Return fuel line
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,154
Likes: 69
From: Regina Sk Canada
With a return line on an Electric pump, you will not be dead heading against a regulator. You will have a nice steady fuel flow and pressure. The big benefit, is that the fuel pump will not run hot, and will deliver more accurate fuel pressure. Now having said that which Electric fuel pump are you running? Make sure it is designed for "CONTINUOUS" use. I ran into that problem, most electric pumps don't like to be run for any long periods of time. or have a 400-500 hr life span. Look into this you will be shocked by what you find. I spent lots of money on my last fuel system for my camaro, i bought an SX pump filter and regulator. It was a return line system and would support 1300 HP . My 468 made 1006 HP on the dyno with Nitrous so i needed a fuel system that would keep up. I researched fuel pumps for 3 months before i bought one.
What pump do you have and what HP is your 383 making? Also do you have a sufficient fuel line from the tank to the pump and to the carb etc.
What pump do you have and what HP is your 383 making? Also do you have a sufficient fuel line from the tank to the pump and to the carb etc.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
565 HP (flywheel, not sure what the RWHP is) on straight 110 octane, haven't run it on pump gas yet. I'm not sure about the pump I think it came off of a Chevy Tahoe. I actually plan on buying a spare and just keeping it in the vette since I don't really know the history and electric fuel pumps in racing applications always seem prone to failure. I still have the mechanical fuel pump bolted on just in case, it won't keep up with the power but it would prevent me from getting stranded somewhere at least if I could hook that back up real quick. 
For the return line I was thinking more about streetability, with the headers getting over 400 degrees & all it seemed it would make sense to keep the fuel moving to keep it from getting too hot when you're sitting in traffic.
For the return line I was thinking more about streetability, with the headers getting over 400 degrees & all it seemed it would make sense to keep the fuel moving to keep it from getting too hot when you're sitting in traffic.
Last edited by Ron R; Dec 30, 2008 at 10:57 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,154
Likes: 69
From: Regina Sk Canada
Well your going to need a Regulator and a fuel pressure gauge on the regulator for adjustment.I imagine this pump was off a fuel injected application as well, so you going to need to find out the PSI of the pump and then find a regulator that will go from that psi down to 5psi so you can use it in a carburetor application. your final PSI range will be 7PSI at the carb.If its a good pump, it should keep up with the motor. The return line size and the feed line size will need to be calculated, if the return line is too small, you may not be able to adjust the fuel pressure down to 7 psi at the carb.
On a side note, when i had my camaro with the 427 BBC in it that made 450 HP at one point, i was running a Holley 110 mechanical pump with a 1/2 fuel line to the pump and 3/8 line to the carb, and it kept up at the track. The pressure would drop from 7 to 5 psi on the top end of the 1/4 mile but that was still acceptable.
On a side note, when i had my camaro with the 427 BBC in it that made 450 HP at one point, i was running a Holley 110 mechanical pump with a 1/2 fuel line to the pump and 3/8 line to the carb, and it kept up at the track. The pressure would drop from 7 to 5 psi on the top end of the 1/4 mile but that was still acceptable.
