Electric fuel pumps in trunk?

[sgianino]

Hello out there ,

During the waiting process of the build my mind starts thinking of more ways to spend $$ on the car.Has anyone gone through the extra expense and trouble to have dual electric pumps installed for authentic reasons and while at it finished the trunk in aluminum with no regrets?On csxinfo.net there was one that really caught my eye.

Thanks Sal

[Steve Kirkham]

Kirkham 427's have been getting a fuel pump and fuel filter in the trunks. Preserves the twin look, but is more useful.

We will, of course, install whatever the customer wishes.

[sgianino]

Thanks Steve ,

so they do have some practical use to them , what im not 100% was the use of the pumps only during racing when tank was almost empty or are they wired in now for full time use...Heck they do look sharp in there regardless

[Dan Semko]

Sal,
My CSX has the pumps in the trunk but runs a mechanical for regular use. This eliminates the pump noise but provides an added security for the "reserve" 3 gallons on the bottom of the tank which the electric pumps will pick up with a click of the dash switch. If you plan to use this set up ask Kris Kinkaid how to install the "t" in the fuel line. He's a gentleman and an innovator.

[GASKETBOY]

Sal,

You liked the side pipes, if you saw the aluminum paneled trunk with the dual pumps you would like that as well. sorry, no digital pics.

Jeff

[sgianino]

Hi Jeff ,

you caught me!!As you can see im trying to make this car perfect first time around so not to regret any decisions later.So You opted for the alum trunk yourself,would you do it next time around?Only thing im not sure on is the placement of battery if the trunk is finished in alum and not having the spare compartment in trunk.Are you also running dual pumps?

[Edley Rondinone]

WAIT A MINUTE!!! Are you guys saying the fuel pump(s) are IN THE TRUNK??? Doesnt sound very safe to have fuel inside ANY part of the car. I also dont think NHRA (for instance) would allow fuel pumps in the trunk, although I may be mistaken. Will research it this weekend.

[Jamo]

Mine is in the trunk with the filter as Steve points out--has the double pump look. I've got mine set up to run full time...no mechanical. I like the fact that I have to go thru the sequence of the battery switch, the pump and and the fans for turning on the car. A little noisy...but an authentic noise that is quickly drowned out as soon as the motor starts.

Safety-wise...who gives a sh!t? 40 gallons is gonna make such a big-assed fireball that the arruminum grenade will make it all moot. If I ain't dead, I hit the battery switch and it kills the pump and thereby, the motor...a mechanical will run as long as the motor runs.

[sgianino]

Jamo ,
It would look like a 4th of July show once she goes up!Which leads to to this serious question...would having a Safecraft Halon system installed with nozzles in engine compartment and trunk keep things from becoming a total mess or in certain situations they are useless.

[Bob In Ct]

Remember guys, if you're using a carburetor you don't need the pressure of an electric pump. One of the big safety advantages of a mechanical pump is that they shut off when the engine is not turning.

Bob

[Sizzler]

My fuel pump is mounted in a baffled sump IN the tank.
The only time you hear it is at startup. Runs cooler in there as well. It IS a custom tank, but then so's most of the car. The fuel lines run in and out of the top of the tank through the trunk for a short distance before going down under the car.

[Excaliber]

Rear mounted electric pumps have ALWAYS been the way it is done. Trunk mount, under trunk, on the rear frame, in the tank, but always in the rear!

Electric pumps are not good suckers! But there great pushers! Most all modern cars have the pump IN the gas tank or mounted at the rear because they are fuel injection.

Ernie

[CowtownCobra]

Electric fuel pumps mounted near the tank should be mounted as low as possible. Ideally below the bottom level of the tank, but that is pretty hard to do. Most folks mount 'em high and get away with it by never losing the prime. But run it real low on gas and park on a hill?? NoGo!

[Jamo]

sagianino

Have a fire system...but only for the motor. Actually investigating available inertia switches for shutting down the pumps in a hard hit.


Bob in Ct.

