LedRush Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I have dropped the fuel tank in my 1955 Buick Series 40 in order to replace the sending unit. While it's out, I am seriously considering installing a small elec pump and filter (as a secondary pump) towards the rear of the vehicle. The on-block mechanical pump will remain as primary. Those who have installed one, where did you decide to locate it? Frame? Trunk floor? Other? I can drill a mounting hole or two but where? Ideally, I avoid drilling altogether and use an existing hole/slot in the frame/chassis. Examining the underside today, I saw a 1.5 inch narrow-oval shaped cutout on the driver's side of the rear frame rail next to the original fuel line at the point the fuel line bends towards the front of the car (and then continues along the frame rail). About where the frame rail and a rear crossmember meet (near the driver's side rear coil spring). The cutout looked factory - as best as I can tell. Clearance looks good. That is, a small pump, filter, and lines should easily fit. Has anyone tried this? Or, more importantly, has anyone ruled out this location? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
195354 Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 An electric pump in my opinion is a requirement. After storage you can prime the carburator and you will have a way to help deal with vapor lock. Buicks are heavy when you have to push them out of an intersection when vapor locked. Next day mine had an electric pump installed. As far as placement the 55 owners should have placement options. Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine Gun Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I installed a small electric pump on the driver side frame rail as close as I could get it to the fuel tank. Just follow the directions that come with your pump as to location and height with respect to the tank and you'll do fine. Be sure to protect the power wire as you run it from the power source to the pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee H Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Some electric pumps (when not operating) can impede fuel flow to the mechanical pump. That can increase the chances of vapor lock. If you plan to use it that way, as only a secondary, you may want to consider using a one-way bypass valve around the pump. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerband Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 many elec. pumps are quite noisy and may interfere with driving enjoyment... . and an important safety note: For safety, electric pump systems should incorporate at least an oil pressure switched power source ( with ign,/start bypass) in case of a fault/leak in fuel supply. Factory setups typically also include a rollover valve for worst case scenarios ... https://www.summitracing.com/search?Sor ... y%20switch . oil pressure switch port split to OEM idiot lite, mechanical gauge, SAFETY switch for fuel pump and a oil feed to Supercharger. . . . have fun 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Use 12 gauge wire to the electric pump. 14 gauge will give too much voltage drop and shorten the life of the pump.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Might be overkill, but GM/Chevy Perf Parts used to sell an inline electric fuel pump. Was the lift pump for the 6.2L Diesels, repurposed for gasoline. Looks like a GF481 fuel filter with wires coming out of it. Had a mounting strap that can go around it. No noise. About 7psi, as I recall. How noisy are the 3.5psi booster pumps? Might some rubber mounts quiet them. Yes, I remember how much sound the old "block-shaped" electric fuel pumps made, but usually the engine and exhaust over-rode them. Just a part of having a "hot rod". NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 This newest 19 year old has joined my cars as a stored, summer only driver. It has an electric fuel pump manufactured into it. None of my old cars have an electric pump and under normal spring starting conditions they start in 20-30 seconds of total "crank and stop a few seconds" time. The Caddy starts instantly after sitting even if it has been a long time. I plan to own it 20 years from now. (Plan doesn't mean I will make it, but I plan). This topic has me thinking about all those zero oil pressure, dry starts. I think I will look into a way to disable the ignition so I can give it 20-30 seconds of cranking time to get my engine oil circulating through all those vital parts. Thinking about a dry engine starting without a little prelube gives me that fingernails on the blackboard shivers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedRush Posted March 10 Author Share Posted March 10 Thanks for all the useful tips and info. I did find a couple of issues with the new sending unit. I'll share them as an FYI. Note that it is a recently-purchased, correct for 1955 Buick unit. It's not a universal. 1) The float arm needed tweaking in two directions - one to get the E..F aspect accurate; the other to bend the bobber away from the intake tube - there was some rubbing/interference. 2) The float bobber was not sufficiently buoyant. I tested with an open tank so I could see the arm swing as fluid was poured in. The bobber was unable to swing the float arm up, eventually getting completely covered, laying on the tank bottom. On this unit, just a hair past empty, there is a no-man's-land zone where the arm doesn't swing smoothly. It physically feels like the resistor has something like a "high spot" there. The bobber was unable to overcome this zone. The dash gauge read empty/near empty constantly until I replaced the new bobber with the old unit's piece and now it works properly. The new bobber appears to be a plastic-based material (definitely different from the original material), whereas, the original looks to be of brass. Now that I have the unit and tank ready for reinstall, I can focus on an elec pump. