I am changing my fuel system for the 4th time. I have an 02Z with 04 fuel tanks and Aeromotive stealth fuel pump and voltage controller. 408 Iron block D Procharger 15lbs boost, methanol injection and 85# injectors. The problem started with the dyno shop wanting to have the fuel pressure come on as soon as possible. I vapor locked the pump 6-8 times. Now I set up the pump according to Aeromotive instructions an have 56-57lbs pressure at idle and building to around 59lbs when in the throttle. As I go back to normal speed in 5th or 6th gear the pressure drops to 52 lbs which isn't enough to siphon fuel from passenger tank. I called Aeromotive and they said the pump is ruined if you vapor lock 1 time. Because of the problems everyone has had I will not be putting another one in. I am looking to go with a stock or maybe C7 Z06 pump with a inline pump controlled by a hobbs switch.

My question is that most of the pump kits come with a lot of hose and fittings I probably don't need. I have my fuel line running through the driver rocker. I know I will have some rewiring to change from the Aeromotive pump back to factory and the secondary pump. Does the inline pump install on the fuel supply line inline? Also will the larger C7 Z06 pump pump too much fuel when just driving to cause vapor lock? What is a good choice for a 2nd pump? Thanks in advance for your input.

 

The figure below is the typical setup for a return system that has a secondary fuel pump. This is the type of system that you will see offered by ECS and A&A. The factory pump in the driver tank runs all the time and then a second pump, which is receiving fuel from a pickup in the bottom of the driver side tank, turns on via a Hobbs switch. The fuel from the second pump gets T'd into the main fuel line up to the engine.

Now as far as the issue you are experiencing with pressure dropping too low to allow for the siphoning of fuel out of the passenger tank, you can fix that by removing the pressure regulator that is located in the passenger tank. You would then replace the regulator with a regulator plug. Lingenfelter, among others, sell these for cheap. The reason why you would not want to disable the pressure regulator is the fact that without it the driver side is constantly cycling fuel over to the passenger side, regardless of the system pressure. Therefore, if you find yourself in a low fuel state / low fuel pressure condition you are losing that fuel that is being sent over to the passenger side. Easy way to avoid this risk is to not run on fumes.

There are many pumps to choose from for the second pump, but one very common one is the Bosch 044.

Another option is to go with a multiple in-tank pump setup. Multiple sources for this set-up as well. Fore Innovations has become very popular.

 

I never let the fuel get below 3/4 of full. It seems like there was a block off in the Aeromotive kit but I will have to read the install instructions. I have to take the back end out as I am installing a new clutch and carbon fiber driveshaft so I might as well reinstall my old tanks as the drivers side already has a fitting in the bottom of the tank. I was not too fond of the way the crossover hooked up on the newer style tanks. I can see no reason to leave the 04 tanks in unless there is something I don't know about them being better. I like the idea of being able to change the pump without dropping the back end and I have a good pump in the old one. I realize that a newer style C7 pump won't work in the 02 tanks. So the return line has a fitting in the bottom of the tank also?

 

I don't consider myself an expert on the corvette fuel systems, but I don't understand your problem. Best as I can interpret is you burnt up the external pump by starving it of fuel on the inlet side?

Vapor lock is where the fuel gets hot and changes to a vapor. Usually on the outlet side around the engine.

I also don't understand why you would remove your 02 tanks and then run an external pump. That makes no sense to me.

Are you saying the shop had the external pump turn on too early and that heated up the fuel to the point where it would vapor lock on the inlet side?

Also sounds like your (non vacuum/boost referenced) fuel pressure regulator is set a bit too low and you don't have regulator block off. If you just up the pressure a bit back to the stock 58 psi, I think that problem might solve itself.

What I might do is ditch the aeromotive and put in a Bosch 044 in it's place. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003WL73OK...I1AV0O99EYWM96

Just buy whatever fittings you need to make the conversion and be done with it.

But again... not an expert

 

Okay I will try to explain. 1st system was a MSD boost a pump ( running 8# boost) and we burned up two pumps on the dyno. 2nd fuel system with stock tanks (recommended by Dyno shop no longer in business) they eliminated the stock pump all together except for the return line, then installed an external A1000 pump on the rear cradle plumbed to the bottom of the driver fuel tank. This vapor locked right away and I was done with the Dyno shop. Now I decided for the 3rd try was a Aeromotive Stealth A1000 internal (this was a few years ago not long after they came out) which involved me changing out to 04 tanks (myself). With this pump also installed was a Aeromotive voltage controller and the regulator block off for the passenger side tank with all new lines. I tested the return siphon part of the pump and pumped out 14 gallons which is 5 more than the driver tank holds so I knew that the crossover was all connected up properly. I have a Aeromotive boost referenced fuel pressure regulator and the line kit was House of Boost. The new Dyno shop wanted the fuel pressure to come on at a much lower RPM than what Aeromotive recommends with their instructions for the voltage controller. So here I am with a pump that vapor locked a number of times. I recently re calibrated the voltage controller per Aeromotive instructions and runs fine except after a bit the fuel pressure drops to 52# from 56-57lbs at maybe 1200-1400 RPM. When in the throttle hard pressure goes to 60# or so. A call to Aeromotive resulted in them telling me that the pump was damaged from vapor lock and needed to be replaced. I am done with this pump/controller set up and wish to go with a stock pump with a external pump for when extra fuel is needed. My issues have been on going for about 8 years. Never have drove it much because of ongoing issues. I just noticed that I need to clean the red dirt off the motor.

 

Call Andy at A & A Corvette. He sells a external high volume, dual pump Holley that kicks in with hobbs switches. I put over 1100 to rear wheels and have no issues with fuel using 127# injecters.

 

Andy has helped me a number of times-I will probably give him a call.