Time For Another Lift Pump!

[HammerDown]

I can't complain, I installed this current Pep Boys (lifetime warranty) back in 1995!
The one before that was OE Ford when I bought my truck NEW 1988 (wow have the years gone-by)
Not weeping from the 'weep holes' but...it might be a hairline fracture at the male inlet nipple where it's pressed into the pump's body.

Replacement will be a 'free' replacement 'Carter' from Pep Boys, and I'm sure I'll be long gone before that one needs replacing too...I'll let Mel install the HOLLEY ELECTRIC

 

[icanfixall]

Why not install the electric pump and do away with the mechanical pump. That seems like the better idea plus it makes filter and injection pump changes much easier on the starter and batteries.

 

[jaluhn83]

Mechanical pump is simple and reliable. And cheaper.

Personally I have an electric pump (cheap generic kragen version) installed off on the frame just forward of the tank switch valve and then the stock mechanical pump. The electric pump is run off a switch on the dash, so when changing filters or after it's sat for a while or if the mechanical pump ever fails I can just switch on the electric.

 

[HammerDown]

Why not install the electric pump and do away with the mechanical pump. That seems like the better idea plus it makes filter and injection pump changes much easier on the starter and batteries.

Nahhh, I'm good

25 years and two lift-pumps
25 years and one replaced OE-IP with (baby moose)
25 years of pre filling fuel filters = quick restarts

Can't sell me on making something more reliable then the above and besides, I'd have to carry an extra Holly fuel pump in the truck when that electronic contraption decides to fail
The mechanical lift-pump has served and proved it's reliability to me.

I'll leave that so called "upgrade" for Mel

 

[icanfixall]

Ok.... For many the electric lift pump sold by member genlightening is the best upgrade for these pumps. You see them all the time on the refer semi trailers up top in the front od the rigs. Look way back under the trailer where the spare tire is. You'll see the diesel fuel tank for that refer engine... Now if that electric pump can suck from that low and push the fuel up that high...Welll I'm all in for that deal... Carrying a spare one of those is not happening and you all know how much in spares I usually have behind my rear seat... Actually I have a used holley red for the just in case maybes...

 

[riotwarrior]

Mechanical pump is simple and reliable. And cheaper.

Personally I have an electric pump (cheap generic kragen version) installed off on the frame just forward of the tank switch valve and then the stock mechanical pump. The electric pump is run off a switch on the dash, so when changing filters or after it's sat for a while or if the mechanical pump ever fails I can just switch on the electric.

Now this is just me....

IMHO you are flirting with disaster on that method

It's just too easy to flip that switch if your mech pump fails and pump fuel into crankcase....

I'd be either straight mechanical....or electric but definately NOT both!

Having the mech suck through an electric pump is likely not good for either!


JM2CW

Al

 

[HammerDown]

Decision time...I bought both, one will be returned for cash and the other used as 'free warranty exchange' (cash back)

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I know the 'dog-legged' pump is somewhat a newer design. But, whichever style gave me 18 years of service, is going back in

*Just an observation...
*the new dog-leg one is stamped "made in USA" & (pierce) and rattles when hand shaken (pump-arm L/R play)
*the straight-arm pump is stamped "made in Canada" and actually feels a little more solid (no L/R arm play)

Time to pull the 18 year-old pump!

 

[HammerDown]

Well, that didn't take long > and the dog-legged (made in USA) pump goes back in

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[Kevin 007]

Good show. I take mechanical lift pumps any day over electric.

 

[argve]

Good Deal Ray. I'm a fan of the electric but I liked to spin on dry filters and key ON the truck so the electric took off then just press the schrader valve and wait for fuel. But that was just me. I never did have a problem with the mechanical though except when I replaced one thinking it was failing and got the arm on the wrong side of the cam lobe... didn't take but about one rev and cracked the arm. I was lucky in that it didn't come off it just made noise so I yanked it back out and found out what I had done.

 

[HammerDown]

The most difficult part of that job was > > > 18 years ago I didn't need to wear glasses.
Heck, 5 years ago I didn't even need cheaters

I bumped over the engine so the cam lobe was on it's 'flat' and, the new Lift-Pump fell right into place.

Out and in > under one hour...and the part was FREE!

 

[jaluhn83]

Now this is just me....

IMHO you are flirting with disaster on that method

It's just too easy to flip that switch if your mech pump fails and pump fuel into crankcase....


I'd be either straight mechanical....or electric but definately NOT both!

Having the mech suck through an electric pump is likely not good for either!


JM2CW

Al

Good points.

I don't typically run the electric point for anything other than starting, so I wouldn't think there's any more risk of fuel contamination than normal. Seems to me that there's a pretty good chance of diaphragm failure leading to contamination with a mech pump period. Only way the electric pump could make it worse is if the mech pump failed and someone just turned the electric on and kept driving. Certainly possible, but at least for me there'd certainly be serious investigation of things happening before I went to far if the engine all of sudden seemed to be starving for fuel. In any case, I would submit that the electric pump could actually be a savior in that situation as it would let you get the truck to a safe place to hut down rather than being stuck on the road somewhere. I think it would take a fair amount of fuel (on the order of gallons) to dilute the oil enough to cause serious bearing damage unless you go thousands of miles that way.

I will concede that the electric pump is probably causing a restriction on the suction side of the mech pump. I will probably fit a bypass check valve to alleviate that issue. Can't see how it'd hurt the mech pump, it's just going to add more restriction and make it pull more vacuum. Not going to stress the arm or cam any. Can't see how it would harm the electric pump either.

 

[GOOSE]

The mechanical lift pumps have been good to me thus far. I have only ever dealt with a little stumbling when using the prefilling the filter on a warm engine technique. When a trucks running good and you are happy with it, leave it alone.

 

[rockbender]

Reading through this thread got me thinking... I remembered seeing an electric pump mounted on my frame rail, but I never really heard it. Well, after some investigation I can see that the wire that was run to this pump had been cut! At some point the previous owner must have thought it unnecessary, too loud, or who knows what. My electric is mounted right after the fuel selector switch and before the mechanical pump. How much pressure should we be seeing at the filter head? I wonder how much of a restriction this electric pump is putting on the system? My plan right now (after doing a few other odds and ends) is to put the electric on a toggle switch and see if it helps with cold starts at all. Since it seems to run fine without it, I don't know that I need it to be on all the time; HOWEVER, I do want to make sure the mechanical pump is putting out adequate pressure so that I don't cause any issues with my injection pump. So... What is the safe operating range at the filter head?