electric fuel pump???

[quig]

I am ready to reinstall my fuel cell back in my boat and I was preparing to use a mallory electric fuel pump ( a comp 140 to be exact)the question I have is what does everybody use? is electric the way to go ? or should I look at something different? My motor should make an estimated 450hp so the 140 pump will flow enough capacity but is there a down side to using an electric fuel pump that I am not aware of?? Any info on the subject will be greatly rewarded ( free beer when you come to Nova Scotia http://free.***boat.net/ubb/smile.gif ...yea... ok,
I'll throw in lots of lobster if you like too!! )
quig.

[HBjet]

I use a high flow mech. fuel pump from Holley and it works fine. The advantage is you don't have to worry about it shorting out from water, or failing on you. Good luck with what you decide, but remember when your your out there boating and your fuel pump goes bad, what is your back up plan?
HBjet

[flat broke]

You can use the search function of the board to look up posts on this topic. I know there was a good sized thread on electric pumps a while back. As for me, I'm with Randy, I run a 130 gph mechanical and its doing just fine. Either way you go, just make sure to use quality hoses etc. and you should be fine.
Chris

[JETBOAT BRIAN]

I have a gen 6 502 so I have to run an electric pump, and I have run the comp 140 for 3 years with no problems.It feeds 2 850 holleys on top of an 871 blower!

[quig]

aaahhhh jeeeeezeeee HB!
I haven't got the boat near water yet and you have me broke down and floundering!! http://free.***boat.net/ubb/wink.gif.I see what you mean tho... how about a hi volume mech holley and a small in line electric in the tool box to get me home?. The only real problem I have is that I am a chevy guy and don't know alot about the fuel pump eccentric that runs the mechanical pump on a ford ... I do know that it runs off of the timming gear but all guys I race with off road running ford big blocks all use an electric pump because of reliability questions with the mechanical.Have you , or do you know anybody that is running the mechanical holley on the bbf?? what is the history like with them??
man is my beer & lobster bill adding up after all those questions!! http://free.***boat.net/ubb/wink.gif
quig.

[058]

I prefer electric pumps for a couple of reasons. 1: they can be mounted anywhere, such as close to the tank for maximum flow, pumps do a better job of pushing fuel than they do pulling fuel. 2: The pump can be wired to a seperate circuit for better pump control, you can shut off the pump if something happens such as a fuel leak or engine flooding. If something gets into the needle & seat the pump can be shut off and the engine run until the carb runs out of fuel and when the pump is turned back on the the rush of fuel will usually clear whatever is stuck in the needle/seat assembly. BTW; My beer of choice is Bud and I love lobster.

[quig]

thanks 058 !!! I am still leaning that way (electric) but I wanted to get the group voice on the subject.I had already searched the board for like threads but still no real answers one way or the other... it seems to me that everyone has a different approach I was hoping for some historical experiences... ie. never use mech on a bbf because... I just want to get it right the first time and NOT be left out stranded & floundering with no way home http://free.***boat.net/ubb/tongue.gif (HB!! http://free.***boat.net/ubb/smile.gif)
thanks for your input. By the way are you sure you can handle maritime Bud ... it's 5% alcohol... we like our beer to bite back :0
quig.

[LVjetboy]

I'd also add electrics prime faster. I've had both mech and electric, and like electric for that reason, although HBjet may be right about mechs more reliable. Check this:
DualFuel (http://www.angelfire.com/extreme2/dragnjet/FuelSystem.html)
jer
[This message has been edited by LVjetboy (edited January 08, 2002).]

[quig]

That is a great info site LVJ!! I sort of had a similar design in the works but HB scared me about electric, however my race truck,with a bbc ,dyno'ed 743hp. off the NOS has seen no ill effects with 2 mallory comp 140 pumps feeding an 825 cfm deamon carb . This set up has ran for about 1.5 seasons so far and I can't belive the boat would bounce around anymore then the truck does http://free.***boat.net/ubb/tongue.gif. I guess my question styill remains the same ...is mechanical better or worse than electric all things else being equal( filter line size carb etc.) which would you choose??
no takers on the Canadian 5% Bud yet http://free.***boat.net/ubb/tongue.gif
quig.

[Hydro-Thunder]

I like electric I have had no problems with them. I know they are different (somewhat) but look at what all the new cars use.
Jesse

[FoMoCo]

I am running a Comp 140 also in my Kachina, No problems with the pump yet! I have a friend how ran a Holley Blue pump for 20 years in a Jetboat feeding 2 780 Holleys, it lasted all 20 till it crapped out!!!!!!!!!!

[HBjet]

On a mild performance motor, there is no seat of the pants difference between the two. Electric will give a consistant flow, where as a mech. will pulse as it runs off the motor. For my engine, I choose mech. and never have to worry about it. In race applications, electric the way to go, no question about it. Some guys will run an electric then to a mechanical so if the electric craps out, they can still make it back to shore. With a car or truck of course electric is the way to go. If it craps out, call a tow truck. You don't have to worry about your car or truck rolling down the road or anything that could cause damage happening. In a boat, say at the river floating from the dam down, and you get into a current that directs you to the rocks, and that cool blue electric fuel pump decides it's not going to work. Your SOL until someone can give you a tow. So go with what you like best. If you want the electric but have a back-up, run a mechanical also and make sure you locate the electric somewhere water really doesn't reach. A splash here or there won't hurt it, but sitting in some water, well let's hope we don't have to worry about that.
HBjet
[This message has been edited by HBjet (edited January 08, 2002).]

