mechanical vs electric fuel pump

[cabriolet409]

Gentlemen,
I am currently putting the finishing touches on the hard lines for a 1965 409 engine which I put in my 1934 Ford Cabriolet. I am having a guy in Texas make some braided steel lines for me, and we are now working on the fuel rail (the engine has dual quad Edelbrock carbs). I have a mechanical fuel pump in the stock location, which will have a billet filter mounted to it, then the braided steel line up to the fittings on the carbs. He is suggesting that I switch to an electric fuel pump mounted back by the gas tank. I wanted your opinion regarding whether the mechanical fuel pump is OK in this application. A couple of points:
1) The engine was built at Show Cars, they ran it with the mechanical pump in place, and said it performed just fine.
2) Everything is already plumbed from the gas tank forward to supply the mechanical pump. It must be a shorter run of fuel line in this car than it would be in a stock Impala, and I see those at car shows all the time running just fine with the stock pump.
3) While I plan to drive this car hard, it certainly wouldn't be any harder than cars run at the drag strip, which have also run mechanical pumps just fine.

Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated!
Cabriolet409

 

[Fathead Racing]

For your application a mechanical fuel pump would be my pick. Elec pumps are noisy and will run as long as you have the key on unless you wire it through an oil pressure switch. Lots of extra wiring to install an electric pump for safty reasons. Electric pumps require a pressure regulator also. Mech pump if you have stock would not. The pump I run , Carter street strip is rated at 7 psi. Just right for your dual quads!

 

[thepurelife]

Personally,If its not broke dont fix it.I prefer the electrical pump but its not going to make a mojor difference if your just barking tires and runing from light to light keep the mechanical.Thats something you can always change later without a big major but the way I see it if something is already done and nice leave it alone unless application requires the change.Im kinda getting the feeling your running out of things to do and the fever is still high.If your appplication dont require a change sometimes its best to look at things that a change really would help.How is your ign system?Also what is the psi raitings on your mechanical pump?Personally I would leave it alone if its good and find something else to spend your time on.Although I do favor the electrical pumps when I see a mechanical pump is fine in a showcar/hotrod I leave it alone.Sounds like you have the whole set up already done nicely.

 

[cabriolet409]

Mr. Fatride,
Would that pump be available in "chrome finish"? I looked recently at a Holley 80 gpm mechanical sbc pump recommended by someone here on the forum, and it is available in a polished finish. I currently have the original on the engine, which is fine for stock applications, but with all the other bling is looking pretty grungy now!

Many thanks for your advice! bang

 

[threeimpalas]

If you have enough room between the frame rail and the block to run the mechanical pump and mount your filter, then I'd just as soon do that. You'd have a much easier time finding the right replacement mechanical pump should you break-down in Podunk, ST than you would an aftermarket electric one.

 

[models916]

What size line

3/8 fuel line on a performance pump like a Carter or Holley will supply 600 hp. after that run an electric in back pushing to the mech. and use it as a regulator.

 

[Skip FIx]

Holley,Edelbrock as well as others have a 6 valve high perf racing mechanical available for Chevies. Much more output than their hi perf pumps, NASCAR uses these types.

There are some quiet electrics. Mallory's pumps are quiet, their 110 doesn't need a regulator. The 140 does. The 140 feeds my 10 second Pontiac. Some of the NEW Holley pumps are quiet also.Not their red or blue ones though.

My old 09 used a Carter electric(not quiet) through the mechanical. I would just turn it on when racing.

 

[Fathead Racing]

Carter part #CRT-M5900P is the one you want

http://store.summitracing.com/defau...rch&DDS=1&N=115&target=egnsearch.asp&x=37&y=7

 

[SS425HP]

Fuel Pump price

Ray, is that price right??????????????? I don't ever remember paying that much for a mechanical pump, but maybe it's been a while since I bought one. Maybe 40 years?????

 

[Fathead Racing]

Fred, that price is for the nickle polish finish. Plain of same type is 64.00

 

[jim_ss409]

I'm using a stock style high perf. Carter on my 476ci Impala. I can't remember the galons per hour rating because I got it several years ago. It's fed by 3/8" lines and it keeps up alright for drag racing. I did put a fuel presure gauge on it and found that it'll drop as low as 2psi though. I think the rough rule of thumb is that a pump with a rating of 110 gph @ 6psi will suport 550hp so the 120gph pump in Fatrides link should be plenty big. There's a piston style fuel pump that's become available recently. It bolts to the block like a regular pump and it looks good. But it's not cheap. http://www.racepumps.com/tech.html

 

[desapience]

Gentlemen,
I am currently putting the finishing touches on the hard lines for a 1965 409 engine which I put in my 1934 Ford Cabriolet. I am having a guy in Texas make some braided steel lines for me, and we are now working on the fuel rail (the engine has dual quad Edelbrock carbs). I have a mechanical fuel pump in the stock location, which will have a billet filter mounted to it, then the braided steel line up to the fittings on the carbs. He is suggesting that I switch to an electric fuel pump mounted back by the gas tank. I wanted your opinion regarding whether the mechanical fuel pump is OK in this application. A couple of points:
1) The engine was built at Show Cars, they ran it with the mechanical pump in place, and said it performed just fine.
2) Everything is already plumbed from the gas tank forward to supply the mechanical pump. It must be a shorter run of fuel line in this car than it would be in a stock Impala, and I see those at car shows all the time running just fine with the stock pump.
3) While I plan to drive this car hard, it certainly wouldn't be any harder than cars run at the drag strip, which have also run mechanical pumps just fine.

Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated!
Cabriolet409

I think one thing over-looked in all the responses is my question as to what you're running for brackets, if any, on the passenger side of the 409? Let's say you wanted to have some nice billet brackets for you new chromed alternator, and chromed Sanden A/C compressor, okay? Having a mechanical pump, with the line to the carbs running it's usual stock-way, will greatly limit your creativity in the brackets you can use. If you go to my picture gallery, at my 55-409, and look closely at how I ran braided steel lines, up the right-side of the firewall (encased in a polished aluminum tube), turning to a blue "Earl's" micro-filter, then to a Mallory fuel-pressure regulator, and on to the carbs... that approach allowed me to have the cleanest install for "Zoops" A/C and alternator billet brackets. There were no fuel lines to contend with in the right-front of the engine/bracket area at all, nor along the A-arms or inner frame-rail.

Dr. D.