Electric fuel pump....

[Freddie's Buick]

Electric fuel pump? Anyone ever adapted one on a carbed turbo Buick other than myself?

 

[iraceitall]

I'm running a Holley blue pump and regulator...

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Very nice. In my case I chose not to go with a high pressure fuel pump and regulator. I went with a Carter which does not need a regulator. My problem is I can't seem to keep fuel in the lines after sitting for 24 hours. What's left in the fuel bowl will immediately start the car but once that's gone, (few seconds), I have to crank till fuel is pumped up to the bowl which takes a good 20-30 seconds. I hate that. Never had that problem with a mechanical pump.

 

[iraceitall]

How is your pump wired in? I always turn key on and wait a second (the pump will change tone if you can hear it), then start. Gives it a chance to prime the system.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

It uses the oil pressure switch to trigger the fuel pump. Once there's oil pressure the fuel pump turns over. Turning on the ignition won't trigger the fuel pump. I have to crank to get the fuel lines primed. I wish I knew another way that be as safe.

 

[b4black]

There probably needs to a check valve somewhere in the system. Did you get rid of the fuel filter in the carb inlet? That was a check valve.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

...There probably needs to be a check valve somewhere in the system...

I agree. I bought a special check valve:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017RCK44/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But it is too strong and the fuel pump can barely pump through it, (seems it is made to work with higher PSI fuel pumps). My fuel pump puts out about 1 to 2-1/2 psi. Not strong enough to get pass the check valve I bought. Had that problem so I removed it. I might have to fab something up myself.

This is the pump I got:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BZX92K/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm not worried about the filter in the carb with the check valve, (it's meant to keep fuel from leaving the carb bowl). It's the fuel in the lines prior to the carb that matter. Once the car is sitting idle for 24 hours the fuel drains back out to the tank. Then I have to crank additionally to prime the fuel lines.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

I dont know if your willing to do the work for it, but I run the HV455 mechanical pump on mine and i havent had any problems. not a direct swap for it though.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

.....I run the HV455 mechanical pump on mine....

....Sorry for being behind the curve ball, but what is that?

 

[dr_frankenstein]

just the V8 455 mechanical pump. its much larger in volume and ive never had a bleed down problem with it, does reqiure the odd fire style cam setup and a V8 pump eccentric.

but i do have 2 pig tails in the line where the line goes from the frame to the motor and from the frame to the tank. so this might be why i dont have drain back issues.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Yeah that sounds too complicated. I like what I got. Just got to figure out a way to make it work better.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

try adding in a pig tail.......... ya know just an extra loop-de-loop of line... might keep the fuel in the pump and carb.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Don't know...my cheap-skate-nest is saying, I don't wanna buy more fuel line, (I used what was already in there). Besides, how does that work? (Like I said I'm behind the eight ball 'knowledge-wise' with this).

 

[dr_frankenstein]

well it will trap the fuel in the loop, preventing it from siphoning back into the tank.... the idea that fuel cant travel up aganst gravity and around the loop.

I dunno if it actually works, but alot of old timers suggested it to me.

 

[b4black]

I bet the check valve is designed for fuel injected cars (which operate about 45 psi). Does it have a spring in it? Try taking it out and mount it so gravity drops the ball back back down. A check valve shouldn't need any pressure to open.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

....I bet the check valve is designed for fuel injected cars (which operate about 45 psi). Does it have a spring in it? .....

You're probably right. And it's a little more elaborate then a spring/ball design. I adjusted my compressor down to 2 PSI and blew air into it and it could barely open if I obstructed the flow, (it was attached right after the fuel pump as close as I can get to the fuel tank). This simulates the flow due to the length of travel up to the carb. Obviously the fuel pump cant push that much pressure with that length of travel passed this high PSI check valve.

Yeah I'll need to fab up a simple spring/ball type check valve. I'm just plum out of ideas for now.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

how about a bypass filter? one way up by the carb? I run one on my monza and it stopped the vapor locking issues it was having.... maybe if the fuel pump is allowed to move fuel as soon as it gets power it can fill the lines faster then the bowls running dry.

 

[charlief1]

Get one of the timers off a later fuel injected car. It would let the pump run for 10 seconds and then shut off until the engines running. I'm sure you can find the parts in a salvage yard cheap.