Technical &%$*% electric fuel pumps!!!!!

OK. I have had my Willys since 1965. Been reliably on the road since '95. I started out with a Carter rotary electric fuel pump which ran great for 10 years or so. I like the design concept of the rotary pump. It suddenly quit. Got 10 yrs, not bad so got another Carter. It ran good for 5 years, maybe 1 year actual run time since I was retiring and moving from Cal to Texas, and quit. Not happy with Carter run times in general, I decided to try a Holley ********. Put it on a couple years ago in Texas but haven't driven the car much at all for the last 5 or so years so pump has 45?min run time, max. Went out to start the car today and the carter vibrated for about a minute then quit. It has voltage, just doesn't run.

I cut open the Carters by grinding the crimp rim and found the commutators were scaled over from running submerged in gas as they are designed to do. I polished the comms and they run like champs. I found some V-clamps that I think I can re***emble the Carters and run them again with the advantage of reconditioning occasionally.

I would prefer not to have that h***le would just like a fuel pump that pumps. Does anyone have a suggestion ?

 

Any pumps use brushless motor ?get dirty and wear.
Little to no wear,and...NO brushes or commutators to get dirty or wear.

Just looked. Many !
Just not cheap. Should be MUCH more reliable, and more rpm stable. Should have no problem with leaving you stranded.

Mike

 

Haven’t used one personally but a friend has and he likes em. A GM 6.5 diesel lift pump. About 4 psi.
Threaded ends.
I’m about to use one on a project.
I’ll buy 2. Run one and a spare.
I do the same with mechanical pumps.

 

I noticed that you have a lot of sitting around not being driven time when the pumps act up.

Drive the damn car every week, the fuel pump will love you for it

 

My rod has had the Carter 4070 pump on it since 2010. Still works fine.
BUT, I only turn it on when the rod hasn't been started for a few days (to prime the carb) or when I get a vapor lock, going down the highway.
The rest of the time I depend on the GM Performance Parts mechanical fuel pump.

 

Maybe try a pump rated for alcohol and nitromethane. The gas in recent years has been rather corrosive and race pumps seem to last here ok.

 

I am considering trying an OEM pump. Biggest problem is they usually put them inside the gas tank!!

 

This one is external

 

I've had this in my 59 for 5 years now. I think it was $25 at the local parts store. I have a spare, but never needed it yet. I use the spare to pump out fuel tanks and transfer fuel into other vehicles.

Mounted as low as possible at the tank, the rear is out in the pic.

 

Sometimes you can bring the rotary type back from the dead. I tighten a hose clamp around 'em, hook up 12 volts or 18 from a cordless drill battery, and whack the screw head on end with a small hammer to twist the body of the pump, while the rotor stays still.
Often this will get the brushes onto a clean part of the commutator and the thing will start up. I spray WD40 into the pump first.
I like to pour a little ATF into a pump before storing it, to help prevent commutator corrosion.

 

If the pumps are scaling over, its not a pump problem, its a fuel problem.

Leaving modern fuel sit more then 4 or 5 months can create all kinds of problems with everything. A fuel pump that is in the fuel line probably doesn't have fuel in it after it sits idle for a while. When the air hits the fuel and lets it dry, it turns into a scale like substance. The in tank pumps are submerged in the fuel so the air doesn't turn the drying fuel into scale.

If your going to let the vehicle sit for long periods of time, drain the line and blow the fuel out of it, or pull the pump off, blow it out, and store it in a sealed plastic bag. Or you can descale the pump after every long term storage, before you put it into service.

 

Anthony, any part numbers or application info for that pump? I know diddly about diesels. Are the threaded fittings SAE or metric?

 

Sounds good. I already opened them at the swedge. The have a really fat rubber seal between the steel can and pot metal head and I found a swedge shaped clamp that appears to seal it. Once you polish the comm, the motor spins like a champ. I just ordered a Summit brand ********, probably made by Holley for them. Will try it. In the mean time will fool with the 'repairable' carters. Ain't hot rodding fun?!

 

EP 1000, EP309 are a couple numbers
Not sure on the threads.
Also google “gm 6.5 lift pump”
Also “6.2 lift pump”

 

Sounds like you may be getting water in your tank somehow.

 

Next time try submerging in an ultrasonic in sea foam.

Mount an electric pump with the discharge up if at all possible and the longevity will be drastically increased.

Couple of tips from the marine industry. . .

 

Personally I have had nothing but trouble with mechanical pumps, and I am going to electric fuel pumps on my vintage car.

The E85 kills anything aluminum, on of the few advantages of living in New York State is that we can buy non ethanol 93 octane at the pumps.

 

OK. Been working on the car and I am pretty sure you guys are right about too much downtime. Put on a new pump and got gas to the carb but no squirters. Took the front bowl off my Holley and the squirter check ball was frozen in place. Loosened that and cleaned out all the 'dust' and is working well now. All the line filters are very clean so no 'dirt' just the sticky 'dust'. Need to get in the habit of driving it at least once a week. Maybe I am too rough on the electric pumps? Nah, they are still sketchy!!

 

New fuels don't have the lubricuty of the good ol days. Before you store it next time dump some Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas and drive it around a little. Stabil has an ethanol variant in the product line too but the marvel seems to be a universal use deal that really helps. FWIW the most relaible pumps of yesteryear were always the Carter vane pumps and the old tried and true Holley blue or red. Red for us street drivers. Motor up, always. Since they're vane pumps they too like the Marvel for stroage. In lieu of marvel you can also add TCW3 rated (outboard motor) 2 stroke oil as a fuel lubricant. Maybe 4oz to a full tank and you won't get smoke. I add 1/2 pint to my D'max diesel on long trips and it runs so quiet it feels like a g***er vs diesel. Helps lube all the hi-tech injector parts. Being the OCD builder I am I always dis***embled the Holley blues and polished the vanes with 1200 sandpaper so they'd stay slick and not freeze into the rotor. Did I have to? I dunno, kinda like a pistol as in better to have it and not need it...?

 

Best electric fuel pump ever Stewart warner 240a quiet and rebuildable.

 

Good tip, I thought of using a fuel stabilizer but never followed thru. I think just driving it once a week would solve most of my problems!!

 

I've had a Holley red pump on my Austin for over 18,000 miles now and no issues. That's about 12 years of driving, and it only sits over the winter; although even then I start it every 4-6 weeks.

 

You have a fuel issue, not a pump issue.

The pump is just a victim.

 

I've done well with Holley Blue (on faster street cars, I guess?). They do get old and fail...I've encountered rust in the motor, and magnets coming loose, but that's on pretty old pumps with a LOT of miles on them.

Seems he got the message about driving the car, it's worked for me! And far more important now with the alcohol in the fuel.

 

I have been using Holley red with no issues for years

 

How many cars do you have, Jim?

I'm picturing a key rack labelled Monday, Tuesday...

 

we only have 5 cars now, but we've had more at times. And yeah, we have a key rack just like that....

 

Hard to see in the pic I posted but my cheapo pump is mounted at a 40⁰ angle with discharge pointed upward. Instructions said this was best for air and pump longevity too.

 

I’ve often thought about adding an electric fuel pump to my cars that sit a while between starts.
It remains just an idea as long as a few squirts of gas into the carb from a bottle keeps working for me.

 

I've had an extra electric pump on a few, pushing through the mechanical pump, it helps starting after sitting, and keeping it going on those hot days, up long grades, etc. Only turn it on when needed (if both pumps are the type that will let fuel flow through them when not pumping)