Im doing a carb swap in my 87 GTA. I was going to get a new tank and put a sump kit in it with a holley blue electric pump/reg... Well Can I do the same and use a mechanical pump and just plug the return side? Im not really looking for the cheapest way but a good relaiable way..Whats the goods and bads of both electric and mech. fuel pumps?

Thanks!!

 

If I were to say that pumps push better than they suck, which type would you choose?

 

Im lost in what your saying???

 

Do they make a mech. pump that has a return on it? My thoughts were to plug the sump kit..

 

I say go mechanical. I have stock fuel lines (return plugged) into a Holley 110gph mechanical. It works perfect, no regulator needed, and no annoying buzz of an electric pump.

I've broken about 3 Holley blue pumps in the past, in my opinion they are absolute garbage.

 

I need a new tank..mines got a lot of crap in it..So I do need a new one..Then can I just pull out all of my old fuel lines and run one line up to the mech pump? ad then plug the return side of the sump kit?? Im going to make a dash with autometer gauges also..Can I just take my factory pump..stick in the tank and use the sending unit to for fuel the level. Does that sound like a good or bad plan? And do mech pumps rob power? I cant see it much if they do..

 

Do you have a factory style exhaust system on your car? If so keep in mind that the muffler sits right under the gas tank so you won't have any room for a sump. The whole pickup/return/pump/gauge sender is one "unit" all attached to each other inside the tank. What I did was I removed my factory in-tank pump from the unit and replaced it with an equal length of rubber hose.

If you're going to sump the tank you might as well plumb a 1/2" fuel line under the car so you never have to mess with it again.

 

Im not running factory exhaust..I was thinking on a 1/2in line like you said but Im worryed about geting my fuel gauge to work..

 

If you're going to sump the tank and upgrade the fuel lines, all you pretty much have to do is leave the sending unit alone and it'll work just as it always has. The lines coming out of the gas tank have fittings on them, just disconnect them from the factory fuel lines and cap them off.

I think once you pull the tank out and look at the sending unit you'll see how it all works. so long as the gauge sender is in the tank and the wires are hooked up to a gauge, it'll work just fine.

 

Thanks a lot for your help..

 

Electric pump back by the tank will push fuel up to the engine. A mechanical pump on the engine has to suck fuel through a long line.

Make any more sense now?

 

I planed on going with an electric..but I think I will do a mech. Save a little bit of $$ so finish the turd.. Should I be worried about it feeding my healthy engine? (a good mech pump)

 

My Holley mechanical through the stock lines has fed my motor just fine to 119.5mph in a 1/4 mile. Sump the tank, run 1/2" line to the pump, and get a 130+gph mechanical you'll be good for mid 10's or better.