I know someone might have touched this subject before lightly, but I was wondering about running a 'helper' pump (electric) in my carb system, just to get the fuel to the carb and fill the bowls.....carb is a Q-jet. Plus, if the car sits and the fuel evaps, then it'd help out for that too. I went thru this one and JB Welded all the plugs inside, cleaned it up, and set it up to run 'rightious'...lol. And yes, it does run really well (in the driveway).

So like, is this possible, and what all would I need to do to get it working properly ?


Gracias....

Wouldn't it be easier to just run a high volume fuel pump? I know the fuel evaps after sitting a while but the pump would fill it up pretty quickly. Just my thoughts.

The mechanical system is fine now. Plus I can't afford the 'proper' fuel system for the next motor yet. So I'm looking for CHEAP and EFFECTIVE right now.... :crazy:

RScamaro.. I run a cheap low vol elec pump as a "helper" pump on mine.

Mine a purolator PRO12SV universal elec. fuel pump, 4-7 PSI, 35 GPH. Picked it up at advance auto for around $30. I mounted it in the rear where stock fuel filter went on my 1988 camaro.

Hooking it up was simple.. It's a square body pump, with a made on bracket, just put 2 sheet metal screws, hook ground wire from pump under one of the screws, use rubber fuel line and gear clamps to hook it in your supply line (cut metal line)

At 1st I just wired the hot wire through a toggel switch, but later I put it on a throttle micro switch and set it to trigger on at about 60% throttle.

OK, I've got at Holley red in the back pushing to a hi-vol mech in the front. It's b/c I have the little blue button but I've spent more $$$ on this system than I should have. If you're finally getting that pig block to back out of the driveway under it's own power, stick with a good mech pump. :)

Seriously - you don't need a helper pump, ask my wallet. :(

Extreme Administrator Got a promotion Wayne?

OK, I've got at Holley red in the back pushing to a hi-vol mech in the front. It's b/c I have the little blue button but I've spent more $$$ on this system than I should have. If you're finally getting that pig block to back out of the driveway under it's own power, stick with a good mech pump. :)

Seriously - you don't need a helper pump, ask my wallet. :(

Extreme Administrator Got a promotion Wayne?

Next motor will REQUIRE 1/2" plumbing and possibly a return line from a Holley 850DP.....lol.

Promotion ? Naw, I'm just the one everyone loves to hate. I do alot of the dirty work on the board.....ask around. :cool:

In other thoughts.....think i might put something in parallel to the rear fuel line with the helper pump ?? Then the mech can just work as normal....and a switch just for starting the helper ? Just like a spring loaded push button switch that primes the carb then that's all she needs ? Or one that's hot that I can hit whenever ??

Man...I almost wanna find an EFI setup and say the hell with a carb.....almost....til I look in the wallet.....I shoulda gone back to Iraq to fill the car fund up some more...

RS.. I run mine on the main supply line.. It goes from tank to elec helper pump, to mech. pump, to adjustable reg, to filter then to carb.

The mech pump works just like norm, and it will also let the fuel flow through it from the helper.

With engine off, when I had a toggel switch on the helper pump I could hit the toggel, her pump running, 3 to 5 seconds later the sound changed and my fuel psi gauge starts to move up, another second later the gauge went to and steadied at 4 psi.

find a local shop that builds stainless steel braided lines, it isn't as expensive if you plan it out and save your money, instead of doing thing you really don't need to do.

i been down this road afew time, hence why i went with the 1/2" line on the car to begin with! more then the 350 needs now, but i can upgrade without spending more money on fuel lines.

When I go 1/2" i'm going hard line in the stock location (not aluminum lines). That way its 'out of the way' and will almost go unnoticed :cool: .

I have a regulator I think somewhere....Holley brand.....but that'd mean I need to plumb in a guage now.....

Oh well....guess I have time to save up for something....

Wayne, what the hell does it matter if it only needs enough fuel to make it to the edge of the sidewalk,, and only a couple of time a year????

ROTF

Be cautious in adding a low end 'helper pump to what you have now. Yes it would fill the Q-jet and make it easier to start, but some of the low end pumps get freeked out when the motor starts and the mechanical pump pulls harder than the electric can push. We had a small electric Mopar pump on a boat that would try to shut the fuel down. It would start fine, everything was cool, but once you went uyp on plane and was eating fuel, the electric would restrict / shut the fuel down and you'd run out of gas. But as soon as the engine stoped and the mechanical quit pulling fuel,, the electric would go back to work. Don't you know that was a nightmare to figure out!!! When we tossed the little electric pump, everything ran fine again. Just it was a PITA to get started.

OK, on that note Marv (thanks for the kind words you ol dust bunny).....what about the small electric pump AROUND the mech pump ?

Or even better yet, do something with the return line that's there (car is an LT so it has a return line stock). Cuz like, I really don't wanna sit there and crank and crank and crank all damn day....

Unless you think a new mech pump would solve that problem ? I don't think its leaking from the carb, just dripping back down the fuel line back to the tank....emptying the 'leftovers' between the needle seat and the fuel pump (although my glass filter is below the pump and is ALWAYS full of fuel.....)

Any other suggestions on how to fix this (besides start it every day.....)

:p

imo, I really don't like the two pump setups. Just asking for problems if one pump has to work against the other, and its twice as many things to go wrong in a fuel system.

You probably have other problems that a second pump isn't going to solve. Even if your system 'drains back', it won't take so much fuel out of the carb that it won't start. Even if it did, any decent mech pump should fill it all back up in two revolutions anyway. Might want to lose the glass filter before it breaks, or gets you tossed out at tech....or just keep it on the grassy side of the sidewalk. ;)

O don't worry about that ZS10,, this thing STAYS on the grassy side of the walk. Doesn't have enough power to push all the dead weight over the bump.

Wayne, I agree that I don't think pump is the only thing going wrong here. Do this. After it sits for a while go out, pull the air cleaner and see if the accelerator pump squirts. There is enough fuel in 1 or 2 hits of the throttle to start the motor on the first firing of any plug.

If your sure it's a pump problem,,, bite the bullet and get the pump your going to run with the final combination. You can always adapt it down to the small line size with rubber hose and barb fittings for now. No sense in spending money on ANY pump that is going to be replaced on that auspicious day that this pile does actually make it across the walk.