Airtex fuel pumps

D

David W Juliano

Member
Went to buy an Airtex 6 volt low pressure (2.5 to 4psi) fuel pump, model E8902 based on a lot of positive comments I've read on this forum. As part of the online (Ebay site) information on the pump I came across these statements in red "This pump can be used for either positive or negative ground. FOR POSITIVE GROUND The pump itself must first be wrapped and electrically isolated from the mounting bracket you may or may not have to reverse the wires." What gives? Has anyone done this or had to do this on their installation?
 
Yes I have done this. When I first installed my E8902 I tested it and found that even though it was running no fuel was coming out at the fuel line into the engine. I knew for sure that the lines were good as everything was new. I pondered for awhile until i realizes the Ford was positive ground. I had wired it + and - per the connections on the pump. I reversed them and the pump runs fine. I don't recall my instructions mentioning wrapping the bracket. I didn't by the way.
 
The manufacturer must recognize some possibility of the negative windings contacting the case of the pump. For the sake of safety and the possibility of a failure at some future point, I would isolate the pump from whatever it is mounted to. This would also require rubber hose connections instead of steel tubing connections.
 
For the 6 volt positive ground all you should have to do is reverse the wires, i.e., the ground becomes the hot and the hot wire becomes the ground. I’d also install a “kill” switch for safety.
 
I bought one a couple years ago that would not work,the E8902. I called the seller and he got me hooked up with an Airtex tech. The tech insisted that the pump would work on either positive ground or negative ground but added just make sure the black wire is connected to your your ground,---what??? I sent it back but after I keep seeing others have used these successfully I have purchased another one to try again.Would really like for this to work as a backup, couple years ago I had a mechanical pump fail on a very busy two lane within a mile from home. I still believe this low pressure pump is actually a 12 volt pump that will or supposedly work on 6 volts at half the 12 volt pressure hence the 2-4. Airtex acts like they were made "specifically for your antique,what was it"?
 
Like Vic indicated...just reverse the wires on the pump. Should work fine. I have installed 3 or 4 of them with no issues. Good luck. Pat
 
I mounted mine using a hole that was already in the frame to bolt the bracket to, hard plumbed to the metal tubing rather than using the short rubber hoses and spring clamps that come with the pump, no insulation of the pump body from the bracket or frame. Just reverse the wire to ground the positive and run the negative through the dashboard switch. (Have an inertia kill switch to shut down in a collision.)

Fuelpumpelectric.jpg


P.S. Unless you are just going to turn the pump on momentarily to prime the mechanical pump when vapor locked you'll need a pressure regulator as the pump will put out the maximum 4 psi which is too much for the carb float valve. I put the Holley pressure regulator between the electric and the mechanical pump. Even so, I had to adjust the regulator clear out to get the pressure low enough to not overwhelm my carb float valve.

DSCN1730_zps64f449f8.jpg
 
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I have one installed on my 41. Bought it at Advanced Auto. Are they really any cheaper on e-bay? Cannot remember for sure but about $45?
 
When I bought mine (12v version) in '05, they were $25 at AutoZone. Now you're lucky to find one for $45, eBay or Summit. Same with the Holley regulator, it was $15, now it's $30. They must think us old birds are made of money...
 
Sad to admit but that left blinker is NOT only a Utah trait. It is alive and well in Georgia.
 
Where do those running Airtex, or any fuel pump for that matter, pull power for the pump? Would a relay be advisable, or necessary?
Joe
 
Cheapest price I found is at Amazon.com ($39.30) + free shipping. Airtex E8902 More and more I check prices on Amazon.com and find them cheapest.

I also installed an inertia switch as Old Henry suggested.
 
Joe AZ said:
Where do those running Airtex, or any fuel pump for that matter, pull power for the pump? Would a relay be advisable, or necessary?
Joe
Click to expand...

Holley sells an oil pressure switch that you can run power thru, the idea being that if there's a leak in the line out of the pump, the engine will die and it will shut off the pump to prevent a fire. On modern cars they use the computer to detect whether ignition pulses are present or not, and EFI engines will stop almost immediately on loss of fuel pressure. On our cars, the oil pressure switch is for some kind of crash where the line gets ruptured and the driver is unable to shut off the ignition. In normal operation, by the time the carb has run out of fuel, and the engine stopped, you've pumped a lot of gas all over the place, can smell it, or see the flames.

Obviously if you use the switch, you've got to provide power to the pump until you've got oil pressure (probably before cranking to fill the carb). Older Chrysler products had a timing relay that energized the pump for 5 seconds after the ignition was energized, or when the starter was activated. That would be perfect but I can't find one.

http://www.holley.com/12-810.asp
 
I used Airtex pumps for several years but the two most recent ones I had both failed in a short time. A friend suggested the Carter 4070 pump and they both have held up very well. The Airtex's seemed to vapor lock, I was told due to ethanhol but have no proof of that.
 
I've been skeptical of claims of damage by gasohol, but I've passed thru Tulsa and other towns in OK a total of 4 times in the last year. I keep real close track of gas mileage, and it always drops significantly (20% or more) on tankfuls purchased in OK. I suspect they are adding more than 10% ethanol around there. That will indeed start to damage lots of components.

Still, I drove thru there 2x in my truck, which has an Airtex pump, no problems.
 
I dont know about more than 10% ethanol in Oklahoma gas but 100% gasoline is readily available statewide. About 4 to 6 years ago it was all 10% etoh but slowly they started to offer 100% gas, now you can get it at most all stations. you have to pay a little more for it though.
 
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