73aussie455

So my fuel pump is leaking, thinking about an electric pump instead of the mechanical one.

Is there any problem with going to an electric fuel pump?

Any pitfalls or traps for new players with electric pumps?

I see they (electric) are rated for pressure delivery, what rating would I need for 455 with 4bbl used for street use?

Thanks for reading!

cfair

Wire it through the oil pressure sensor, no oil pressure = no fuel. They are loud, though in the engine compartment or bolted to the frame. You'd want some noise reduction provision. Or just go stock mechanical like olds designed....

MDchanic

It's extra work for no gain, but if you want to, you certainly can.

- Eric

JohnnyBs68S

How do you get fuel to the carb to start the car then?

rjohnson442

Cranking the motor with the starter builds pressure turning the pump on. Besides the bowls will still have fuel in them from before to get it to fire.
And stick with the stock pump and save time and money down the road.

joe_padavano

The carb float bowl will hold more than enough gas to start the car, build oil pressure, and run for a short time - more than enough to get the fuel pump started. The problem is on cars that are driven infrequently, where the fuel in the bowl evaporates over time. You can easily run a separate priming switch to the pump if that is a problem.

The bigger question is, why go through all the trouble for a relatively stock car? Replacing the leaking mechanical pump will be easier and cheaper.

garys 68&72

Oil pressure safety switches have an open terminal and a closed terminal leading to the pump. The closed is wired to the ballast resistor bypass so that it runs the pump while cranking. When oil pressure builds the switch goes over to the other 12 V source.
But stick with the mechanical pump. Most run into issues with wiring, mount locations, etc when going to electrical. They have to be low and close to the tank, or intank. And there's no real gain by doing it.

jaunty75

These comments hit the nail on the head.

The fuel pump was leaking on my '73 Custom Cruiser last fall. I went to the auto parts store, bought a new one, put it in, and, you know what? No more leaks. Car runs fine. It even ran fine before the replacement, but I didn't like the leak.

Yes, you can put in an electric fuel pump. You can also, say, replace the headliner with one made of spun gold. But, in both cases, what do you gain?

JohnnyBs68S

That's the situation I encounter frequently. It always seems to be a race between the fuel pump re-filling the bowl enough to fire and the battery having enough residual charge to crank it long enough. I could see the usefullness of a bypass switch on an electric pump though, takes one of those variables out of the equation (although oil pressure would usually build up quick enough to turn the pump on before the battery would run down). I can certainly see the safety aspect of having the pump shut off immediately when the oil pressure drops.

waterzap

I had a cadillac seville with the electric fuel pump. Actually had one on the frame, and one in the tank. The frame one was so loud. One of the problems owners always complain about. Mechanical pumps make no noise that I can hear.

70cutty

I have a Edelbrock Quietflo. It's nice and quiet, a lot quieter than Holley I had on my Chevelle.

brown7373

Of all the newer cars I have had, when an electric pump fails, it fails NOW, with little warning. I never saw or smelled a leak, indication it was going bad like a mechanical. I have had mechanicals give me signs, long before they completely failed, which means I wasn't stranded on the side of the road like I was with electric. If you are running a highly modified engine that a mechanical can't supply enough fuel to, then go mechanical. Otherwise, why go through all the effort to gain nothing?

jag1886

Use a stock pump it will out last any electric pump. I've been left stranded twice with electric pumps, never with a mechanical.

Tedd Thompson

X2 if you tack the life of a new mechanical pump on to what milage you have on your car (engine) now your car will probably be wore out by the time you need another. Back in the day I seldom got better than 10,000 miles out of a electrical pump and they sounded like Woody Wood Pecker going down the road besides....Tedd

73aussie455

Thanks for the replies.
AUD$100+ for a 455ci mechanical pump here and about USD$70-$80 for one from ebay US inc shipping. At those prices, electric pumps work out about the same.
However, you have swayed me back to a mechanical fuel pump
Just need to find one that wont break the bank.

Well actually jaunty, a spun gold headliner would totally match the color and 'Pimp' theme of my Delta. Where do I get one?? Lol...

MDchanic

Mine is made out of the sky. I like it better.

Except when it rains...

- Eric

Fun71

Move to Arizona where it rarely ever rains. The 110+ Summer temps may scorch your head, though.

johnnyjaws

X3 get a mechanical fuel pump