My really wonderful wife and kids got me a Holley braided/anodized fuel dual feed line for the 4150. She saw them at a car show last summer, and wanted to get our car some "colored pipes". What a gal!

Anyway, now I have some plumbing to do, and was wondering what everyone else prefers for a fuel pump. I currently have a Holley "blue" (802), set up by the previous owner. I don't really like the whine, it runs really hot (uncomfortable to the touch), and I don't have a crash shutoff switch -yet-.

I would actually like a mechanical pump to feed the 4150 on the 454. Some say a mechanical will present the possibility of vapor lock and other ills. It has a plate over the crank access, and I assume the push rod is currently removed (note "assume").

OK, is there a mechanical pump that will work nicely? Or is it cool to run an electric? In either case, I plan to plumb in a pressure gauge at the fuel rail, and take a line from the rear of the rail for a pressure regulator and return line. How does that sound?

Gibbons:
Run both. Use the stock or aftermarket high volume mechanical for everyday street use. Put a switch on the electric and use it when you race. Mine would run out of fuel just before the finish line (1/4 mile) without the help of the electric pump.
The electric pump will also eliminate the vapor lock problem if it ever happens.
GaryR

Gibbons:

I'm running an Edelbrock Mechanical pump
(6 valve) and get a constant 8 psi up to
6000 rpm. I thought I would have to run an
electric in tandam, but its works fine. It's
also very quite. No vapor lock yet.
Good luck.

Brian

If you're car has a fuel return line (a 1/4" line going back to the fuel tank from the fuel pump or fuel filter), it's there to help prevent vapor lock. Connect it if your having vapor lock problems.

I have a holley street pump and its wild i get 9 psi fuel pressure and I have 3/8 fuel lines and a holley double pumper I was so much it required a pressure regulator and at full throtlle on the street 7000 rpm I still get 6 psi not bad for a mechanicl pump most people are amazed at the psi i can get from that pump and only costs $50 bucks.

If you use a elect. pump and a mech. pump together, the elect. pump could ruin the mech. pump and fill your crankcase with gasoline. It has happened. Use one or the other.

Patrick is right! That happened to me! The only reason I found the gas and oil mixed together was a puddle under the car. Good thing I found it. Drained it and changed the oil twice, just to make sure, after running the motor for a little while. Use one or the other just to be safe.

Mechanical is my choice for two reasons; 1 - simplicity and low maintenance 2 - any leak in the fuel line from the tank to the pump will pull air rather than squirt gas (assuming the electric is at/near the tank)
- not common, but could be a problem.

------------------

Gibbons

This is only my theory, if a full glass of milk on the fender doesn't spill a drop when the car is idling, a mechanical fuel pump is the answer. However on the other hand, if you can't keep a teaspoon of water in a five gallon pail when it's idling, you need a Wicor 1683 electric fuel pump, from a 8V71 Detroit Diesel (15 psi at 3 Gallons per minute)

Been there, done that.
Good Luck.
Rob M

I am running the Edelbrock 6 valve mechanical pump and it supplys my nitrous fed big block with plenty of fuel all the way to 6500 rpm at 7 psi. Use a moroso lightweight pushrod and the big mechanical pump and you can get rid of that annoying electric pump.

Gib,
Please remember that everyone here including me has only onpions some are missleading and while others are correct. But when it come down to it, it is a matter of your own preference. You don't mention what kind of motor you have built or the size of the carburator. Your electrical that you have should do the trick for your application. But it also sounds like that you have a bearing problem with the pump you have now. If you do decided to stick with the electrical pump and don't like the whine then put a rubber gasket between the pump and frame. But it is your choice there, are plenty of mechanicals out there that produce the need psi and gph. I have seen pumps that will give you 130 ghp, believe me that is enough unless your motor is putting out over 500+hp.
Well hope that I have helped you a little bit.

Bryan

I have run the Holley electric pump and I agree, it is noisy. I have since changed to a
Mallory pump and it is very quiet. However in retrospec I think I will run a mechanical pump in the future, unless you really need it a electric pump is just a hassle.