Electric fuel pump

[louieglen]

I am going to install an electric fuel pump on my 1950 V8. Where is the best place to locate it, and are there differences in pump's? Thanks in advance

[Vintage Copper 47]

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...pump&showall=1

OR THIS

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...tric+fuel+pump

[50fordcoupeman]

My '50 has an electric plus mechanical pump. It is mounted about 16" from the tank. I have a shut-off valve, then an in-line filter and then the pump. Got tired of gas running down my arm when changing the filter!!

[GB SISSON]

Try to find a recent manufacture made in usa pump. I bought a couple of offshore gyppos on amazon for 18 bucks each. I used one of them inline and it pumped up the bowl fine, but after a week it started constricting the normal flow. I had a new tank and a new filter ahead of it. I had to switch on the electric pump to go up hills to get home. I pulled it out and couldn't blow through it in the direction of flow. I tried the other one in the box and I could easily blow through it, just like I had been able to do with the first one before installation. Something swelled up in there. They probably don't have the ethanol gas issues in china.....

[19Fordy]

It's not cheap but, PTFE is excellent hose for modern fuels..

[fordor41]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

On my '41 I mounted it above the axle. I used Autozone universal fuel pumps(12V). Only replaced 1 in 20 yrs. Of course it was in a traffic jam on a S.C. highway! Always carried a spare just in case.

[Mtn Wudy]

Do all of the pumps ” flow through “ ,,meaning stock pump will draw when they’re turned off..??.I have a electric pump I want to leave on with a switch,,,just in case..!!

[supereal]

We use the electric fuel pumps from C&G. They flow thru and are available for both 6 and 12 volt systems. The pump should always be connected thru the ignition switch to prevent a fire hazard in the event of a leak or collision. We run the pump by a toggle switch under the lower edge of the dash. Some like a spring loaded switch, but it can be a problem if you need the pump to limp home, as I discovered. Always use "fuel proof" hose where needed, and "worm gear" clamps instead of the spring type.

[Mtn Wudy]

Thank You “supereal”......
I didn’t want to hi jack his thread but thought it help others too....
Love your Convertible....

[Flathead Fever]

Mounted it fairly close to the tank and install a filter between the pump and tank. Usually the pump's instruction will tell you to install the filter or it voids the warranty. Don't use those plastic cheap see-through filters.

There are couple things you need to look for when choosing an electric pump. The first thing is finding the correct pressure pump. A six-pound pump for later V8 engines will overflow your early carburetor. So then you will need to install a pressure regulator between the pump and carb. I'm not a fan of those regulators. I have had problems with them shutting off the fuel while driving down the road. I've tried the rotary dial types and some of the more expensive ones. It seems like when I would set them to 1 1/2 to 3 lbs. of pressure the regulators were not always sensitive enough to open up all of the time and the carbs would run out of gas. I had this problem 40-year's ago on a 1966 Mini Cooper S. It would shut off and I would have to coast to the side of the road, get out, twist the knob a couple times on the "new" regulator and then I'd be back on my way again. Then in later year's I had the same problem on a hot rod, using several types of new regulators. We ran them on the Onan generators that powered the aerial boom trucks at work and we had nothing but problems with them. I've been called out from home to go rescue guys several times that were stuck 35' in the air because the fuel regulator failed. The best thing is not to use one at all and just get the correct pressure fuel pump.

The second thing to check for (as others mentioned) is if the fuel will flow through the electric pump when it is not energized or it does not flow through it. Most electric pumps are closed when not energized. Normally you want an electric fuel pump to close when its not in use. This prevents the fuel from draining back into the tank. Otherwise the pump will need to fill the line back up each time you start the car. If your only going to run an electric pump I would choose one that closes when its not in use. This is just like the modern electric pumps in your fuel injected cars. If you ever here a fuel injected car cranking for a few seconds, after sitting severalhours, before it starts, nine times out of ten the check valve in the pump is starting to fail. It takes the pump a few seconds to build the 60 lbs. of pressure back up between the pump and injectors. If you keep ignoring this symptom it will completely fail soon after it started doing this.


There are rare times when you "do not" want a check valve in your electric fuel pump. For instance, if your only using it to prime the system. Then you need a pump that stays open when it is not energized. That way once the system is primed and the pump turned off the mechanical pump will still be able to suck fuel through the electric pump.

Anther option is to remove the guts out of your original mechanical pump so it still looks stock. Then install an electric pump with the check valve. It can pump right through the dummy original pump and everything will look original in the engine compartment.

Having pressure in the line between the pump and carb prevents vapor lock. Vapor lock is something you will here "old timers" talk about all the time. It has been completely eliminated on modern cars by having the entire system between the tank and injectors pressurized. Putting pressure on the fuel raises its boiling point, the point that it turns to vapor. Fuel pumps don't pump vapor to well. Having just an original mechanical pump on an engine lowers the boiling point of the fuel because the pump is sucking the fuel out of the tank. This lowers the pressure on it causing it to turn to a vapor easier.

Something to think about with an electric pump is the fire hazard. You will have pressurized fuel from the tank to the carb. If you get a leak anywhere its going to spray like a garden hose. It could spray on your exhaust, spark plug wires, all kinds of places that could ignite it. You need to make sure your fuel line is routed the safest route possible. The line needs to be secured every couple of feet to prevent vibration from wearing a hole through it. Its also a good idea to install an oil pressure switch that will turn the pump off if you loose oil pressure. That's another part that could fail so I like to wire them it so I can bypass it. I also install a fuel pump/ignition relay controlled by the original steering column ignition switch. Turning off the steering column switch kills the ignition and fuel pump at the same time.

This style fuel filter works real well bolted to the frame between the tank and electric fuel pump. It makes a real nice, safe and clean installation. It uses a replaceable cartridge like the 1960s and 1970s Fords. This one is an AC Delco GF62P. They are for sale eBay for as low as $33.00.

Oil pressure fuel pump control switch. Airtex OS-75 or Standard PS-64.

Generic 12V. Negative ground wiring diagram

I went back and edited this. I got to thinking that the fuel filter below probably has an "inlet side" fitting and an "outlet side" fitting. This photo originally showed it upside down, like it was meant to mounted that way which seemed wrong to me because everyone I've ever seen was positioned with the filter can down. So I flipped the photo before I posted it. This is not the exact same one I used years ago. It had a different part number. It was discontinued by AC Delco and people were paying big bucks to get them after that. That was year's ago so maybe its available now. SoCal Speed Shop was using them on their chassis. Either their own version of it or the discontinued AC Delcos? Anyway before you run out and buy one make sure that if you mount it the inlet will face the tank and the outlet the pump. There is a chance the inlets and outlets are reversed on this one. Its not a big deal but it would be nice if they were positioned so the line came straight in from the tank and continue straight out to the pump. That depends on which side of the frame you mount it to. I would mount the pump and filter on the same side the original fuel line was on. There might be other versions of these filters available from Airtex or Napa. Different mounting brackets and reversed inlets and outlets.

[drolston]

Mr. Gasket 42S from Auto Zone is 2.5 to 3.0 psi, which is perfect for a flathead. It is a flow through. I use mine only for starting and vapor lock situations. The reviews are mixed, but mine has worked fine for 4 years. $42.