Holley Blue Fuel Pump warning

[Leecbr]

Hey Guys I was checking the wiring and organizing some stuff in my trunk. When I noticed the Holley Blue fuel pump was spraying some fuel ( very slight and sporadic sprays ) from this hole (Referr to the arrow in the photo).

After a little while it would stop but I noticed the outer portion of the pump was wet with fuel...The pump continued to sweat fuel.

Has anyone owning a Holley Blue ever noticed this happening with their pump? This can't be normal....

I had it installed in my cobra last December. I never thought to check it, figured it was new..

I looked at photos of these pumps online but I didn't see any of them with this hole. Is mine a defect? I don't think there should ever be fuel of any sort leaking..Little or alot..

I ordered an electric high performance Mallory 4110 comp series 110 fuel pump. The Mallory 4110 comp series brand was originally in my cobra when I bought it. It was very quiet. It worked fine.. It had been in the car since 1993 so I wanted to change it out for piece of mind.

I was told by the Checker Oreilly guy that the Holley Blue was good...I should of just replaced the old Mallory with a new identical Mallory pump. Got suckered into trying something new..

I noticed the Holley Blue was way loud to begin with..made weird sporadic sounds...Other times high pitch whines and pulsating moans ..

So if you have one of these Holley Blue pumps make sure to check it when you turn on the pump at start/idle..

Lee

[YerDugliness]

My Cobra has the Mallory billet fuel filter and the Mallory fuel pump....although I bought it used, the owner gave me a packet of info and told me some history on the car. Apparently it was constructed in 1994, so that makes the pump 17 years old. It still runs perfectly, never leaks, never lets me down. I always turn on the ignition and let the pump run for a few seconds before I turn the key to the start function....it fires up without needing to be pumped.

There's not much good news regarding the Holley blue pump on the other automotive forums I frequent (like the GT40s forum).

Good choice!!

Cheers!

Dugly

[Leecbr]

Dugly,

Yeah I am through with Holley anything as far as fuel pumps.. I just read a few bad posts about them on here and other forums too..When I bought my car ..I was new to cobras and parts etc. Now with what I know and read about the Holley ( blue) fuel pumps I would of never bought a Holley.

I've read a few reviews about the Mallory 4110 series 110 pumps.. It's had really good customer reviews.

I will install the Mallory fuel pump next week... Glad to hear your review with Mallorys. I should of just replaced my old mallory with a new mallory..Live and Learn..

Lee

[Jim Kellogg]

I have been getting approximately 20,000 to 30,000 miles (2-3 years) out of my Holley Blue pumps on my SPF. Don't know if it is time or mileage related, but they have left me stranded more than once over the years.

First one just stopped working. Second one started leaking big time. I am on my third one with approximately 80,000 miles on my SPF.

I have been told that you need to make sure these pumps get enough current, using heavy gauge wire to feed the pump directly from the battery, then a relay for on/off. This may have been the problem with my first pump, but doesn't explain the housing leak on the second pump.

I will probably change my current pump to another brand before this one fails.
Jim Kellogg

[mreid]

I swear by Mallory. I put two 140's on my GT40 and every electric pump I've installed has always been a Mallory and they have performed flawlessly.

[Leecbr]

Jim,

Wow..It seems like they are made poorly and it's the luck of the draw when purchasing a Holley Blue.. I have only put 5,000 miles on mine and it's starting to leak...Lucky I caught it before it started to leak profusely..

MReid,

Great news..I am looking forward to installing the Mallory. Thanks for your input..



Lee

[Cashburn]

Carter, walbro, aeromotive... In that order.

[Leecbr]

Cashburn,

I've read alot of guys like the Carter pumps. I went with the Mallory because it was on my cobra previous to me owning it. I figure if the Mallory was on there since 1993 and was still working..It might work for me for the next 10 plus years.

The thing that pisses me off is that when I replace something with a new part. I would like to think that the new part should last over a few years of regular use. I don't even use my cobra regulary...

I'd rather use my money else where. When I replace something with a new part I figure I wouldn't have to replace it again next year..Holley has a 90 day warranty. I didn't even drive my cobra till late spring.. that was 4 months after I installed it in December..

How does Holley stay in business. What ever happened to quality and customer service. Why build a piece or SHart..

Hey you guys have a Merry Christmas and a safe Holiday season..

Thanks again for all your input..Most appreciated.

Lee

[RallySnake]

I used the Carter pump when I built my car. The first one failed about a year after I got it running in 1987. The gear drive was spinning on the motor shaft. It left me stranded in bad place. Carter replaced the pump and I was good for a few years until it failed on an East LA Freeway. From that point on, I have always run two pumps.

For many years the Carter was the primary and a cheap solid state type pump was the backup. When I hit the cockpit switch, they were both on. This got us home from Texas when the primary quit in the middle of nowhere, west Texas. Then, on a rally in the farmlands West of bakersfield, the pressure regulator in the Carter pump failed and the pressure got so high it forced fuel past the Holley carburetor's needle and seat and flooded the top of the carburetor. It took some time to figure out that the problem was not the carburetor. When I did, I reached under the car and pulled a wire off the carter pump and we continued running on the backup pump with correct pressure. We missed a checkpoint and lost the rally though.

