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Yesterday, talking to my fab guy cleaning up the underside and restoring the suspension of my '62, he asked me, "Bob, what do you want to do with the electric fuel pump"...WHUUT???
Yep, there it was mounted on the frame. An old upright Bendix. I called up the machinist and he confirmed the original fuel pump location was covered up. I'm gonna save it as souvenir, and order the correct one. Does it matter which one for a 327ci 340Horse.
Bob
If you're not hung up on originality AirteK and Carter both make decent replacement mechanical pumps, otherwise IIRC an AC-Delco 4656 is what you want; others will correct me if I got that number wrong..
How correct do you want to be?? Airtex or ACDELCO have replacement pumps that may not (will not) be correct. But correct pumps that can be rebuilt or are already rebuilt are available for $$$ in places like Ebay or CC or Zip etc.
How correct do you want to be?? Airtex or ACDELCO have replacement pumps that may not (will not) be correct. But correct pumps that can be rebuilt or are already rebuilt are available for $$$ in places like Ebay or CC or Zip etc.
Larry
The OP is rebuilding a survivor car that isn't a survivor to be a survivor and making it correct but not with the correct parts.
IMO, I would just replace that Bendix pump with Carter rotary pump. mechanical pumps are a PITA to install on a C1. Not mention getting the fuel lines returned to original condition to hook up to a mechanical pump that was removed a long time ago.
The OP is rebuilding a survivor car that isn't a survivor to be a survivor and making it correct but not with the correct parts.
IMO, I would just replace that Bendix pump with Carter rotary pump. mechanical pumps are a PITA to install on a C1. Not mention getting the fuel lines returned to original condition to hook up to a mechanical pump that was removed a long time ago.
Doug
All true plus it can help eliminate some vapor lock problems.
I've had mechanical pumps off and on my 61 3 or 4 times....not remotely a PITA if you have the technique down....
Put the car at TDC, remove the left front tire, clamp off the rubber line at the tank use a "wobble" joint on your ratchet to remove the two mounting bolts and you're pretty much done...a little grease on the cam pushrod will usually hold it up to install the pump..
Electric pumps are much more of a PITA if you do them right; to wit, if you run them full time you should have an oil pressure safety switch...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 12-19-2018 at 02:13 PM.
All great information, and yes, I am restoring what may have been close to a survivor candidate. I will try to save all original parts I won't use, and I'll try and make my changes so they can be reversed, for someone later on that may be looking for a numbers correct '62.
I like the idea of continuing use of an electric fuel pump but I suspect it's value as a deterrent for vapor lock. Most of my vapor lock problems have been with overheated fuel. With my '56's, one with a PowerPack 265, and the other with a 327, I made sure my fuel line was routed away from the muffler and header, I also used a gasket for the intake that blocked the holes for the plenum (?) that runs under the carburetor. And finally I converted my original distributors to electronic ignition, and used a Flame Thrower Coil.
Bob
Some people put electric fuel pumps in to stop the need to crank the car if it sits and the fuel evaporates out of the carb.
I did my friends 1978 truck with him last summer. The electric pump fills the carb ( Edelbrock ) and the truck starts easy. He uses it maybe once a month.
I'm thinking of doing my truck, which sits most of the summer = 1980.
All great information, and yes, I am restoring what may have been close to a survivor candidate. I will try to save all original parts I won't use, and I'll try and make my changes so they can be reversed, for someone later on that may be looking for a numbers correct '62.
I like the idea of continuing use of an electric fuel pump but I suspect it's value as a deterrent for vapor lock. Most of my vapor lock problems have been with overheated fuel. With my '56's, one with a PowerPack 265, and the other with a 327, I made sure my fuel line was routed away from the muffler and header, I also used a gasket for the intake that blocked the holes for the plenum (?) that runs under the carburetor. And finally I converted my original distributors to electronic ignition, and used a Flame Thrower Coil.
Bob
I have a booster electric pump on the 63 I use when the car has sat longish or really, REALLY hot weather and it does help with vapor lock since its pushing fuel down the line instead of pulling it as with the mechanical pump. It pushes right through the mechanical pump when I turn it on and has a one way valve to prevent backflow... Its very rarely used but nice to know I have it if needed.
