Fuel System

Since I'm using the Edelbrock heads on a small block, mechanical pumps won't fit. So electric it is.

After much research, two things are apparent:

1) Most pumps are very loud

2) Simple installations have lots of drawbacks

In brief, I'm doing an in-tank modification similar to that documented in this chevelles.com thread, but with the fuel pump from a 2000 F-350. That thread documented an El Camino install which is rather simpler as they have plenty of room for the taller outlets. A Chevelle install is documented starting on post 575 over here. Specifically I used the rear tank pump w/o California emissions. Airtex #E2281M, Spectra #SP2281M. Rock Auto had an awesome price on the Spectra. This pump has a third nipple that I'm not using, but uses a bolt-through lid which I do want.

Here's my tank:

More pictures on Picasa under "Fuel"

To round out the system, I'm using the RobbMc bypass regulator, aluminum 3/8" pipe for the long runs and teflon -6 hose for the short runs, with -6 from the regulator to the carb. I am also running the evap canister, because that's a much better idea than a vented cap. Some emissions controls are not bad. EGR and AIR are really the only horrible ones.

I toyed with building a fuel pump controller myself - it is a very similar problem to the blower fan controller - but better sense prevailed and I got the Aeromotive 16306 fuel pump controller. I also wired a generic intertia switch to kill the controller. As a just-in-case, the fuel pump and the feed to the controller use the same connector, so I can just run the pump directly - at full speed - if the controller dies. Redundancy! As noted in my update post on 2/18/12, the fuel pump doesn't get overloaded by the return, so the controller is unnecessary. Sold!

I got a Fram HPG-1 filter pretty cheap, and that will be connected to the inlet side of the regulator. Note: Wix makes an element for that canister, part number 33900R.

On the plumbing, I'm using teflon because most rubber hoses end up smelling like gas. Most folks use rubber for the entire runs. Teflon is crazy expensive, so I'm using hard line for the long runs along the chassis and teflon just for the bendy bits. Earl's has a good selection for most of that stuff and is available everywhere, and Aeroquip has some of the really unique adapters. I'll probably even use it for tranny cooler lines.

There's some notes out there about needing a conductive core for teflon, as fluids flowing through teflon generate a static charge. Earl's and TechAFX hose is conductive, Russell is not. Russell is quite a bit cheaper, and TechAFX the most expensive. I haven't really looked at the Aeroquip stuff yet. The Aeroquip website is horrible. Apparently they only market themselves to distributors, so I really didn't learn anything.

I had planned -8 and 1/2" for the main runs to future-proof, but that would have added something like $300 to the build. So I switched to -6 and 3/8" for everything. Hopefully that doesn't invalidate my fuel pressure testing!

Earl's teflon (speed-flex or speed-seal or whatever) and fittings for the short stuff, generic Summit for the aluminum tube and misc. fittings. Special EFI push-on fittings for the fuel pump from Russell.

The Earle's plumbing was easy to work with. Out of 10 ends, only one gave me any problems.

I used Summit -6 teflon for the tranny cooler lines and can't say the same. Out of four ends, four gave me problems. One even broke. Trash. Do not use.