After that, I bought a pressure regulator and another Carter pump. I probably should not be so loyal the the Carter, but they make a pleasing hum that is reassuring before I start the engine. The pressure regulator is redundant to the one in the fuel pump and is there "just in case". I also installed a fuel pressure switch from NOS that is connected to a bright warning light on the dash. It warns me if the pressure drops under 5 psi. That's how I found out the the solid state fuel pump could not keep the pressure up.

So, I replaced the solid state pump with the old Carter pump with the stuck pressure regulator. Now, the new Carter is the primary and the old one is the backup and they run on separate relays with separate switches. They both feed through the same Holley pressure regulator. The line also has a fuel pressure gauge in it so I can see it quickly when troubleshooting problems. I think I finally have all the bases covered.

[carmine]

Would made in china have anything to do with holleys defective pumps ?

[mreid]

My Kirkham came with a black Holley electric pump which is supposed to be an improved design. It is the only component on the car that I have some concerns about. I may need to carry a spare!

[marco454v8]

Hi Lee,
My Holley blue top has that same small hole in it, only done 1000 miles so far, no signs of a leak, but I think I'll look out for a spare pump to keep in the trunk, along with a spare ignition module for my HEI, that failed the other week, horrible to be stuck on the roadside- helpless.
What other spares do you guys carry?

Mark

[YerDugliness]

Originally Posted by marco454v8

I think I'll look out for a spare pump to keep in the trunk, along with a spare ignition module for my HEI, that failed the other week, horrible to be stuck on the roadside- helpless.
Mark

Mark, that's a good plan! I have heard some less than complimentary comments regarding the internals on my Mallory Hi-Fire ignition system, but it has never let me down. I asked the previous owners (I have contact info for two previous owners) and they both say they have never had any trouble with the module, but as they say...."there's always a first time". I've been putting it off for some reason, but it's time to source a spare module to carry in the toolbox in the trunk.

Sorry for the thread drift...I know this is about the Holley fuel pumps, but Mark's comment regarding spare ignition parts is SO right on!

Cheers!

Dugly

[Leecbr]

It sounds like I should get a back up part for every part on my cobra...ha ha
I think I have a better solution.

I'll hit my wife up with the idea that I should get a newer completely finished cobra for back up. That way if anything goes wrong with my old Cobra I will have a new backup to drive.

Once I tell her this..I can plan on sleeping under the car or on the couch for 2012..
My wife says the cobra is like the mistress in our family. She is just joking.. She loves the cobra..

I've pretty much replaced/rebuilt everything on my cobra. The water pump and Alternator are the only two items I haven't replaced. They are still in great shape..Just need to keep an eye on those two parts.

The Holley pisses me off!!! I hate replacing parts that I just replaced recently due to crappy manufacturing..

Have a good day .. Hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas.

Lee

[Joey.S]

I have the Holley Blue pump and it's junk.

[YerDugliness]

Originally Posted by marco454v8

What other spares do you guys carry?
Mark

I change out my belts and hoses on a regular basis...WAAY before one would expect them to fail. The belts/hoses that I remove go into the tool box for spares....have never needed them, but as I said before, "...there's always a first time!!).

I put new bushings in the bar-ends on my parallel 4-bar rear suspension recently...ordered extras so that I could carry a few in the toolbox, too. I know they aren't a usual "failure" risk, but they were SO hard to find that I got extras so that I would not be held up looking for repair parts should one of them fail in the future.

Good question....outa be a thread on the forum for this issue!

Cheers!

Dugly

[G-Pete]

Originally Posted by YerDugliness

I change out my belts and hoses on a regular basis...WAAY before one would expect them to fail. The belts/hoses that I remove go into the tool box for spares....have never needed them, but as I said before, "...there's always a first time!!).
I put new bushings in the bar-ends on my parallel 4-bar rear suspension recently...ordered extras so that I could carry a few in the toolbox, too. I know they aren't a usual "failure" risk, but they were SO hard to find that I got extras so that I would not be held up looking for repair parts should one of them fail in the future.
Good question....outa be a thread on the forum for this issue!
Cheers!
Dugly

Now you made me curios - how many miles you drive a year?

[Eric 1151]

I've had a Holley black pump in my SPF. for around 6 years and 40k miles. No problem. Reason why? I use a Mallory return style regulator and use a relay system on the voltage supply. No excessive load on pump with a dead-head regulator and 100% of voltage needed to keep from having high amperage pull due to low voltage. After a long drive, pump is still cool to the touch. Makes all the difference.

[fordracing65]

Most pumps fail due to low fuel levels, as it is the fuel that keeps the pump cool.

[autobody prof.]

Has anybody had this problem with their pump? 3300 miles on the car since finishing it 6 mo. ago and it has quit 4 times. I pull over to the side of the road and sit for a couple of minutes, turn on the fuel pump switch and off we go. Have done a wiggle test on the wiring but it will not quit. Bad Pump?