Electric Fuel pump question

[fasthawkracing]

Hey all, I have the stewart warner 240 and am mounting in the back of my 65 r-model tribute. I am wondering if others use this pump alone or with the mechanical pump as well. I was planning on just using this pump and not run a mechanical. Does that work ok, anyone out there just running the electric pump and are you running a regulator with it?

Thanks

[Bob Gaines]

Hey all, I have the stewart warner 240 and am mounting in the back of my 65 r-model tribute. I am wondering if others use this pump alone or with the mechanical pump as well. I was planning on just using this pump and not run a mechanical. Does that work ok, anyone out there just running the electric pump and are you running a regulator with it?

Thanks

The SW 240 has a built in regulator. That is the adjustment under the rubber cap on the top.

[shelbydoug]

I don't know if the GT350 R's drivers used the same procedure but the Comp Cobra's so equipped would use the electric pump to prime and start the engine and the drivers were noted for shutting them off and running the entire race without them.

That has got to be the nosiest electric pump ever built and I think that had a lot to do with them getting shut off.


The fuel pumps on the 289's on the race cars are actually a little surprising when you get into the details.
Not only were they run without pressure regulators but the cars with 48 ida Webers ran just off of the mechanical pumps with no regulators at all.


It's my guess, rather then opinion that they were mostly on the race cars to prime the carbs and not really necessary.


Now little is discussed with them on the GT40's and for endurance races like Daytonna or Lemans maybe they are more important?

[gt350hr]

      The original R models used the 240A and the stock mechanical pump. As Doug noted , the 240A is a ''flow through " pump which allows fuel to go through it even when "off". SAI used it as an auxillary pump to be run all the time. Some did shut them off as Doug mentioned.

[jerry merrill]

I have one mounted in the trunk just for looks and run off mechanical engine pump on my R-model replica.

[6s2055]

Interesting about regulators on Webers. Back in the late '60s I ran Weber's on csx2192with electric fuel pump and no regulator. Fast forward to 2000. Ran Webers on 6s2055 with electric fuel pump but with a regulator set to 2.5-3 psi. Liked that because I could see if I lost pressure up to the carbs. Did not run either thru the mechanical pump.

[fasthawkracing]

Great info, yeah I was leaning towards just running the 240 pump. I have had some loud pumps in the past so I am willing to give it a try. Was going to mount to aluminum plate mounted down under near the tank.

will have a fuel pump on/off switch in the interior mounted along with starter button
Any more info that can be shared is great

[pbf777]

will have a fuel pump on/off switch in the interior mounted along with starter button
Any more info that can be shared is great

     Granted, that in the day I wasn't so safety conscience, but it would be best if the switch was either of three-way operation, effectively providing a direct circuit for priming with engine not running, and once the engine were running then the switch would be positioned to operate a circuit in line with say an oil pressure switch to operation power relay, this for in case of an accident which with the loss of the oil pressure from the non-operating (stalled) engine would perhaps keep from pumping additional fuel to the fire!     

     Or other provision of which there are several to kill the pump in a severe incident.     

     Scott.

[CSX2259]

On the 260/289 competition Cobras the electric pump was installed on the "reserve" circuit and fed a three position fuel tank changeover valve mounted just in front of the drivers seat. There were two fuel feed pickup points on the fuel tank, one "Main" and one "Reserve". The changeover valve had three positions "Reserve", "Main" and "Off". When the fuel pressure gauge needle starts fluctuating or the engine starts coughing you know it's time to switch the changeover valve to "reserve". If you did not catch the low fuel pressure signs in time you could lose fuel pressure all together when switching to "reserve" because the fuel feed outlet was at the bottom of the fuel tank and the gravity feed to the mechanical pump was nearly non existent you would use the electric pump to boost the circuit just long enough to build pressure back up and then shut the electric pump off. The mechanical fuel pump could draw fuel through the electric fuel pump when the electric fuel pump was turned off.

[Tom Honegger]

When I purchased my GT350 in 1972, the previous (original) owner had installed the SW electric pump, mounted in the trunk. The mechanical pump was removed. After 40+ years I was concerned the SW might croak while on a road trip, so I installed a mechanical pump. Ran with both, sometimes with SW switched off. Worked fine either way. When the SW finally quit at Mid Ohio SAAC Convention I was thankful to have the mechanical.

[mlplunkett]

So where is the fuel pump switch on an R-Model?

[shelbydoug]

So where is the fuel pump switch on an R-Model?

Wherever the driver wanted to put it? Probably in different locations depending on which batch it was made in?

[s2ms]

When I purchased my GT350 in 1972, the previous (original) owner had installed the SW electric pump, mounted in the trunk. The mechanical pump was removed. After 40+ years I was concerned the SW might croak while on a road trip, so I installed a mechanical pump. Ran with both, sometimes with SW switched off. Worked fine either way. When the SW finally quit at Mid Ohio SAAC Convention I was thankful to have the mechanical.

My 66 also had one trunk mounted when I bought it in 1987, left over from it's racing days. had a kill switch under the dash IIRC.  Removed and replaced with a mechanical shortly after.

[TJinSA]

My 240 has been my principle pump , as it was in its racing days in the early 70s. On a keyed switch to deter theft, I have never thought it too loud, as it was part and parcel of the whole car, and its nature. Several discussions may pursuade me to have a mechanical available as a backup... nahhhh dual 240s period style in the car's next iteration.

[sfm5]

So where is the fuel pump switch on an R-Model?

I run a 240 on my '65, and my switch is somewhat hidden so it also serves as a theft deterrent.