IDI E Fuel pump Info

[Stuka]

Hello everyone over the past 2 Days i have been doing non stop research on E Fuel pumps for the 6.9 and 7.3 IDI and IDIT engines an i would like to share with you my research in one post so you don't have to spend 2 days looking for information like I did.

the most common fuel EFP (electric fuel pumps) used in the IDIs are the following
Dura lift facet 40285
Dura lift Facet 40222
HOLLY RED ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP
WALRBO FRB-13
WALBRO GSL 391
AIRDOG RAPTOR

I will also mention some other fuel pumps that are not commonly used but are viable options later on
lets go over the pros and cons as well as some of the specs for each EFP

Dura lift facet 40285 _ just don't use it the Dura lift 40222 is better in every way and the same price
Dura lift Facet 40222 on most websites it says its pushing about 9.5-11psi but from the test I've seen conducted its realistically around 8psi idle and 6 psi under load now it only produces 33GPH from my research this is fine for non turbo applications but still I would not personally run this setup unless I was in a pinch the stock mechanical lift pump normally produces around 40GPH at 5-6PSI so. Now from my research i have found that the Dura lift 40222 is a reliable pump and is great in terms of run life. another upside to the dura lift is it has a built in filter something the other EFP do not have making it a cost effective option. In my personal opinion i don't believe it produce enough GPH and it should never be used in a turbo application or any application with your IP turned up. I think this may cause pre mature failure to your IP do to lack of diesel.( in My Opinion )
honestly it a decent cost effective option to use on non turbo models.





HOLLY RED
Now my research has lead me to believe that the holly red is essentially playing Russian roulette with your EFP Let me explain.
The HOLLY RED spec are 97GPH at a rather consistent 6-7 psi making this a fantastic setup for any IDI engine turbo non turbo turned up IP does not matter. But the biggest issues I have found are reliability and production quality. I have read numerous reviews and reports of HOLLY REDs being fantastic pumps and lasting for thousands of miles and I've also heard more of them just burning up in a week never working in the first place or only producing a fraction of the power they are suppose to. but when they do work they work good they are also not rated for diesel but I have not found any of there reliability issues to be related to that fact. only concerns form others on weather the o rings may dissolve and clog up you're IP. only other issue is your going to have to or rather you should make a filter system system cause they do not have a built in one. this is not a hard task but you are going to have to buy a bunch of fitting and lines as well as the filter housings. really not a problem. Over all the holly red is not a bad system if yours works but your going to be spinning the chamber when you buy one.



WALBRO FRB-13
from my understanding an overall great pump produces around 60GPH at 6.5 to 7
this is a fantastic upgrades i have not heard anything bad about these pumps they seem to be rather reliable and last a long time they are rated for diesel but you are going to have to make your own filter setup.
only bad thing to say is they are pricy just under 300.

WALBRO GSL 391
55GPH at a insane 100psi. I am primarily including this because @SouthernIDI made a whole build sheet on this now he did mention that it was experimental and he had only been running his for a limited time but he does provide a fantastic filter build sheet and well just read the red for yourself

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AIRDOG RAPTOR I'm going to just say it right here right now this is probably the best EFP your going to get it runs 100GPH at 8psi-30 psi it has a built in regulator that you can adjust the pressure with. AIR DOG has made fantastic parts in the past and this one lives up the there reputation from my research this thig is strong reliable and will live forever but you again are going to have to make your own filter setup. this is a fantastic example I found was from @94 moneypit

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it wont let me @ him no clue why

Honorably mentions and other things I've found interesting plus overview

HOLLY BLUE EFP
the holly blue EFP is a step above the holly red
it produces 110GPH at 14psi I've read mixed things about weather or not you need to run a fuel return regulator form my understanding to be safe run one. I have not seen as many people run these as they do holly reds and i have yet to hear anything bad in terms of production quality and reliability but again there is not as much out there as i would hope. it also is not rated for diesel.

HOLLY black same thing as the holly blue except 140GPH at 14 psi i was told u should run a fuel return regulator this one to my knowledge is rated for diesel did not specify but did say it was marine grade which normally implies rated for diesel.