[quig]

That is a very good point HB! I never really looked at a failed fuel pump in that light(drifting in rocks etc)it sure changes that no power & floundering situation.(& I thought you were just making fun of me http://free.***boat.net/ubb/smile.gif )Not ever owning a boat befor, that had not occured to me but it makes perfect sense I think what I will do is go with the holley mechanical on the engine . I have a bunch of holley blues that I keep as spares for the race truck, I'll just stick one in the tool
box with some fuel line for a spare!!
thank you all!!
remember the beer is on me if you ever get east... I mean really east!! http://free.***boat.net/ubb/wink.gif
quig.

[HBjet]

quig
You can still run the electric and ok. If you have both a mech. and an elec. I'd run both inline but if your motor isn't hugh on HP a mech will do just fine. To save you some money, you could sell on of those spare blues if you wanted to someone on here and buy the mechanical so that way your not out anymore cash.
HBjet

[quig]

good call HB!!
The only flaw I see in that program is the cost to ship a used holley to any body NY west would cost more than the pump!! ;p even with my lowly .50 cent dollars http://free.***boat.net/ubb/frown.gif When I said go east young man!! I wasn't kidding... really east but Its nice to know you are thinking about me out here in the cold!!!
quig.

[Bitz]

I have ran a Holley Red on my BBC for 3 yrs without any problems at all. (OK they are CDN seasons (June-Sept)). If you have it I would go ahead and run it.

[RiverToysJas]

Originally posted by HBjet:
but remember when your your out there boating and your fuel pump goes bad, what is your back up plan?
Mine plan is think of who's trailer I'm closest to when I break down. Hitch a ride down river to that location. Walk through the trailer park banging on doors and asking people for the person I'm looking for. Locate the guy's truck and get him out of bed. Then, provided he has his boat keys and gas, we'll go tow my boat to the nearest ramp.
That's what I'd do!
RTJas http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

[058]

Quig, I like my beer to put up a fight, 5% is real beer, not this 3.2 pisswater thats sold here in Cal. On to Fuel pumps: ditch the Holleys. I've had a few failures with those and would only run one as a transfer pump. I run a Mallory in one boat, a B/G in another and a Carter elect. in my ski boat. All wired independently off the ignition switch just so it isn't on when the engine is shut off. As for the mechanical pumps they are fine but sometimes you just don't have the room for one as in my case and the flow rating usually isn't what they claim it is. If one fails you always have a way home....its called "Search and Rescue"

[77charger]

I run a holley blue it works ok but tends to not want to pump when boat has sat for a while.needs to be primed.Has craped a couple of times but performed on the water cleaning of the pump.When i buy another im going with the mallory comp 140.I had one on my boat it was flawless but my brother wanted it back for his car that he said he was going to get running that was 5 years ago and his nova is still not running.(its being finished now)

[Flat Screwd]

Holley blue is the way to go. But any ele. pump will do. I like them because you can here them pump. So if you run 1 tank dry flip to the other and let the pump do the rest. No running the bat. down. But one word of advice is to get a GOOOOOD!!!!! fuel filter and run it before the pump. Trust me it doesnt take much to jam one up.

[HBjet]

Originally posted by RiverToysJas:
Mine plan is think of who's trailer I'm closest to when I break down. Hitch a ride down river to that location. Walk through the trailer park banging on doors and asking people for the person I'm looking for. Locate the guy's truck and get him out of bed. Then, provided he has his boat keys and gas, we'll go tow my boat to the nearest ramp.
That's what I'd do!
RTJas http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif
Hey man, I was out late that night (or was it morning by then?) I was laughing about that the other day though. I was still half asleep when we got in the boat the first time. When you were at my trailer, I kinda took it as an emergency (sorta) and knew you were looking for a long time for my place, so I didn't want to stall.
Everyone should have see it, I wish I had. RTJs banging on my door for like 5 minutes, I stager to the door, and he tells me his boat broke and needs a tow, we jump in the golf cart, hop in the boat unhook the anchor and push off. Go to start the engine DOOH! No keys...SHIT! jump back into the water, hook up the boat again, drive the almost dead golf cart back, get keys, come back and fire up boat. Both tanks on "E" so we get gas and then finally get the boat. This was all at 12:30pm-1pm. I was stil hung over.
HBjet

[RiverToysJas]

Thanks again HBJet, you're a life saver!!!
The only reason I was in a bit of a hurry when I finally found your pad was that I told RiverCutie that I'd be right back and I had already been gone a while. She couldn't walk with me anymore because her feet were burning because she left her shoes back in my boat. I think I only knocked once or twice at your place though.
That was fun! Lets not do it again though http://free.***boat.net/ubb/wink.gif
RTJas http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif