I'm swapping from tbi to carb and I'm going with an external electric fuel pump. I'm dropping the tank and removing the pump. Will an earlier year carb car fuel pickup work on my tank? I've heard different opinions on what to use after removing the fuel pump. I would like to buy something off the shelf/parts house if possible. Oh yea.. I did a search and didn't have much luck. I know my answer is here somewhere. Thanks.
What strainer did you use? It looks very similar to the factory part used on my '57 Bel Air, which slip fits over the pick-up pipe and holds itself in place. I've suggested to people in the past to do just what you did, you're the first I recall posting a picture. I think this should be a sticky.
For the record, the '82-'86 factory carb pickup/sender will fit the EFI tanks ('87 used an electric in-tank pump).
Here's where I purchased the strainer from. It came in a ac delco box so I'm assuming I can get it from the local parts house. I haven't ran the delco # by the parts house since I've received it.
you still need power I haven't finished mine yet but I think there is 4 wires to the plug 2 are for the gauge but you can leave them all just plug it back in and it will work fine.
Moderator note to members: The purpose of this sticky is to provide information about how to convert a fuel tank pick-up from in-tank electric pump to manual pick-up. If you have comments about any other topic (e.g.: "I just kept the pump, it runs fine") I will delete it. Please post any questions or comments not related to converting a fuel tank pick-up from in-tank electric pump to manual pick-up in a thread in the main portion of this forum.
3/8" stainless line and compression fittings. Available at most industrial parts houses. There is a link to the strainer that was brazed to the piping.
i havent peeked under the car today but arent the lines from the tank to the engine 3/8? and i believe there is a compression fitteng by the filter? I think Ill follow your example and just mke it myself, just use the existing parts as donors
I just pulled the tank and pickup from my 84 TA today (factory carbed). Picture attached of the pickup. It looks like the strainer is completely gone. I'm sure I can find one of those, my question is about the rest of the setup. I am planning on using a mechanical pump, with -8 AN braided line going to the pump and back for the return. A return-style adjustable regulator will handle the connection to the pump, return to tank, and feed to carb.
Any engineering ideas for how to make the pickup 1/2" line so it is not a bottleneck?
Also, assuming this is not a street car, can I safely close off the vapor line, or how does the typical hot rodder vent the fuel tank?
What is that black thing attached to the lid of the pickup?
Edit: Sorry, didn't see this post was specific to pickup conversions from EFI. Mods please move to Carbureted main forum if desired.
Last edited by thewolf : 03-08-2008 at 07:38 PM.
Reason: Possible incorrect placement
I just did this. But I did it for the return, Im using a sump.
I drilled out a larger hole in the cap and JB welded in some half inch copper. I bent it to follow the old pickup tube. It was the only thing that I could find with a nice 90 degree elbow.
While you have the tank out, why not just drill and weld a 8an fitting in the bottom? Its easy, and if you put it where the stock baffle is, you dont have to worry about fuel missing the pickup.
For the vent you can just use an old fuel filter. Im using a new one that I will never use.
I think you've got the right idea. I might look at bending new steel line, and using a -8 AN bulkhead fitting that seals real well at the pickup cap. I don't have ready access to a welder, and since I'm going to use the vent and return tubes, I might as well reuse the pickup too.
Apparently for the vent, you are right about the fuel filter. Some people have run a vent line above the tank, used an inline fuel filter and then a tip-over check valve, pointing down, to vent pressure from the tank. It sounds safe to me, especially since I don't want to run lines to the charcoal canister in the front again (which is gone now anyways).
I simply ran a 3/8 hose from where the original piece connected the fuel pump, ran it to the round retainer and cut it at an angle. From there i mounted a in line fuel filter before and after the fuel pump. No strainer. I blocked off the return line and charcoal line and left the small blck filter that mounts next to the brake line. Hasnt given me a problem yet and ive done it on 4 camaros converted from TBI.
I think that filter is only one way though. I think its only for suction. And the line for the charcoal filter is pressure only. I could be wrong though, and I dont know if it would even cause any problems. I just used a cheap fuel filter for a vent.
The two filters idea is a good one, but would limit flow and pressure I would think.
I am fixing to swap from a holley blue to a holley black for the bigger engine so i dont think the filters matter that much as a holley like that is a pusher not a puller, basically it is like having one filter i would imagine. I might consider your cheap filter swap on the one way valve, makes sense.