12v Cummins Fass fuel system
FASS TS D02 Titanium signature serious 100GPH fuel system
I am very very interested in trying this system in my IDIT. This is a really nice kit its pricy but really really nice just under $700usd
its a fass system for the 12v cummins runs 100gph at 8-10 psi. very very well made has fuel line filters built in and everything i have not found anyone using this on there IDI but i think im going to try it out.

over all if u justn need a quick replacement for your non turbo or stock idi the dura lift facet 4022 is good option

if you want to gamble a bit but maybe get a better system go with the HOLLY RED

if you want the best then id recommend going with AIRDOG RAPATOR its a bit pricy but its probably going to be the best you just have to make your own filter system. ( this is my personal favorite of the most commonly used EFPs)

Now i do want to say the FASS system for the 12v is a really good option if you have the money it is nice to not have to build your own filter setup and fass has an unbeatable quality when it comes to fuel systems now unfortunately i don't have any evidence on this system ever being used on an idi but they work perfectly on 12v and i wouldn't see why they would not do the same on the idi platform.

I ALSO TOTALLY FORGOT JUSTIN MAKES ONE FOR THE IDIs

Standard Fuel System | R&D IDI PERFORMANCE

The R&D standard fuel system comprises of a Combo Pre-filter/Water separator and high efficiency secondary filter with mount. The fuel pump is a Walbro

idiperformance.com

also heard a lot of good things about this one to the few that don't know R&D Idi performance makes great parts


this post probably took about a total of 15 hours to make again everything I've listed is based of my own research. I do hope everyone finds it very helpful thank you all and have a wonderful day

 

[IDIBRONCO]

only concerns form others on weather the o rings may dissolve and clog up you're IP.

I'd just like to add a couple of thought here.
This is a rough quote from an old Hot Rod Magazine ( I think). You should run a filter before your electric fuel pump to keep junk from the tank out of the pump. You should also run one right before your carburetor to keep possible debris from the pump out.
I still use that theory on my IDI engines. A filter before the e pump and one, the factory filter in my case, before the IP.

I've read mixed things about weather or not you need to run a fuel return regulator form my understanding to be safe run one.

You don't need to run a returning regulator MOST of the time. There is actually different models of the Holley blue. Just go by their instructions and you'll be fine. Here's an admittedly blurry picture of the model list that came with my blue. The last entry says that it needs a high pressure bypass. I think that means a bypass or returning regulator.

 

[Stuka]

thank you for the additional info

 

[divemaster5734]

Hello everyone over the past 2 Days i have been doing non stop research on E Fuel pumps for the 6.9 and 7.3 IDI and IDIT engines an i would like to share with you my research in one post so you don't have to spend 2 days looking for information like I did.


if you want to gamble a bit but maybe get a better system go with the HOLLY RED

Appreciate the time you took to organize your post.
Well Done.
As for the Reds, I can't prove it because I haven't had mine long enough for it to fail, but I'm thinking it has something to do with the internal regulator on those.
They make a different sound when feeding a IP compared to when they're dumping pressure on a static charged line, like when the GP's are heating.
I'm no expert, definitely not a pro mechanic, but it's my understanding the internal regulator has a built in bypass for the static fuel line times.
I can't help but think that's just a spring and bearing, or something simple like that, and after enough time they wear out.
The folks that haven't had as many problems I've talked to all have installed a dedicated toggle, so they only get fuel pressure when they want it.

 

[Clb]

I'm outfitting the crawler for a run.
So
Tldr
But I didn't post our venerable meme, so this has hope......
#admin

 

[Jesus Freak]

I'm outfitting the crawler for a run.
So
Tldr
But I didn't post our venerable meme, so this has hope......
#admin

I specifically looked at this thread for that reason....

 

[Clb]

Shoot,
The yota's loaded up.
time to go read...
@snicklas
This is stickie/ tech thread worthy ...

 

[1202]

A few additional thoughts:
The Walbro FRB-13 is rated by manufacturer at a minimum flow rate of 43 gph -- I don't know what the real world actual rates are and they do not spec a max rate so I'm not sure where the 60 gph came from. There is also the FRB-22 which has a bit higher deadhead output pressure (6-8 psi) at the same 43 gpm minimum flow rate which I suspect is a bit better fit for our trucks. I don't think there is any question these are likely to be the most reliable electronic pumps out there in 2025 times but there is still some question whether they supply enough fuel for anything much beyond stock performance. I suppose you could put two in parallel if money were no object and gain some extra performance and reliability.

 

[Ruffnek7tree]

Personally I'm gonna go with a powerstroke e pump and a return regulator, I've had a facet, cheap edelbrock and a fuel pump off a 24v cummins, the cummins one was the most reliable so far, but I can Personally attest to the reliability and longevity of the bosch pump off a powerstroke, my 01 has probably close to a half million miles on it, and I haven't replaced it in the 13 or so years I've owned it..

