The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Fuel Pump - Mech or Elect (V8 related)

Although I am planning to use a mechanical fuel pump in my V8 54 (carb induction) I have others telling that an electric fuel pump wound be a better way to go.

If i were running fuel injection I would understand but I will be using a 600 CFM Edlebrock and will not be using a fuel return line.

Would there be a distinct advantage to the electric pump?

you shouldn't have any problems with a hi flow mech pump. i have an electric pump for mine because my motor came out of a car with an electric pump. plus it will have a kill switch on the fuel pump power line for my anti theft device.

i think the mechanical ones are more reliable, unless you want to spend some $ for a real nice electric one. i have a holley blue, and the first one failed when i first started the car. it was not from improper instalation either.

To the best of my knowledge there's no real advantage to an electric pump over a mechanical one on a carbureted vehicle. Yeah, if the float bowls drain, you can turn on the pump (and listen to it make noise) while it fills them up....on the other hand, if the bowls are dry and the battery is dead a push start will never get it running. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

I wouldn't install an electric unless I had a specific reason to. But that's just me.

the only real reason would be if you needed a super-duper high flow pump for a real fuel hungry motor. for the average street rod, a mechanical pump flows plenty. there are some nice hi-flow mechanical ones, i think edelbrock makes a nice one.

I have wonna them Edelbrock fuel pumps on my 63 Nova with 355 V8. I kept having fuel leaks and couldn't figure out where they were coming from. This spring I fired it up and fuel was streaming out of the airhorn gasket (it's an Edelbrock 600 cfm carb) just as if the needle valve(s) were stuck open. Just for the heck of it, I decided to try something different. I had a Demon 750 carb sittin on the shelf, so I put that on. First, I'd never tried the carb and didn't know if it would work. Second, I wanted to see about the leaking thing.

The Demon carb leaked from the rear float bowl, too. After some head scratching, I got an el cheapo fuel pressure regulator and slapped it in the line right in front of the carb. I set it to about 4.5 psi and "Viola!" Neither carb leaked. I took the Edelbrock apart and made sure the needle valves weren't gummed up (they may have been slightly sticky) and it's back on the car now and runs fine. And no more leaks. Ohh....the Demon worked fine, although it was jetted too rich for the 355. I'll run it on the AFR-head, roller-cam 406 in my 85 Monte Carlo when I get it fired up.

It seems that E-brock pump was putting out too much pressure for either carb to handle. In fairness, I think there are 2 versions of that pump. One is high presure, the other one is low pressure. I got this one from a "friend of a friend" and I don't know which one it is. It might be that it's supposed to put out 12 psi...but that's way too much for an AFB (and apparently for the Demon) carb to handle.

So I think I'll just stick with stock pumps from now on unless it's for a race motor with a requirement for lotsa fuel...and then I'll run a regulator and gauge.

One other thing on the E-brock fuel pump. If I let that car sit for a week or so without running it, the carb drains completely and requires a lotta cranking (and maybe some starting fluid) to get it fired up. I dunno if this is common to the Edelbrock pumps or not. I'd swap it out with a stock pump, but it's so close to the front crossmember that it's a real bear to change. And I have plenty of other projects to keep me occupied.

yeah, it looks like there is a street model and a high pressure race model:

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/mc/fuel_pumps/fuel_pumps_main.shtml

I have used both,I am currently using an electric pump on my 350,4 bbl.Only brcause I had one and my mechanical pump quit.Either one will work fine.

I was watching NASCAR a couple of weeks ago and they were saying they all have mechanical fuel pumps. They can not have an electrical pump because if they get in a crash or should I say when they crash. The electrical system does not shut down and a electrical fuel pump would keep pumping. I like 1-ton's kill switch idea.

I moved the gas tank from the cab to under the bed. I keep the mechanical pump at the time because it was working good. Maybe I'll keep it.

Edelbrock carbs do not like much fuel pressure.
E's manuals recommend a fuel pressure regulator, set at 5lbs.

Cheers,
mark.

Thanks for all the replies. I am going with the mechanical and have notched the subframe crossmember for the required clearance. One more thing to cross off the list.