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I am going to change out my fuel system in my 69 Cutlass over the holidays and this is my first time doing so. I am going from a mechanical system to an electric with all Aeromotive products. While I am at it I am replacing the tank, straps, hardware and sending unit with a RobbMc sending unit. The system will use -8 supply and return. I am looking for some help on best place to install the pump and best way to run the wiring to it. Pictures and tips greatly appreciated. When I'm finished I'll have a slightly used RobbMc 550HP mechanical pump and an Aeromotive deadhead regulator available if anyone is in the market for them.
If you are still in the planning stage may I suggest another option. Check out the products from Tanks Inc. They have tanks with internal fuel pumps etc. that may give you some more choices.www.tanksinc.com
The pump is supposed to be below the fuel inlet.
So yours will be close to the bottom of the tank as well but you'll be sucking it up and out of the tank correct?
I think you'll still need to mount it reasonably low.
Maybe along the frame rail?
Mine was easy with a sump added to the tank.
-Pete
Thanks for all the info. Unfortunately I already have everything for the project and quite honestly I'm too lazy to send it all back! Anyway, the picture helps and I think that the exact pump I bought PN 11203.
I appreciate the input and that's one complaint I did not read in the limited reviews. This is very good input. What external pumps have you had good experiences with? My knowledge is very limited as this is fist electric installation.
Probably a dozen applications, EFI'd and carbureted. All were noisy.
Weldon, Walbro, Bosch, Mallory and a host of others are good/quiet pumps. I've never been a fan of the Aeromotive stuff, I always thought it was way overrated. Sorry.
Thanks the input, the more I think about it, the less I am concerned with the noise as the combination of my exhaust, my mechanical flex fan and my stereo almost requires me to wear hearing protection....
I have to agree with the noise of Aeromotive pumps, the ones I've tried were all loud. I've tried many external pumps, and the only one that I found was quiet IMO was the Holley HP series. I have a very quiet exhaust on 2 cars, and that pump you have to actually get on your knees and listen to hear it. Some of the others that were almost as quiet didn't last for crap, extended use cooks most of them.
But, there is no comparison to the in-tank pumps, and the longevity of the Walbros. If it's a driver, there is no other choice IMO. And the Tanks, Inc EFI tanks are the way to go, have the internal sump, and are extremely affordable. One of their' tanks is cheaper than sumping an OE tank, and a sumped OE tank isn't going to have the baffling the Tanks is going to have.
The Aeromotive regulators are nice units, and some of the best out there. The are fast acting and control psi very well, no spikes, etc. They have some of the best boost-referenced units on the market. They have tapered AN fittings and other items that are top-notch too. They also have some of the best high-hp supporting pumps available. That stuff is their' staple, but their' 'street' pumps are basically a fill-in product line. I ran an SS pump for a while, had several fail in constant use, and they were loud no matter what I did.
So I started taking out the old system and all went fairly well except for the fuel tank strap bolts that were rusted and I had to cut off. The biggest issue I have now is how in the hell do you remove the two clamps that hold the fuel lines near the rear axle. They are bolted to the frame and it almost impossible to get a tool on the bolts. What have you all done?
I bought a 1/4 inch breaker bar and that provided some flexibility and was thin enough to fit in the tight spaces. It took some time, but I got them out. Good point about the body bushings and mine are definitely worn which did not help the situation.
I also decided to go with some of the suggestions and bought a Aeromotive stealth tank instead as it has the pump already in it. I went to ship the original tank I bought back to OPGI, but it is going to cost $160....that's what I paid for the damn thing. OPGI said it would be expensive to ship back, but wow. So, I am probably going to sell it locally along with the new RobbMc sending unit that has -8 supply and return lines. If anyone is interested, I can send pictures. I live in Boerne, TX.
I bought a 1/4 inch breaker bar and that provided some flexibility and was thin enough to fit in the tight spaces. It took some time, but I got them out. Good point about the body bushings and mine are definitely worn which did not help the situation.
I also decided to go with some of the suggestions and bought a Aeromotive stealth tank instead as it has the pump already in it. I went to ship the original tank I bought back to OPGI, but it is going to cost $160....that's what I paid for the damn thing. OPGI said it would be expensive to ship back, but wow. So, I am probably going to sell it locally along with the new RobbMc sending unit that has -8 supply and return lines. If anyone is interested, I can send pictures. I live in Boerne, TX.
Hopefully, I am going to get around to installing everything this weekend.... I hate it when life gets in the way of fun. Anyway, looking for input on where to run the -8 fuel lines. Should I try to stay along the path of the original steel lines which I am not sure I can? Thanks for any suggestions.
The best thing to do is to run as little flexible line as possible, and as much aluminum or steel line as possible. There's a number of reasons to do so, such as:
* AN hose has a service life of roughly 5 - 7 years, and most sanctioned race bodies require you replace it in a particular interval
* Hard line is less space consuming, and in general, easier to run
* Hard line is considerably less expensive than AN line
* Hard line can make tighter bends than AH hose
* AN line is susceptible to chafing. Though hard line is too, there's more room to play with when routing to compensate for chafing, like adding a 'slack bend'. Slack bends can be a simple 'wave' or 'S' in the line, to allow for push-pull. The factory in some spots added a short length of flexible line for the same reasons. (Frames twist and bend in operation)
* If you plan to be NHRA legal, and run the line through the frame rail on the passenger side, to forward of the crossmember, AN line can make contact with the coil spring and get pinched.
Although AN line generally lasts longer than 5-7 years, you do run the risk of break down in that time frame.
With that said, yes, running in the same location/manor the factory did is highly advisable. There are a number of reasons the factory ran the lines the way they did, and mainly for safety reasons.
There are a number of great books on the subject of fuel systems and routing, and a considerable number of resources online.
Remember that there are recommended routing and operating angle limitations/specs that the AN manufacturer imposes, so it make sense to read everything an AN manufacturer has on installation of their' hardware.
The pump is supposed to be below the fuel inlet.
So yours will be close to the bottom of the tank as well but you'll be sucking it up and out of the tank correct?
I think you'll still need to mount it reasonably low.
Maybe along the frame rail?
Mine was easy with a sump added to the tank.
-Pete
December 15th, 2015, 05:42 PM
