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[GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316077] Sat, 15 April 2017 19:05 Go to next message
BobDunahugh is currently offline  BobDunahugh   United States
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On Barb's 73 GMC. The pump is working fine. But if it quits on the road. Not simple for her to change. I can make an electric simple to change. I think it's a good idea for her. Any thoughts out there? Bob Dunahugh
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Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316078 is a reply to message #316077] Sat, 15 April 2017 19:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
A Hamilto is currently offline  A Hamilto   United States
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BobDunahugh wrote on Sat, 15 April 2017 19:05
On Barb's 73 GMC. The pump is working fine. But if it quits on the road. Not simple for her to change. I can make an electric simple to change. I think it's a good idea for her. Any thoughts out there? Bob Dunahugh
Mechanical pumps can fail in a way that results in gas in the crankcase. I don't see a downside to an electric fuel pump. Might fail more often, but easy to change balances that out.
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316080 is a reply to message #316077] Sat, 15 April 2017 19:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Henderson is currently offline  Ken Henderson   United States
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Bob,

For my part, the only configuration I'd even consider is two electric pumps
(preferably Carter 4070's) with one connected to each tank and NO selector
valve.

Because of the possibility of having to replace a pump with something
unknown on the road, I'd tie the two outputs in the line forward with two
check valves into a tee.

A pump power selector relay powered by the tank selector switch can be used
to power either pump from that switch.

Definitely bypass and remove the mechanical pump.

It's not an expensive upgrade yet gives redundancy, eliminates the
hard-to-change mechanical pump, eliminates the possibly troublesome old
ethanol-susceptible selector switch, and helps minimize vapor lock.

JWID,

Ken H.


On Sat, Apr 15, 2017 at 8:05 PM, Bob Dunahugh wrote:

> On Barb's 73 GMC. The pump is working fine. But if it quits on the road.
> Not simple for her to change. I can make an electric simple to change. I
> think it's a good idea for her. Any thoughts out there? Bob Dunahugh
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316093 is a reply to message #316077] Sun, 16 April 2017 00:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
BobDunahugh is currently offline  BobDunahugh   United States
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Thanks for the input. Makes me feel better to recommend it. This working on her GMC is working out great. She's paying me $90 an hour to fix her GMC. And I'm paying her $90 an hour for help Linda. So we're both making good money. RIGHT? This is a fantastic situation for all of us. As we're getting some great things done for all. As to Barb's GMC. I'm finding it to be in good condition over all. PO did a good job of timely grease jobs, and oil changes. Plus many parts have been serviced. So now I'm looking to head off problems as best as I can for see. New starter, ignition switch, and some battery cables. Change engine oil, and FD gear lube. Fan, fan clutch, shroud, and new belts. Check front wheel bearings along with all steering components, and adjust steering gear box. Check rear pins for tightness, clean out grease, and lube. Raise up, and power wash undercarriage, and front suspension. Next replace trans, check gas lines, brake lines, install electric fuel pump, and get the generator running. Paint window frames satin black, then buff, and wax body. This GMC is her full time, and only home. North in the Summer, and the South in the Winter. So this GMC Glacier is everything for her. My hats off to her for living her dreams. Not everyone has the guts to do that. Bob Dunahugh


________________________________



On Barb's 73 GMC. The pump is working fine. But if it quits on the road. Not simple for her to change. I can make an electric simple to change. I think it's a good idea for her. Any thoughts out there? Bob Dunahugh
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Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316095 is a reply to message #316077] Sun, 16 April 2017 03:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
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Reliability on most electric pumps is not as good as mechanical ones. I have several examples of that.

1. I have replaced one electric fuel pump on a GMC and no mechanical ones.

2. On low wing airplanes they will not fly with a bad pump. So we have 2 pumps in series just like most people do on an GMC. On aircraft I have replaced at least 10 electric fuel pumps and 0 mechanical ones.

3. In my life, I have replaced exactly one mechanical pump. That was on a 1954 Ford in about 1964. I have replaced 15 or 20 electrical pumps on various vehicles.

So by going to electric only, I suggest that you have increased your chances of an on the road failure. If I were to go to electric only pump solution on a GMC I would definitely go with TWO PUMPS plumbed in a way that the engine will run on either one by itself.


Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316096 is a reply to message #316077] Sun, 16 April 2017 04:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
davidlive is currently offline  davidlive   United States
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I've only had a mechanical fail once in a 1973 Chevy suburban with a 454 , somehow it was leaking gas into the oil and the engine suffered a crankcase explosion, blowing out all the gaskets, at least once those were replaced the engine ran fine for years, but with that in mind I plan on putting my pumps in the tanks and if I keep the mechanical I'll put a surge tank in as well


David


78 Royal #749
74 #136
Oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car, understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car. Hp is how fast you hit the wall, and torque is how far you take the wall with you when you hit it.
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316098 is a reply to message #316077] Sun, 16 April 2017 06:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
davidlive is currently offline  davidlive   United States
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Forgot to mention though had about a half dozen or so of the electric ones fail though



78 Royal #749
74 #136
Oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car, understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car. Hp is how fast you hit the wall, and torque is how far you take the wall with you when you hit it.

[Updated on: Sun, 16 April 2017 06:30]

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Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316102 is a reply to message #316077] Sun, 16 April 2017 07:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lqqkatjon is currently offline  lqqkatjon   United States
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Electric fuel pumps fail all the time. If they dont faill, the wiring/filters, relays do. I am surprised Bob, that you would suggest going away from a mechanical pump for her after your experience with your coach out to shawnee. Electrical pumps are good for efi, vapor lock, but i would not ever believe them to be more reliable. As far as gas in crankcase, a good new pump should not cause that worry. Electric pumps are also one of thise PO things that if you are. Ot the one to install them, having someone else work on them can be a pain to get it right the second time.

With that said, the gmc does need some sort of electic pump for vapor lock backup. But i put my reliability in a mechanical pump. I put on a new one on my coach because it was 40 years old, not because it did not work.

Like ken stated above, use two so you have a backup is the only way i would send someone else out on the road without the mechanical pump.



Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316105 is a reply to message #316077] Sun, 16 April 2017 08:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
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Been driving GM cars since 1969. Never been stranded by bad mech pump. Replaced one once (1) as return spring was weak and sounded like a lifter noise. Done 7 in tank pumps in the years since they have been factory installed.

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316110 is a reply to message #316077] Sun, 16 April 2017 11:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
roy1 is currently offline  roy1   United States
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I would go with Ken Hendersons suggestion of the 2 P70 pumps and no mechanical pump. True mechanical pumps are more reliable but they tend to vapor lock real bad in many warm parts of the country with our cramp gas these days. With the 2 P70 pumps all you need to do is switch tanks with a failure and replace the bad pump when you get a chance with the spare that you carry. I have used the P70's in my GMC and hot rods for manny years with out a failure but you never know. As far as I know most vehicles use electric these days rather then mechanical ? Vapor lock will leave Barb on the side of the road in a bad location.

Roy Keen Minden,NV 76 X Glenbrook
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316112 is a reply to message #316110] Sun, 16 April 2017 12:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jimk is currently offline  jimk   United States
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Need to know that until few years ago, mechanical pumps had the old
standard rubber diaphragm and not the newer ones that can tolerate ethanol.
Also the age of the pump.
Also your tank selector switch has the old rubber and need to be replaced.
Best to address it before it happens on the road.

On Sun, Apr 16, 2017 at 9:53 AM, roy keen wrote:

> I would go with Ken Hendersons suggestion of the 2 P70 pumps and no
> mechanical pump. True mechanical pumps are more reliable but they tend to
> vapor
> lock real bad in many warm parts of the country with our cramp gas these
> days. With the 2 P70 pumps all you need to do is switch tanks with a failure
> and replace the bad pump when you get a chance with the spare that you
> carry. I have used the P70's in my GMC and hot rods for manny years with
> out a
> failure but you never know. As far as I know most vehicles use electric
> these days rather then mechanical ? Vapor lock will leave Barb on the side
> of
> the road in a bad location.
> --
> Roy Keen
> Minden,NV
> 76 X Glenbrook
>
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--
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Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
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Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316115 is a reply to message #316078] Sun, 16 April 2017 15:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jp Benson is currently offline  Jp Benson   United States
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A Hamilto wrote on Sat, 15 April 2017 19:19
Mechanical pumps can fail in a way that results in gas in the crankcase. [/quote]

The mech. pump on my old 67 chevy van did the opposite. Allowed oil into the fuel. It wasn't obvious at first but got progressively worse. Gummed things up pretty good before I figured out what went wrong. Cost me an engine.
I removed the mech. pump in the GMC and replaced with two Facet 40104s from Aircraft Spruce. Presuming that something sold for aircraft would be reliable. So far so good but they are a bit noisy.

