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Electric fuel pump

mccp

Enthusiast
Messages
6
Location
Cambridge UK & Nebian France
I'm thinking of replacing the fuel pump on my Savane with an electric one - has anyone done this on their R4? If so, I have some questions:
  1. What fuel pump to use?
  2. Where to put it? Engine bay seems easiest, near fuel tank seems better for the pump.
  3. What circuit to wire it to? My MG Midget has the fuel pump running whenever the ignition is switched on - some commenters on the Internet seem to think that's a fire hazard.
If I get this done I'll document the project on here.
 
My Lancia Montecarlo had a cut-off system to prevent the pump operating in certain conditions.
I will see if I can find the circuit diagram
 
Triumph TR6's with PI and later 70's US spec Alfa Spiders with SPICA injection had a resettable G switch so the pump would stop after a crash even if the ignition was still switched on. The Triumph one was Lucas, so good luck with that if you go ahead.... Probably the only time it would ever work without fail would be when you've just slid to a halt and petrol is fountaining merrily onto your lap.

My question.. why an electric fuel pump? Unless you go for a modern high pressure one they would be the most unreliable, accursed piece of kit you could possibly want in a car. One of the major reasons UK car sales crashed in Australia, the rows of stranded Brit cars by the side of the road on a hot day.
 
Quick question - can you use an electric feel pump in line with the mechanical feel pump. Maybe with a switched electric one. Will the mechanical pull the fuel through an electric pump and will an electric pump push through a mechanical one. Maybe using the electric purely as a primer pump when the car has not been used. (thinking others cars too)
 
I can't quite see the point of fitting an electric fuel pump. If M Renault had deemed it necessary surely he would have fitted one originally. The mechanical pump is perfectly adequate for a standard engine, and as long as you keep your battery charged, a few turns of the starter should be enough to fire up the beast!
 
It would be a modern pump, so it will be reliable. The old electro-mechanical pumps were rubbish I know. I've been stranded in France in my MG Midget before because of one of those.

Keeping the battery charged is fine but I guess I don't like sitting there with the engine turning over for ages.
 
I like electric pumps. It's nice to be able to prime the carb with fuel before turning over the engine. Makes it start really quickly. I didn't like the SU electro-mechanical pumps, but the modern solid state replacements are fine.

I keep meaning to take photos of my installation on the R4 Gordini. Mine is a Facet Low Pressure pump something like this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Facet-12v...882?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item461ddec6da
Works out quite long with the pipes installed, and mine seems to click all the time even when the float chamber is full. Seems to work fine though - it's been on a year without problems.

I've mounted mine on the inside of the RHS chassis using a home made bracket held on by the suspension mounting bolts.

The Renault 5TX has an electric pump that looks and behaves like the solid state replacement pumps the MG people will sell you. Let me know what you choose - I want to fit an electric pump to my F4 van.

The problem with the Gordini which made me fit a new pump turned out to be a split pipe to the tank letting air in. You can tell if that is the problem by air bubbles in the fuel filter. I reckon the problem with my F4 is just a worn out mechanical pump.
 
Yes the SU electro mechanical pump was a pain, but then, back in the day that was all we had to work with. I had a 3 litre TVR which was fitted with a Mitsuba electric pump, and when I couldn't stop it leaking I replaced it with a Facet one, and like you Malcolm I found it continually ticked, rapidly. I even fitted a fuel regulator, and tried various settings but it still ticked quickly in all situations. Eventually it packed up. I then fitted a lower pressure one, and that was still working ok when I sold the car, but it still had that habit of seeming to work too hard.
 
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In the engine bay, on the fuel line either before the fuel pump, or immediately after it. It makes no difference.
 
Thanks! Ordered one. Will let you know how I get on :)
 
Really old cars had a priming lever on the side of pump in conjunction often with a glass filter bowl
Not seen any on R4 but lots of 60s cars did
 
Hi Angel!
correct petrol-pressure is 0,7 bar am I right? Any el-pump delivering this little? seems a good idea to mount a Filter-King press.limiter after pump then..
How does pumps cope with this resistance? My 5TX 1400cc was delivered originally with el-pump anybody know the correct pressure on it? It originally also had
a return (3.rd pipe) would it be ok to just block that one-or would it make more sense to run a return-line to tank?
Strange thing is I saw Pierburg offering their mech.pump for the TX cheaper than anyone else..B4 Pierburgs were alwaysy te dearest ones around..

This new ethanol-mixed petrol, E5 and E10,seems to rise same question as some of the additives in E.evaporates at as low temp as 40C. so could mean the motor sees too lean mixture and gets really hot..I'm thinking motor could benefit from a return-line to tank to mix the hot petrol with cooler stuff in tank.. Any thoughts?
Also Hi Paul!
didn't see you in Reims. did you make it down there? had a great time and found some shelf-fillers. Stan (Orkneys) were there too..herd he had a good time too.
-R.
 
Yes I did get to reims been trying to upload to gallery my pics went in friends renault 16 ts
done it now
 
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