Finally got that electric fuel pump...

But, I could not find a decent fuel pressure guage. I would like a pressure guage/regulator combo, since my edelbrock needs 6psi, and the pump pumps 5-7.

Has anyone ran their fuel line over the top of the engine and behind the intake, into the carb? This way, when I find a pressure guage, I can run it out the back of the hood (mine is lifted like a cowl) and I can install it in line with a chunk of metal tubing and mount it in front of me behind the hood.

Also, what should I use to cover the hole where the current mechanical pump is located? I eventually want to free that area up so I can get to the oil filter more easily.

PS--a 3-yr old mechanical Edelbrock Performer 351 fuel pump will likely be for sale soon

It works well, but I am removing it to free up space and to try to eliminate a loss of power up around 5500rpms which may or may not be related to the pump (see earlier post on undercammed/undercarbed question). This pump is "supposed" to handle up to 550 HP

 

By the way, can the power source share with the electric fan or maybe the post on the starter solenoid that I have the choke attached to? I want a good current, but don't want to have to run a new line, if I don't have to.

Can anyone think of any other power sources I might be able to use.

The fan is hot wired to the hot post on the solenoid, through a relay. The one on the forward side of the solenoid (always hot, I think), and the relay and choke are on the rearward post (switched)

 

I have my fuel pump ran through a relay with a switch inside the car.

Get a fuel pump block off plate to cover the hole. Same cover fits Big Block Chevy, Chrysler V8's, 221-351W, FE and 429-460 Fords

 

Thanks for the block-off info.

But, project is on hold for a little while...I bought the Mr. Gasket pump from O'Reilly (hi-pressure) and put it up to the gallon-can test...at 30 seconds, I still didn't have a quart pumped, so it is going back. I want at least 30 seconds per gallon, as I get 35 seconds per gallon right now with the mechanical pump (est at high rpms). So, it looks like JEGS.

 

Dont screw yourself by spending money on an electric fuel pump unless you are going to get a GOOD one!! If you spend less than $150 for the pump, you better make darn sure its a tried and true pump for PERFORMANCE applications. Then you still need to run a return line to the tank, and buy a good reg. The cheap, auto parts store pumps may work fine for a box stock 140hp engine, sure...But you are trying to cure what may or may not be fuel starvation at high rpms on a decently built engine. Dont cheap out on the pump. If it were me I would just order a new, carter mechanical and see what happens. I doubt you are "floating" your mechanical pump, though I suppose it is possible. A carter strip pump should work great for your app and they are very affordable, proven, pumps. I would not even consider running a cheap, dead headed, parts store electric pump on anything besides a box stock grocery getter...and even then I would carry a spare mechanical in the trunk...

 

OK!!! Now that I have gotten done cowering in the corner, and am recovered enough to type...

Yeah, I agree with you. I just posted about that cheap Mr. Gasket for future reference...so others could learn from my mistake and go straight to the good pumps.

But, if you read that undercammed/undercarbed thread update, it might be something other than fuel issue...

I did a little more investigation today...

edit--upon going to that thread, I see you already read it

 

if that edel performer is functioning properly, it should be giving you more than you need. and it shouldnt "float" at your rpm levels. rated at 110 gph. if you must go electric, get something decent in the 110 plus range, w regulator. several are available. you dont need a return style regulator with the attendant fun of running a return line to a stock tank. i know too many guys running down into the elevens with deadhead regulators. if you run adequate lines & filter with gentle bends, no restrictions: no problem. keep it simple. i run 9.90s at 137 mph with a single mallory 140 with a deadhead regulator, on alcohol (which requires twice the volume of fuel).

why dont you just put in the cowl pressure gauge, run it thru the gears someplace & see what it tells you before buying something you might not need?

 

True enough igo1090, deadheaded systems can work well if you put the money into good components. I was more referring to using the cheapie pumps , but I guess I opened my mouth before I considered the higher end setups At any rate, those are some awesome times!