I'm also going to revamp my entire fuel system, it's kinda been cobbled together to be honest.. plan is ptfe an lines from the selector valve forward for the feed and regulator return, plus new ones for the feed/return off the tank since I am planning to swap a super duty 38 gallon tank in.. I've found the factory style quick connects to an an fitting, so why not? Lol

 

[franklin2]

I have been saying in a couple of posts that I have been doing fine with these cheap little pumps. Well, I am here to say after using them a couple of years, it's not worth it. They work fine, when they work. I just can't get them to last. The facet version of this same pump may be fine, but instead of getting one of those I am going ahead and buying the 40222 recommended in the first post. Looks like it works on the same principle, except it's not square and comes with that screen filter. It hurt the pocketbook a little bit, $140, but I am tired of messing with these pumps. There is a china knock off of the 40222, looks just like it without the red facet sticker but no, I bought the facet version. Hopefully it just works, that is all we all want right? A pump that works and keeps working.

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P.S. I still have one of the above pumps on my diesel lawnmower. Lets see how long it lasts.

 

[1202]

Does the 7.3 IDI injection pump draw fuel at all by itself? I have a Kennedy lift pump (high flow, ~4 psi output pressure, centrifugal diesel pump) that I intended to mount on a Duramax as a supplemental lift pump but never did and its still sitting in the box. I ask because one issue with centrifugal pumps is that they will not self-prime, so if I ran out of fuel and the truck is parked on a steep uphill or something I could see an issue if the injection pump will not provide even a little bit of suction to get the air out of the lift pump to get things going. Upside is the pump is basically indestructible, has few moving parts, doesn't restrict flow, won't throw wear parts, doesn't need a prefilter and is estimated at 40000+ hours lifetime...

As an aside, I have a "problem" that involves me "collecting" old Mercedes turbodiesels. A few years back I bought a low-mile '82 turbo (OM617) car cheap out of Oregon that was kinda running but rough with no power. Turns out it had sat a long time with biodiesel or WVO or something polymerizing in the fuel system and the lift pump was siezed from deposits. Reliable old girl was running without a lift pump at all, with the injection pump somehow providing enough fuel draw to suck fuel through the cocktail straw of clogged tank filter, hard lines, and seized lift pump. So some mechanical injection pumps can flow some fuel in a pinch...

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Does the 7.3 IDI injection pump draw fuel at all by itself?

Yes. At least to some extent. I don't know if it will do that for a cold start though. I had that happen to me last month. I started my truck to let it warm up a bit, then I drove over to the car wash that's just over a block from my house. Sometime, I think it was in my driveway, my electric lift pump stopped working. As I was pulling out from the car wash, I noticed that my fuel pressure gauge was showing 0. I drove around the block, pulled into my driveway, and shut off the engine. After determining that there was still power to the lift pump, I started the engine and backed up to pull into my yard so I didn't have to lay on the cold concrete to work on it. It restarted just fine without the lift pump, but I did leave the engine running while I was in the car wash to let it warm up a little bit more.
Whether or not it will cold start without a lift pump aside, it's not good on the injector pump to run it without a lift pump for very long. You'd be best off to not run out of fuel.

 

[Clb]

There are anecdotal stories in the e pump threads of guys forgetting to arm their pumps and driving off.
Optimum?
Probably not.
Going to cold start in winter? Dunno.
Something not touched on often is a manual lift bulb type pump, like some equipment has..

 

[1202]

Thank you, I think I will try the kennedy centrifugal pump and report back. Cheers.

 

[Mike Gallegos]

I'd just like to add a couple of thought here.
This is a rough quote from an old Hot Rod Magazine ( I think). You should run a filter before your electric fuel pump to keep junk from the tank out of the pump. You should also run one right before your carburetor to keep possible debris from the pump out.
I still use that theory on my IDI engines. A filter before the e pump and one, the factory filter in my case, before the IP.

You don't need to run a returning regulator MOST of the time. There is actually different models of the Holley blue. Just go by their instructions and you'll be fine. Here's an admittedly blurry picture of the model list that came with my blue. The last entry says that it needs a high pressure bypass. I think that means a bypass or returning regulator.

Thinking on placing a Epump and fuel regulator on my '83 6.9L 2wd - with this comment of using a Bypass regulator and the return NOT going back to the injector fuel lines - would it be best to run the return straight back to the tank sump and the injector lines kept to the factory returns back through top sending unit of the tank?

On some of the fuel regs - there is a small (about 1/8") brass fitting inbedded on their side deignated as vaccum boost. Is that vacumm that needs to be provided? for oprerational reasons? or just cap it?

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