Mechanical Fuel Pump Installation

Fuel installation of mechanical fuel and fuel regulator Tools: standard socket set, adjustable wrench, flat-blade screwdriver, Allen wrench set Cost: approximately 200-350 Tinware: fuel and mounting gasket (supplied with fuel regulator and gauge, 38 fuel hose and clamps, NPT fittings Tip: When re-routing new lines, closely measure all of your lengths beforehand to avoid last minute miscalculations. Performance gains: superior fuel flow over stock (approx. 80-130 gallons hour), and adjustability to ensure the right mix When it comes to cars and our beloved spontaneous combustion engines, fuel (and of it) is the name of the game. Regardless of size or design, all engines rely solely on fuel being in from an outside source, such as the tank. And to this we look no further than the workhorse we know as the fuel Fuel come in a variety of forms and can be mounted in several different locations. Today, most late-model vehicles utilize an electric which is typically installed inside the tank. However, the older, and by far the most common design, would be the mechanical fuel Simply mounted on the side of the engine block, these use the age-old method of a single to get things flowing. The fuel is driven by the camshaft to actuate the rocker arm much like the valvetrain in the cylinder heads. Plunging away, the rod literally sits on the top of the rocker arm, unloaded. The actual supplying of the fuel to the is again very straightforward. Basically, you have a main line, either 516 or 38, running front to back (the length of the car) between the fuel tank and the This is your suction line. The spring-loaded rocker arm is actuated up and down by the rotation of the cam, creating a negative or vacuum in the system, and drawing fuel in from the tank. On the outlet side of the is the line, which then feeds the fuel into the carburetors bowl(s). At some between the tank and the inlet of the it is highly recommended to install a quality fuel filter. This will keep the gunk and debris in the tank from entering your fuel and more importantly, your engine. Although its not uncommon to see a 35 year-old car still running and retaining its factory fuel these components will eventually wear down and fail. Therefore, a little RR would be a good idea. Besides, even at their best, the factory units of yesteryear in comparison to the high standards of today. So what are we waiting for? Starting with the disassembly, first remove your lines from the inlet and outlet of the fuel Place a container underneath the to recover any spilled fuel, then or clamp off the lines if needed. The held on by 2 bolts, should now be free and ready for removal. Just to be on the safe side, I always recommend using new on such as this one. If your new did not include them, they can be found at any hardware store. Keep in mind you will need fittings for the regulator as well. Install the fittings on the and regulator to installation. This gives you a little more room to ensure everything is tight and ready to go. When reinstalling the use a small screwdriver to carefully hold the up and out of the way. After cleaning the mounting surface of old gasket material, apply a small dab of sealer to the new gasket and reinstall the fuel Getting the into and making sure the is seated on the rocker can be a little tricky at times. The has a natural tendency to slide down inside the block, the of actuation. If clearance allows, use a small screwdriver to retain the rod while backing the in (see 1). Another alternative is to the all the way out, it with some heavy engine grease, and lodge it back in. However, this will only work with a cold motor. With that accomplished, you can now reattach your fuel lines as necessary and secure them in with hose clamps. If you choose to run AN lines (recommended), clamps are not needed. Here we are installing our fuel filter. The line is cut and attached to both sides of the filter, then held in with adjustable worm gear clamps. The addition of a fuel regulator in the system is a simple one to understand and to install. With any temperamental, high motor, the more flexibility in tuning you have, the easier it is to consistently control. And the regulator does just that. It guarantees a consistent of fuel to be and delivered to the carburetor without fail. Thats just one less variable for you to worry about. With everything back in the only thing left to do is securely mount the regulator to its bracket and attach it to any rigid surface. In this case, we will most likely use the inner fenderwell. To install, merely route the outlet line to the regulator inlet The line coming out of the regulator will then serve as the carburetor inlet feed (see 3). Adjusting the regulator is as simple as turning a wrench, literally. And the small, but clear gauge lets you dial it in just where you need it for maximum