I have a booster electric pump on the 63 I use when the car has sat longish or really, REALLY hot weather and it does help with vapor lock since its pushing fuel down the line instead of pulling it as with the mechanical pump. It pushes right through the mechanical pump when I turn it on and has a one way valve to prevent backflow... Its very rarely used but nice to know I have it if needed.
Yep, I use a switched pump in my '42 Merc with a flathead, and it works great when I haven't started in a while, but it never helped to curb vapor lock. Electronic ignition and Flame Thrower coil did the trick.
Yep, I use a switched pump in my '42 Merc with a flathead, and it works great when I haven't started in a while, but it never helped to curb vapor lock. Electronic ignition and Flame Thrower coil did the trick.
Then you really didn’t have vapor lock as neither of those items you mention would have cured it Also many people confuse vapor lock and fuel percolation and we have had many threads on this site regarding both of these things.
Then you really didn’t have vapor lock as neither of those items you mention would have cured it Also many people confuse vapor lock and fuel percolation and we have had many threads on this site regarding both of these things.
You're right. "Vapor Lock" is a catch all phrase that's used for problems when fuel appears to get overheated. One remedy I used was changing the overheated coil to one of the cold ones I always carried in my trunk. Sometimes I even used a cold shop towel to cool off the coil. As for the fuel percolation, I've heard of people putting clothes pins on the fuel line next to the carb. Used 'em all.
The thing that solved it all in my Merc was the electronic ignition and Pertronix coil. I now use them in all my classics except my '49 Olds 98 convertible as it has a 5.3L with 4L60E transmission.
Bob
OMG - you're new here but I hope you haven't re-ignitied the perennial "electronic points conversion" debate
I’m not igniting anything. I’m just conveying what worked for me. I defeated a year long fight with my car stalling. It runs great now, and last summer we took this flattie powered Merc on a five hundred mile round trip to the Sierras with no problem at all. Take it for what it’s worth. The electric fuel pump in it is switched and I use it just to fill the bowl then I switch it off and let the mechanical take over.
Bob
I'm in violent agreement - I used Pertronix since version 1 with no issues.
I have moved on to the SE Breakerless electronic conversion because it is completely undetectable and works with ALL the stock components - ballast resistor, spark plugs, plug wires and coil....my car passed judging with the device.
I'm in violent agreement - I used Pertronix since version 1 with no issues.
I have moved on to the SE Breakerless electronic conversion because it is completely undetectable and works with ALL the stock components - ballast resistor, spark plugs, plug wires and coil....my car passed judging with the device.
I’m glad it worked for you as well. My flathead has a crab type distributor cap, and the first one I used had a hairline crack. I replaced and haven’t had a problem with it since. It’s one of my sweetest running cars, but I’m thinking of selling it. Too many cars.
Bob
The dual fuel pump idea (electric + mechanical) and, at times, just the electric, was employed in the 60s on high performance SB Chevrolets--Corvette and non Corvettes. The mechanical pump would not keep up with fuel demand when employing a 950 cfm Holley 3-barrel we had on a 337 cid SB (Crane 518) in a Chevy II that had RPM requirements in the 8,500 range. Some cars would use them as an auxiliary pump and would have an "off/on" switch when used for normal street driving.
Last edited by Dan Hampton; 12-19-2018 at 04:47 PM.
The dual fuel pump idea (electric + mechanical) and, at times, just the electric, was employed in the 60s on high performance SB Chevrolets--Corvette and non Corvettes. The mechanical pump would not keep up with fuel demand on a 950 cfm Holley 3-barrel we had on a 337 cd SB Chevrolet. that had RPM requirements in the 8,500 range. Some cars would use them as an auxiliary pump and would have an "off/on" switch when used for normal street driving.
Why not just electric pump only instead of the two?
That Carter rotary will supply enuf fuel for about any NA motor you can conjure up, and the ones i had lasted for decades. Still use them on some of my cars as the only fuel pump.
Doug
12-19-2018, 01:16 AM
Electric Fuel Pump In my '62
How correct do you want to be?? Airtex or ACDELCO have replacement pumps that may not (will not) be correct. But correct pumps that can be rebuilt or are already rebuilt are available for $$$ in places like Ebay or CC or Zip etc. 
