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Electric vs mechanical Imp fuel pump

Thebartman

Active member
I purchased a 1404 Imp this spring and it sat all summer.
I got it out and serviced it this fall. Have already used it. It's great!
The mechanical pump on the block it dead. It's got a aftermarket (cheap) electric fuel pump on it. I do carry a spare.
I have purchased a NOS mechanical fuel pump.
Change or not? Opinions? I'm leaning mechanical...
 

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cloudcap

Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'm in the process of converting my Imp to an electric fuel pump -- the mechanical pump takes a *long* time to get started after sitting for a while. Maybe a new mechanical one would be better, but electric seems like a quick/easy fix.

The only downside I see has to do w/ the original Solex carb. The brass fitting for the fuel line has a tendency to pop out of the carb body -- w/ an electric fuel pump you run the risk of pumping/spraying fuel into the engine compartment. When the fitting on my carb came loose I re-seated it w/ the "permanent" flavor of Permatex (I think it was the red stuff, but am not 100% sure). Haven't had a problem w/ that for several years now.

If reliability is a concern then toss an extra electric fuel pump into the tool kit -- it is cheap, doesn't take up much space, and is easy to swap out.

Ron
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
I vote for electric and a spare because it's much easier to know it's working and gets fuel to the carb faster.
I've put electric on everything including my diesel backhoe. Also keep a couple of 5 gallon gas containers that have an electric pump taped to them with tubing and hose and filters.
 

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
One other item on the NOS. Unless you are running ethanol free gas, the older diaphragm, seals may not last.

For what it's worth on my trac, I have a priming electric pump near the tank and the original. I can prime before starting to fill the carb without having to spin the engine.
 

turbinator62

Active member
Site Supporter
SUPER Site Supporter
I second that. The electric pump will fill the carb bowl before you even start cranking. When a cat has been sitting for a long time the fuel evaporates out of the bowl vent. With a mechanical pump, you have to crank the engine just to fill the bowl so its harder on the battery. When I got my imp, one of the first things I did was eliminate the mechanical pump. Virtually no modern gasoline vehicles (with an electrical system) are built with mechanical pumps anymore.
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
You might want to consider what happens in an accident, roll over, or engine failure. The electric pump will continue to pour fuel into the engine on hot parts etc. and fire will be extreme. Just a thought.
 

Cidertom

Chionophile
GOLD Site Supporter
If you worry about accident etc, then there are tilt switches. Otherwise, when I kill the ignition, if the electric is in ON, the pump dies.

If I'm upside down the gas running out the top of the tank vent will be more of a problem.

Then again I don't drive one of them thare top heavy tuckers, so don't worry about dirty side up that much.
 

zspryte

Member
Site Supporter
Go electric with a really good fuel filter. I tried 3 cheap pumps like the $40 Napa version. My gas had either a little dirt or water that iced up and it locked each pump up. Added a marine type filter with a Mallory fuel pump (a bit pricey but very quite) and problem free for 5 years. In hind site probably could have run a cheap pump with the good filter. For safety wire the pump through an oil pressure switch such that the pump only runs during starting or when the oil pressure is above some level. Add a prime button to fill the carb bowl for faster starting. You won't regret it.
 

PJL

Well-known member
Great idea on the oil pressure switch. You could trigger a relay with the switch and be certain the pump is off if the engine stops.
 
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