My point exactly...if the motor keeps running, it keeps pumping with a mechanical. If you cut off the electrics, everything shuts down. Neither answers it all, I guess...chicken or egg. May not "need" the electrics, but you no longer "need" a mechanical either. Oh well, viva la difference, but always FTF.



Cowtown

You're right about starvation, but some of those pump mountings hanging below the tank raise some questions about impacts from debris as well. I never let the tank drop below 20 gallons in this car, but the little 10 gallon fuel cell/electric pump (front/high from tank) in my (Fred's) Butler never starved. Not sure I want to pick up all the crud at the very bottom anyway.

[cobrashoch]

Interesting how times change yet we old timers don't. The origial fuel pump setups in the 60's used a self priming pump to prime fuel and a "driver" to push it. The first pump was allways a low pressure setup. Todays pumps will all "self prime" given enf ' ol time. O.K. fer the "street" but not so neat fer racin' per Sizzlers line setup. I think thats the main reason the factory puts them in the tank on fuel injected cars, per Excaliber.
Edly Rondinone - I just got my car NHRA inspected and my inspector insisted that the pumps only reqirement was that it be mounted to the inside of the frame containment area of the car, in case of a smackup. That would rule out Jamo's exteral mount pumps.
Speaking of safety- Jamo, my car car has two kill switches, wired in series to the positive side. One to the external trunk, one behind the driver. They both need to me on, for the car to go. I am looking at a tipover kill system at the moment, (both fuel and electrical) but I am running a duel battery setup that "compounds" issues. Of course the batterys are in containment boxes.
My NHRA ispector has "requested" that I run a metal bulkhead between the passenger compartment and the fuel cell. So much for that wonderfull fiberglass body that I'm so proud of. I ramble.
cobrashock

[Jamo]

cobrashoch

Maybe you misunderstood...mine is not outside the frame demensions, nor was it in the Butler.

Also, I'm talking about an inertia switch...one that will shut it down in a hit. A rollover system would be great as well.

I think a few zillion racers just might disagree with ya about using electric fuel pumps.

[Excaliber]

Hmmm..... All manufacturers of DOT approved cars have a "roll over" switch for the fuel pump. A rather simple device that when turned upside down disconnects the wires.

Not sure about an "impact" switch however! Like activates the air bag. Such a switch would be tricky to build as a "mechanical" only typed device. Complex enough doing it electronically, what with all the "safeties" one has to incorporate.

Ernie

[cobrashoch]

Excaliber- my point exactly. Roll over switches are usially the first thing to go when going aftermarket.
Jamo- I think you have confused what I meant about racers and pumps , either that or I wrote it poorly. Of course they are the way to go when racing, its just that not all aftermarket pumps are equal. For example the Mallary series 140 that I just took out of my car required its own matching regulator and would not produce enough pressure to get past even 7 lbs of boost of my supercharger. In addition it was only a "fair" self primer that required a recycle line that went back to the top of the cell to hold prime. I played and played but I finally gave up on it. Thats what I was talking about. I will have to think about impact switches for a while though, as to do they have any merrit? Can't think of any obvious advantages right now, that would be offset by the costs? Fire suppression is another subject though. If I was to move it or add to it, I would think about aiming it at the driver. To hell with the car, its about coming home safe after you smack one up.
cobrashock

[sgianino]

With so many suggestions what will Bob at ERA say when i run the idea of the duel fuel pumps in the trunk by him, im hoping they can make it look like a work of art and also make practical sense.Having to go through a sequence prior to starting car would be fine and the additional noise ......what noise that wouldnt be dround out from Keith Crafts 496c.i stroker.The idea of running a mechanical pump and "T" the fuel line and running electric when needed seems the way to go , I will run it by Bob @ERA to see if its something they will do.

Thanks

[Hal Copple]

i have a mechanical Carter, has worked fine, but sometimes, when they put out the winter gas, with the higher volitility rating, i wonder if i were to run an additionial electric pump, if it would help.

To that end, i wonder if an electric pump has to run, or would it be a restriction to the engine mounted mechanical pump? I just can't figure out the complexities of an electric before the mechanical.