Scooper, I didnt mean to come off harsh, its just that my dad just went through the same issues as you and went through two advance auto electric pumps before finally biting the bullet and ordering a decent carter(electric no less) that solved his problems. You have a nice car with some good parts, and I hate to see you bolt some sub-par pump on it and further complicate the issues you have been having.

 

Aeromotive is another good brand....

 

After market electric pumps are obnoxiously loud. From now on, I'm sticking to mechanicl ones. Except for both my 57 projects which will have FI.

 

Electric pumps are loud.
However they are supposed to be mounted under the rear of the car, they push fuel, not pull...
The remote nature, combined with a thick piece of rubber insulation between the frame and pump bracket help things sound-wise.
I have even seen a thin gasket between the pump and bracket before as well, to insulate the sound.

I would also suggest running a dedicated line and relay.
Then, on top of that, run a switch that can override the relay... Hide it and then you have a form of anti-theft device.
You can even hook an electric oil pressure sender up in such a way that the pump does not run if there is no oil pressure.

Whatever you do, never mount a Holley pump on the firewall... My dad did that when I was a kid. His car always sounded like a hammer-drill was pounding the firewall when we were going down the road. He also had to replace the thing annually because it was pulling the fuel so far.
Dave

 

I once let the pump just hang in the air suspended only by the fuel lines and turned it on. It was still redicliously load. So There is not much you can do to quiet them. I've tried the Holly blue and a high dollar Paxton . Both sounded the same.

 

There are two separate designs, the loud (read cheap) kind and the quiet (read expensive) kind. I'm running the so called "high dollar paxton" and an aeromotive. Both are $200 dollar pumps, and they are both loud. The $300+ aeromotive pumps are not loud due to there design.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions.

My fault for buying the cheap one, but there were no flow ratings on the package, just psi. I figured I would try it and see what it was. It was probably in the low to mid 30s flow. Definitely not the 110+ I am looking for.

I still cannot find the pressure guage. I found a cheap little one $6 that I could tee off the fuel line and run as temporary. Again, AutoZone cheapie, but it goes up to 8 psi or so. Would that work at least good enough to test my current pump? I worry that if I run a 3-4' long piece of fuel line teed off the main line, and stick it out the back of my cowled hood, witht the guage basically screwed into the end of the fuel line and hose clamped on (gotta use duct tape somewhere in here too ) that the extra length of hose teed off might not share the same pressure as the rest of the system. The laws of physics suggest that it should, but common sense want to think that it would be lower, somehow.

I guess that it will give me a ballpark figure of what my pressure is doing.

Any suggestions of where I can get a decent semi-permanent pressure guage, good for these low pressures, with a decent sized 1" or bigger face that I can use on a permanent basis after I do these tests and rehose my engine? Maybe one with a built in regulator, in case I go to a more powerful pump later?

 

You've got a few options, the little pressure gauges (about 1 &1/2" or so) are not accurate and are basically there just to let you know that the pump is working, IMO. I've never seen one that small that is accurate. I would suggest going to Grainger or some other industrial supply store and getting a large face industrial pressure gauge. Splice it in and test your pressure, or use a long length of hose and tape it to the cowl and drive down the road to see if it's falling during hard acceleration, might wanna have someone ride with you so you can keep your eyes on the road!! I've got a good pump/regulator combo pushing my carburetor and everytime i've ever checked it it's always been the same so I basicaly just forget about it and I might check it once a year.....it's never changed. Now my nitrous fuel system, I check it before every pass down the track......or just about every pass.......

Did you buy the little "square" fuel pump (looks like a little box), the kind you see at Napa and Carquest??

If you were closer, you could just come over and we could test it, i've got a wide assortment of gauges. Just remember, you need to check it while you're full throttle, it may be dropping out under load.......

Most of the mid-grade regulators (like the summit brand) have an 1/8" NPT fitting for adding a pressure gauge. Or, you can run a line from the regulator up to the cowl and mount an autometer gauge up there....like mine....or, buy the pressure isolator kit and put the gauge inside the cab.