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenugent Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 18 hours ago, 60FlatTop said: This newest 19 year old has joined my cars as a stored, summer only driver. It has an electric fuel pump manufactured into it. None of my old cars have an electric pump and under normal spring starting conditions they start in 20-30 seconds of total "crank and stop a few seconds" time. The Caddy starts instantly after sitting even if it has been a long time. I plan to own it 20 years from now. (Plan doesn't mean I will make it, but I plan). This topic has me thinking about all those zero oil pressure, dry starts. I think I will look into a way to disable the ignition so I can give it 20-30 seconds of cranking time to get my engine oil circulating through all those vital parts. Thinking about a dry engine starting without a little prelube gives me that fingernails on the blackboard shivers. That's the way mine is set up Benie,I have a on and off switch.I leave it off and crank the motor over to get the oil flowing for about twenty seconds ,then turn it on to start the car (63) riviera.Like a guy on here stated (I'd rather change a starter,than a motor). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine Gun Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 18 hours ago, 60FlatTop said: This topic has me thinking about all those zero oil pressure, dry starts. I think I will look into a way to disable the ignition so I can give it 20-30 seconds of cranking time to get my engine oil circulating through all those vital parts. I have a friend who installed a gizmo that automatically prevents his street rod from starting until the oil pressure reaches a certain level while cranking. I never asked for any details on it but I'd be glad to if you don't find anything on the Web. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedRush Posted March 10 Author Share Posted March 10 Interesting sounding gizmo. After reading 60FlatTop's post, I noticed my modern-day EFI vehicle fires immediately after pressing the start button. Even if the car sits for a few days. I doubt the oil has a chance to begin circulation. Today's problem is nearly opposite of yesterday's - starting has become too efficient. Now I'll want to add delay for a cold start. Otherwise, the off-idle restart has to be quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 (edited) I think you guys are overthinking things. As far as I know, NO car {engine} comes with a pre oiler. Yet, 200,000 + miles is routine! My $0.02. Ben Edited March 10 by Ben Bruce aka First Born (see edit history) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 It's hard to get that 200,000 miles on a car that sits five months out of the year. And if you can let one sit a few months time can slip by and turn into years. I have lived a life both at work and at home filled with a great many non-events and gotten little recognition for it. I cannot remember sitting on the edge of the bed at night and thinking "You know, I was too cautious today." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Most OEM electric fuel pumps have a different oil pressure sending unit to ground the pump. Pump does not start until oil pressure happens. Same if oil pressure is lost, no fuel to the engine. At least that's how it's supposed to work. With light-viscosity oils, "dry starts" are more prevalent than might be suspected. NOT to forget that many oil pumps are NOT in the oil pans any more, too. Most are on the nose of the crankshaft with the pickup screen in a rear-sump pan. Even on the popular Chevy LS-family motors How many of those motors do you hear about with main bearing wear too soon? Then after getting oil to the oil pump, it still has to go through the oil filter element, and THEN into the oil galleys. NO anti-drainback valves in the "bare element" oil filter mechanisms! Piston skirts are now usually coated with a "wear interface", so no "galling" of past times per se. ALL of this makes modern-design motors "time bombs" ready to start ticking (not from dry hydraulic lifters), compared to the 1950s-1980s designs. There used to be an oil additive, ProLong, that kept all of the oil from draining off of internal engine parts. It worked, but in the 1980s, it was not needed unless the engine lost its oil pressure. It was a clear liquid, not a viscosity improver as STP was. Enjoy! NTX5467 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Back in the early 1990s, when Duncan Bull owned 201RY, Roy Bertch, left, used to supervise the spring commissioning. Usually there were 4 to 5 of us on taking turns hand cranking that resistant engine while Roy sat it the driver seat gently tapping the oil gauge waiting for the needle to set stable off the peg. Only then could we begin the fuel feed and think about ignition. We probably cranked between 30 and 40 minutes to get the lube to acceptable starting conditions. My youth, early 40s, was still an impressionable time under the right circumstances. Shop picture courtesy of John Utz, Editor, Flying Lady. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaWildcat Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 I installed an electric fuel pump for priming only in my 1964. It is mounted on the frame rail, using one of the bump stop bolt holes to mount the bracket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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