My bird still has the stocker style dual action fuel pump - vacuum on the top end / fuel below. It delivers fuel OK  - with no back pressure - but acts like it "gets behind" the engine and starves it when you hit it hard. The pump fittings have tiny little inlet and outlet holes in them - and I put a serious pressurized fuel filter on there in consideration of the crud in the ancient tank. I believe the more modern carbs have a bit more inlet pressure required than the old t-pot too. Does anyone have good performance data about one of these originals? 

This week I splurged and replaced the Holley 600cfm outfit I had on there with  a new 525cfm Road Demon Jr. To try and get a handle on the fuel supply thing, I borrowed Al Frakes dyno sheet and had a look at the BSFC (brake specific fuel consumption) numbers. It shows the kind of "pounds per horsepower hour" fuel demand present when you are making 300+ horses. The peak was .544 (#/hp hr) which is about 30 gallons per hour at the carb (at whatever pressure it demands - no big deal on the dyno, that one is a good sized electric that won't starve an engine under test). This number was produced at a rate of acceleration of 300 rpm/sec - not exactly drag race stuff. 

I found this page out of the Holley catalog that shows "real" loaded performance data for their 80 and 110 gph pumps and gives some idea of what they do when the load is 4.5 psi. The 80 gph model looks like it could deal with the 300 hp situation - stays over 30 gph - but thats without a fuel filter or any loss due to sucking through a little 15 foot tube.

 http://www.holley.com/BrowseCatalogs.asp?Catalog=Holley&Page=196

I am sorely tempted to try one of these FE pumps on my bird - but will it fit in the space by the frame rail? Has someone tried this particular brand of pump on a t-bird? I believe it will need a new (larger, cleaner) feed tube from the tank to work right. I promise not to cry over the loss of the "original vacuum wiper" system.

Al was thinking he would try to retain his original pump and then feed it with an electric "supercharger" pump. Is there someone using that arrangement with success?

 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

I remember reading that those old fuel pumps outlet pressure was 5 pounds.

Steve, I'm using a fuel pump from carquest # 362 and it does great. Yes an FE fuel pump will work on a Y. Hope this helps.

-Gary Burnette-

Steve,



I wonder if your add-on fuel filter is too restrictive for the OEM pump? Stock & replacement paper filters only good for large particles (rust, etc.). I've heard they are almost like no filter at all, compared to modern units that are designed to be used with high-pressure electric pumps, since fuel injectors are more sensitive to dirt and need better protection.

If you bypass it, and the car runs better.....?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

My regular perusals of E-bay over the years has shown me there were 2 different pumps- (1) the prevalent pump you see on C & D code T-birds, and one for the E code T-birds. The difference being a larger inlet outlet on the E-code version. I'm not sure if the diaphragm's, etc. differed from one to the other, though...

BOO- YA!!!

I'm going to change out the fuel filter element this weekend - I think its the same part as fits in the dual carb "trash can" filter - I just used a GF62 AC housing instead. Motorcraft FG-1, I believe.

I found the big Airtex #362 pump in several places - Rock Auto is $48 and shipping - Laurel Mt. Mustang has a listing for $39 (which is way cheap I think). The Airtex pump looks identical to the Holley 80 gph unit and is listed as the replacement pump for the 428 Cobra Jet motors.

Gary Burnette - What size of tubing have you got run back to the tank? Will 3/8 OD do it or will I need to make it even bigger? 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Steve, I'm using the original steel line from the tank to the fuel pump ( I THINK? ). I'd better measure to be sure The fuel pump supplies all the fuel I need and then some if you need it, so no problem there. I also use the larger fuel filters ( the same as the fuel injected cars ) for keeping the gas clean.

   

-Gary Burnette-

I think 5/16 od is capable of providing enough fuel for the majority of us on this site.  3/8 will certainly be enough.  I have a carter pump rated at 110gph laying around here somewhere.  I'll take some measurements if you like.  I ran it on the old engine for a while.


Lawrenceville, GA

Thanks for all the feedback guys - looks like the 80 gph pump is definitely the way to go. And it sounds like Gary's experience matches what the Holley performance graph is showing - that it stays up over 30 gph for the complete power band (at 4.5 psi). Guess I'll do a little shopping....

And it would be nice to think the 5/16 tube back to the tank will be good enough to do the job without a tube straightening/bending contest. But it may be full of gunk.

The little 90° elbow on the inlet of my stock pump - and I believe its just they way they built it to start with - has got two tiny intersecting holes in it that have to be a major part of this capacity problem. It looks like a 1/8 NPT to me.  

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

I've ordered an Airtex #362 fuel pump (for a 428 FE motor) so hopefully it will be here before I'm too much older and grayer..........Heres a photo that shows how close the T-bird pump comes to the frame and crossmember. The tiny 1/8 NPT inlet elbow is on the LH side.

Since the #362 works on Gary's outfit - it ought to fit in here too! But, man it'll be close...

According to my infared temperature gun - the temperature of the fuel really goes up as it travels through the pump. And the time it spends in the fuel filter sort of finishes the job...this whole arrangement may need some more thinkum. Double gasket with aluminum foil between them to isolate the pump from the block?

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona