6-V electric fuel pump?

Daves55Sedan

Daves55Sedan

Well-known member
I have long considered installing an electric fuel pump and had my eye on Airtex E8902, 6-V, 2-4 lbs output pressure. Last time I saw them listed in any of the repro parts suppliers they were fairly reasonable and seemed to be a popular item.
WELL...now they seem to have disappeared from all the suppliers including chain auto parts stores.
If this keeps up, I am going to wear out the oil-bath air-cleaner clamp on my '55 Ford.
Wanted to use it as a priming pump only and keep the mechanical pump, although it may be nearly flooding the carb as it is, since it is putting out 4-1/2 lbs pressure before the carb. Whenever the car goes uphill, or if I make a quick stop in reverse, the engine wants to die immediately unless I take it out of gear real quick and step on the gas. Very frustrating.
Fuel pressure regulators are out of the question. Been there done that over and over.
Solution for electric pump? Solution for overpressure at mechanical pump that doesn't include running a whole bypass line back to the tank?
 
If it's stalling going up hill, the cause may be an incorrect float level. Possibly the same thing with stalling in reverse.
 
Fuel Pumps, in general, and as a whole, for all old cars are a real problem right now, for 3 reasons....

I bought a case (12) of 6 volt Electric Fuel Pumps, before they became an issue... I probably have
9 to 11 of them.....

Always best to simply call me, if you want one .... 516 - 485 - 1935 ..... Craig..... New York ....
 
Daves55Sedan said:
I have long considered installing an electric fuel pump and had my eye on Airtex E8902, 6-V, 2-4 lbs output pressure. Last time I saw them listed in any of the repro parts suppliers they were fairly reasonable and seemed to be a popular item.
WELL...now they seem to have disappeared from all the suppliers including chain auto parts stores.
If this keeps up, I am going to wear out the oil-bath air-cleaner clamp on my '55 Ford.
Wanted to use it as a priming pump only and keep the mechanical pump, although it may be nearly flooding the carb as it is, since it is putting out 4-1/2 lbs pressure before the carb. Whenever the car goes uphill, or if I make a quick stop in reverse, the engine wants to die immediately unless I take it out of gear real quick and step on the gas. Very frustrating.
Fuel pressure regulators are out of the question. Been there done that over and over.
Solution for electric pump? Solution for overpressure at mechanical pump that doesn't include running a whole bypass line back to the tank?
Click to expand...

If you can find one , get it. I have had one in my car for over 11 years now and it has performed great.
 

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Hi Dave, coincidentally this was one of my projects last weekend on my '55 Sunliner. I installed a 6v Brock Electric Fuel Pump (part no. U886-9092) which I picked up on Amazon. It looks exactly like the Airtex pics that Merc Cruzer posted. When I searched for 6V pumps, there are several brands, but they all look identical, like the one pictured. Guess 1 plant in China is shooting them out to be rebranded by a dozen resellers.

I'm using it as a primer only, activated when need by a push button switch under the dash. Mainly so it can fill the carburetor bowl for a quicker start after the car has sat for awhile. Also nice to have in-line as a backup in case the main-one causes trouble.

Some Background - My mechanical fuel pump works well, but a previous owner of my '55 had installed a Carter type electric fuel pump with a toggle under the dash, however it never worked since I owned the car. It's on the main fuel line, and so the mechanical is able to draw fuel across it without problem. Unfortunately these heavy duty Carters are no longer available so I decided to give the Brock a try. So far seems okay, my only concern is if it might restrict fuel flow if I put the pedal to the metal ... still need to test that.
 
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I've had nothing but problems with fuel regulators set to a low pressure. They worked okay at 6 lbs. but set to low pressure for a Flathead they sometimes shut the fuel off. We used a lot of them at work on the Onan generators that powered our phone company aerial trucks, and we were always having problems with them. I used to have one on a '66 Mini Coopers S and it would shut the fuel off. I'd have to get out and reset it and then it was good for a couple of days and then it would happen again. I have bought expensive ones with the same result. It's best not to use them and just find the pump with the correct pressure but with six-volts your limited to what's available. If you're going to use one just to prime the system, it needs to shutoff in the open position so the mechanical pump can still draw fuel through it. Most electric pumps shutoff in the closed position to keep the fuel in the line. The Airtex illustrated catalog shows the voltage, fuel pressure and whether it is open or closed when there is no power to it. If they are discontinued your just going to need to keep an eye out on eBay for a surplus one or try another brand.
 
Dave, have you checked Amazon? I found a couple over there that I thought were reasonably priced. Should work for you as a "primer".

Regards...Dick.
 
I use mine as a primer. After sitting over the winter, you pull on the switch and listen for the pump to go quiet and the car fires right up on the first try. I also use it when I get a case of vapor lock and it pushes the air bubble right through.
 
paul2748 said:
If it's stalling going up hill, the cause may be an incorrect float level. Possibly the same thing with stalling in reverse.
Click to expand...

The symptoms do seem to indicate that it is barely flooding, but can't be, because I can let it sit and idle. It does fine. If the fuel pressure was overpowering the inlet seat and submerging the float, it would most certainly flood thew engine out when idling and it never does. Only when going up the driveway or when slamming on the brakes in reverse gear.
BTW, I have two Ford EBU carbs and i have tried both. Each one has the float set waaaay lower than spec The OEM setting is nearly 1-3/8" to the bottom of float when the seat is closed. I have both mine set to about 1-5/8". But I can still drive on the highway in excess of 60mph if I want with no problems.
Can't see the problem being float level too high here when I have it set so low.
 
BTW, I have seen several posts in the early V8 forum talking about this issue on their Holley 94 carbs and alleged gas leaking. I have always thought this was leakage too, but I am not so sure anymore. Last time I rebuilt an EBU, I filled the float bowl with the valve body off the carb and sat it on a tuna can for three days. Never saw a DROP of gas in that can after 3 days. Evaporation? Temperature was in mid-seventies. Not like I was in the Mohave desert or anything. Could this all be due to ethanol evaporating out of the gas? Never had this problem prior to ethanol and all this time I am fighting power valve gaskets and such!
 
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