Add an electric fuel pump?

[jaybee]

New question regarding the same stock '53 Ford I was working on last week.  Owner doesn't drive it often but every time he does the carb is dry.  The 6 volt electrical system isn't up to the task of filling the entire carb with fuel before it runs out of smoke.  Owner has talked to some owners of similar cars and has been told the current gasoline formulations actually wick their way out of the OE carb if they sit long enough.  He'd like to add an electric fuel pump if only to prime the carb before hitting the starter.  Any of this make sense?

If we add this pump the stock fuel line has been replaced with something new and flexible, looks like aluminum.  What's the best way to splice into this line and hook up a pump?  Compression fittings, maybe?  When the previous owner put in new line he used, um, ample material sufficient to do some rerouting.  There's a zigzag between the tank and frame rail that adds several inches in excess of what would've been necessary.

[tomslik]

we put 6V electric pumps on all the time  (some 12V too) as a supply pump.
put it as low and as close to the tank as possible...

not sure what to tell you about the fuel line as i don't quite understand what you're working with... :?

[parklane]

Yes, elctric pump is the way to go. I eliminated my mechanical pump on my 47 Monarch way back when, and never looked back.

[Carnut]

I've been using electric fuel pumps for years on most all my rides for precisely the same reason. Battery disconnects and electric fuel pumps are kinda standard for 'sit for a long time rides'. Saves a lot on starters.

[348tripower]

I have an electric pump on the 51 Stude. But it is safety protected with an oil presure switch. So when it sits for a long time it still takes a lot of cranking to start it.
Don

[enjenjo]

A Vega oil pressure  fuel pump switch will keep the pump from running with no oil pressure, and has a third terminal that can be wired to the starter, or to a momentary switch to prime the engine. If you don't think a Vega part is good enough, use one for a 70 Riviera, it's the same switch.

TSC is a good place to get a 6 volt pump. The store here always has one in stock.

[GPster]

Remembering the picture of the car on fire this year, maybe there should be some kind of switch that keeps the pump from running to an open or broken line. GPster

[jaybee]

Thanks for the feedback guys.  Sounds like a plan.

[wayne petty]

in case of accident or rollover ... one could install an inertia switch like is found on EVERY fuel injected ford..

the only problem i would see with the forward thinking idea of an open hose shut off... would be that how could you tell


one could install a LOW pressure switch.. so if there is less than 2 Psi of fuel pressure.. the pump turns off..  or the switch turns on a light..
but if you only had a slight leak.... the pressure might not drop enough to open the switch...


there is the creative way to know what is going on under the hood..

install one of the license plate back up cameras under the hood someplace.. and  you can monitor the engine compartment while driving..

a switch to go back and forth from the engine compartment camera to the back up camera would also be a good idea..

one might really want to examine the lower two links on this page..

http://www.goodyearep.com/ProductListing.aspx?folderid=934

Fuel Injection Hose SAE 30R9
Designed specifically for auto and truck fuel injection systems. Goodyear EP SAE 30R9 is CARB approved (C-U-06-011) with a maximum fuel permeation of 15 gm/m2/day at 40˚C.

Fuel Line/PCV/Emission Control Hose SAE 30R7
A multipurpose fuel hose that can be used a fuel line, PCV connection, emission control line or fuel return line.

there are some brands of fuel injection hose that don't have the RIGID inner liner... that i like far better than the good year stuff.. as it really takes a  perfect fitting nipple to properly seal...

i did look around the airtex web site..

there seem to be two six volt pumps...

airtex E8011...

airtex E8902...

when using as a booster pump.. one will want to tee a low pressure check valve around the pump... so the mechanical fuel pump can draw through the check valve when the electric pump is off...

the electric fuel pumps can be kinda restrictive when off..



almost every volkswagen from the mid 80s and early 90s.. has a fuel pump relay with a Pin 31  that is hooked to the negative side of the ignition coil...   when the ignition is pulsing.. the relay is kept closed..
these also turn on for 2 seconds when first powered up....

the small terminal is the corner hooks to the negative side of the coil...

http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/wl2/19446/image/4/

but on a six volt car.. this is kinda moot.. but on all the 12 volt cars..

this is a great junk yard item... one can also usually tell a fuel pump relay.. as most have a fuse on the top of the relay...

[river1]

jaybee

you have a PM

later jim

[jaybee]

Pump is in and it works great. It's an Aeromotive turbine pump that runs off an underdash switch just long enough to fill the float bowl. Instructions were a little fuzzy on polarity to run the pump (remember, 6v positive ground system).

Getting all the crimps right was a little frustrating until I ran home to grab my own crimping tool that crimps the high spot in the barrel instead of his bargain job that squashes the thing flat.  It was OK as long as the same sized wire was in both ends of the crimp, but the switch, fuse holder, and pump leads used a smaller guage wire than the rest. In that situation you have the crimp full on one side but not the other because you have to use a connecter big enough for the larger wire. My crimper isn't an expensive one, it just isn't the cheapest one on the shelf.

In addition the battery was shot and the test light wire came loose from the clamp end but didn't fall off, giving an intermittent connection until I figured out what was wrong and soldered it back on.  Sometimes it's just time to sit in the pondering chair for a while and rewrite the plan.

Whoever ran a new fuel line should have their hand slapped severely.  He snaked the line repeatedly back and forth between the rocker and frame to take up about 18" of extra length instead of making it the correct length and just let it hang there without it being secured in any way.

That last part needs to be resolved yet with some Adel clamps, otherwise the job is done.  It fired immediately after changing the battery and pumping the carb full, came quickly off the choke, and idled down nicely.  Sounds good and responds crisply to the throttle at least at idle.

Didn't get it out for a test drive because at the moment it isn't insured, but Gym (owner) invited me back in the Spring to take it for a drive.  Sounds like a good time, I'm really looking forward to it.

[Rrumbler]

Glad you got it working.  You mentioned the crimps and the connectors and different size wire; here's what I do, and as far as crimped connectors go, it has never been a problem, although I would prefer to solder and shrink sleeve wherever possible.

Most self insulating crimp connectors are color coded: red for 22 to 18 AWG, blue for 16 to 14, and yellow for 12 to 10.  If you are going to butt splice a smaller wire to a larger, for example a 18 to a 16, or a 16 to a 12, use the splice for the larger wire size, strip the smaller wire twice as long as the connector insert distance and twist the strands tightly then fold them back on themselves to the edge of the stripped insulation; give them a tight twist or gently squeeze them together with a pair of pliers, and insert them into the connector, and crimp as usual.  If possible, use a piece of shrink sleeve twice as long as the completed splice to offer some extra support to the wires in the crimp so they won't work harden and break off under vibration.

Check out this page for some more info:

http://svconline.com/mag/avinstall_crimp_connectors_not/

[Mikej]

I have the best results if I strip the wires a little long and slide them thru so they intertwine. Then crimp both side of the butt connecter.

[jaybee]

Great suggestions.  I used shrink wrap, but doubling the wire to increase its volume in the connector or sliding clear through from both ends are new to me.  I'll be sure to remember both of those in the future, even with a tool that makes a good crimp it can only help.

[enjenjo]

I use uninsulated butt connectors, and a crimping tool that puts a dimple in the center of the crimp. You can also buy butt conectors from Del City Wire that are different sizes on each end.