Which fuel pump and inertia switch should I get?

Hi all,
I am putting in an electric fuel pump in my Maverick, and I am wondering what kinds you would all recommend. I know Holley's are good, but I am open to suggestions. I also need an inertia switch. What kind should I get? Also where would I get it? Any parts store? Catalog? Etc? Thanks. Also where should I mount the intertia switch? I know some people put them in their trunks, but what other places are there? I know on the Fords with FI they are mostly under the passenger's kick panel. Is this a good place? Thanks guys and gals.
-Corbin

 

have you thought about just running through a toggle switch that is independent of the ignition switch but thats only hot when ignition is on? what about a regulator? you might check on a pump that is internally regulated.

 

I had a Holley Red and it worked great. Holley sells a relay that cuts power to the pump when there is no oil pressure. When my relay went bad, I thought it was the pump (being stupid). So I replaced it with a Holley Blue and regulator. The blue is much louder, and I have been thinking about going back to the red because I really don't need the blue.

 

I thought Corbin was talking about a switch that cuts power to the pump if You get in a wreck,so the gas don't keep pumping and fry your butt!

 

Tom is exactly right...

I was talking about the switch that cuts the power to the pump if you get in a wreck so it doesn't keep on pumping. I am not saying I am a bad driver (I am not), but I want to be safe; lots of things can happen. Where could I find one? Ask Ford or a parts store? Thanks.
-Corbin

 

Of course, anything in a Ford is available at the Ford dealer. Is that all you were asking?

 

Well...

What I was originally asking was: what are some recommendations of fuel pumps to get, and does anyone other than a Ford dealer have inertia switches I can buy for my Maverick? Recommendations? Where would I get one? Thanks.
-Corbin

 

do they work? devils advocate here, ok your sitting at a red light and somebody not paying attention slams into the back of your car,why does the fuel pump need to be shut off?don't know the exact stats but most fuel leaks in accidents are from the fuel tanks being punctured.now your sitting at the red light,it goes green and you take off out of the corner of your eye you see a guy who just ran the red light,you both hit the brakes and crank on the steering wheels,its a glancing blow it peels the fender back ripping the fuel line off but not enough to activate the inertia switch!now your sitting at the red light,all of a sudden smoke starts pouring out from under the hood,for some unknown reason the fuel line is leaking,what good did the switch just do? i say if you can get one from ford go ahead and do it just don't count on it being the cure all? me i like the fuel pumps switches right where i can reach them.

 

Well...

Well themav...
The inerita switches are designed to trip (like a circit breaker) when an impact is sensed in a collision. True, not all impacts will cause the fuel line to break, but the switch is there so you are sure that when you hit something hard enough to cause damage it turns off. You don't have to wonder if the line is broken or not, you can just relax and remember that at least the fuel is not pouring out everywhere because the pump is still going. All you have to worry about is watching where your hand is, so they don't cut it off with the jaws of life! Anyway. The switch is wired into the electrical circit of the fuel pump, and when a collision jars the body it will trip and shut off the current to the pump. It requires a certain amount of force to trip it (don't know how much). In some of the new Ford manuals it talks of how a collision resulting in damage of the body, but not harmful enough to cause drive-ability problems will result in a tripped circit. All you have to do after the switch is tripped is press a button on the housing of the switch, and the current to the pump will be restored again when the ignition is turned back on. Makes sense, huh? Anyway, I don't count on them working all the time either, and I will have a manual override switch as well (for scenarios like the red light incident), but if I am passed out (anything that would knock me out, would trip the switch as well) after a collision, I want something to do my job, and turn off the fuel pump for me.
-Corbin

 

I was hauling old wheels in my Escort one day. I stopped at a red lite and the wheels shifted, hitting the back of the seat. I heard a "click" and my car dyed about 5 seconds later. Guess what?? It tripped the inertia switch....just from a shifting load!!

 

Wow!

That seems a little touchy! The ones in our cars don't trip when a load shifts. All cars are different I guess. What do you think Craig, should I get one from Ford?
-Corbin

 

My 6 pences! The inertia switch on the FI cars is there for libility causes as well as to prevent the feeding of a possible fire in event of a collision. There pumps are capable of pressures to 100 psi. If one or both lines get damaged , the pump can spray fuel all over and even on the hot cat. converters. Often there is an electrical fire that the gas will feed. The switch hopefully buys some extra time to get out of the car if possible.
On a carbed car, its' not a bad idea to install a switch. Fuse the switch near the power source so in event of a short the fuse blows as well as the switch opening up.

 

Like Ken said, they are for liability purposes as well. Anything a car company can do, they are required to do to make it safer and buy you time, they pretty much have to. What fuel pump did you use, Ken?
-Corbin

 

I have fuel injection. The pump is from a 85-87 pick up truck. They are found mounted on the frame about under the drivers seat. My pump is mounted on a bracket just in front of the tank along with the filter using a combination of factory line and 3/8 alum. feed and return lines to the engine.

 

Corbin my experience with these switches is that they just don't work. i have seen a shopping cart hitting the back bumper of a car and tripping the switch,i have seen the typical t-bone in the middle of an intersection where the cars air bags have gone off and guess what,the car is sitting there running,one day as i watched in the rear view mirror, my morther and father in law in a 89 crown vic went flipping into the sage brush,the car rolled 3 complete times ending up resting on the passangers side door,when we all got stopped and back to the car it was purring along at about 3000rpm. wasn't trying to be a wise guy,just trying to give you another point of view.