, most OEM electrics have a safety interlock that allows the in-tank pump to energize during crank (not just key ON) to fill the carb, and then flip to being energized by oil pressure > 2 to 4 psig which also then shuts down pump power when the engine stops. It's a single pole, double throw oil pressure switch, and it will likely also drive the oil pressure idiot light. Summit's generic electric pump instructions includes a good description of the safety interlock. Are you sure you don't just have a bad oil pressure switch, or bad 50 year old wiring? Just a thought.

No it's a fuel pump, but I had the wife crank it while I checked a light and I got nothing But I am think that maybe the needle's in the carb are stuck again allowing the fuel pressure to build up thus not the pump not to kick on or the power to come on anyway. This will be the third in tank fuel pump I have put in this thing. in under 3 years.
I just want something I don't have to tear the tank apart every time some thing like this happens, Roger. Thanks Tech I have always heard to mount them as high and as close to the tank as you can, that's why I was thinking of mounting it to the bottom of the tank access plat that's in the trunk. Like I said Firebird77, this is the 3 one in under 3 yearsso these ain't working for me but remember too that they don't make the fuel pumps for these any more either this are actually the Fuel pumps for a Chevy Corvair, hence this may also be part of the problem but they do work. But the fuel gauge has never worked and use's the same power and ground wires. I tried to find one for it but like the fuel pump they say they do not make that any more either. Maybe I will just take both the pump and the fuel gauge float and send them both to that old Chevy Guy that specializes in ol chevy fuel pumps and see if maybe he can match them up with something else. These people at the auto part houses in Pahrump suck they don't know crap about old car parts. I had a guy at a U haul where I was trying to rent a dual axle trailer to pull with that Buick, tell me you won't get accrossed town before you break the rear end in that car. I started to laugh at him and told him that car has bigger rear end then most of your rental truck on the yard and probably twice the motor. HA! HA! HA! those 455 Buick motors are rated at 510 ft pounds of torque at only 2,800 RPM's. Tell me another one. HA! HA! HA!

I think you should be able to pick up the pump at most auto stores and Ebay has piles of them. I have it sucking though a factory suction screen and pushing though a standard fuel filter. I have mine bolted directly to the frame and it's a normal diaphragm pump so it rattles pretty loud when you first hook it up, but almost silent once fuel gets to it. It has a check valve in it to always keep it primed.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

A good in tank fuel pump will last a decade or more.

Why not upgrade the in tank pump with something better?

I think most in tank pump's run too high of a psi,around 14-16 made for fuel injection. The diaphragm pumps run only 2-4 psi so they work on carbs.

Kurt, the directions for external, aftermarket pumps that I've seen say to mount the pump close to the tank, below the bottom of tank to reduce the suction head of the pump. Here's Holley's instruction sheet, note the pump location statement at the top of page 2 - http://www.jegs.com/InstallationInst...0-12-801-1.pdf

I'd recommend that you pick your pump and read the directions before getting the above tank location set in your head.