JP
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316116 is a reply to message #316115] Sun, 16 April 2017 15:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
midlf is currently offline  midlf   United States
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Jp Benson wrote on Sun, 16 April 2017 15:12

I removed the mech. pump in the GMC and replaced with two Facet 40104s So far so good but they are a bit noisy.

JP


So is my P7040.


Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316119 is a reply to message #316105] Sun, 16 April 2017 16:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
k2gkk is currently offline  k2gkk   United States
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Only fuel pump I ever had go bad since 1956 was the in-tank pump in our 2002 4WD Explorer! Repair cost was somewhere around $1,000!


My own belief is that external pumps mounted as close as possible to the fuel tanks is probably best solution overall and I will eventually go that way.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ D C "Mac" Macdonald ~ ~~
~ ~ Amateur Radio - K2GKK ~ ~
~ ~ Since 30 November '53 ~ ~
~ ~ USAF and FAA, Retired ~ ~
~ Member GMCMI and Classics ~
~ ~ ~ Oklahoma City, OK ~ ~ ~
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________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of John R.Lebetski
Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2017 08:21
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump.

Been driving GM cars since 1969. Never been stranded by bad mech pump. Replaced one once (1) as return spring was weak and sounded like a lifter
noise. Done 7 in tank pumps in the years since they have been factory installed.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II

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Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316136 is a reply to message #316116] Sun, 16 April 2017 22:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jimk is currently offline  jimk   United States
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I you would have installed aVain driven pump it would have been better. Pump is not just a pump

Get Outlook for iOS
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Steve Southworth
Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2017 1:45:33 PM
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump.

Jp Benson wrote on Sun, 16 April 2017 15:12
> I removed the mech. pump in the GMC and replaced with two Facet 40104s So far so good but they are a bit noisy.
>
> JP


So is my P7040.
--
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI

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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316137 is a reply to message #316096] Sun, 16 April 2017 22:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jimk is currently offline  jimk   United States
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On these old coaches your going to see more failed as they are old and the diaphragm cannot handle Ethanal.
Don't believe me, keep on running those old pumps

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________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of David Morrison
Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2017 2:49:05 AM
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump.

I've only had a mechanical fail once in a 1973 Chevy suburban with a 454 , somehow it was leaking gas into the oil and the engine suffered a crankcase
explosion, blowing out all the gaskets, at least once those were replaced the engine ran fine for years, but with that in mind I plan on putting my
pumps in the tanks and if I keep the mechanical I'll put a surge tank in as well


David
--
78 Royal #749
74 #136
Oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car, understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car. Hp is how fast you hit the
wall, and torque is how far you take the wall with you when you hit it.

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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316138 is a reply to message #316093] Sun, 16 April 2017 23:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
BobDunahugh is currently offline  BobDunahugh   United States
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Alex I, and Ken H came to my rescue 2 miles from the Shawnee site. Alex found a Mr Gasket 5 to 7 PSI rotary pump. ( GM spec is 5.5 to 6.5 PSI.) Perfect. Got us home. I'm shying away from mechanicals. As I've had three of them leak lots of gas into the engine oil in the last 2 years. Then a new one fail last Sept coming back from Ohio. Then an electric fail going to Shawnee. So I'm gun shy. I'm putting EFI in our GMC soon with an external pump for each tank. That pump system seems safest to me. And Barb's likes the sound of that approach too. So now I need to get 2 external pumps to feed the carb for her. The pump that Alex got for me was a rotary. And I've never had problems with rotary pumps. I think the Carter 4070 is. Who makes the P30, and is it rotary? Barb live off the grid with her solar panels out in the desert with her dog during the Winter. Her GMC has to be the best it can. Bob Dunahugh

p70 4070

Thanks for the input. Makes me feel better to recommend it. This working on her GMC is working out great. She's paying me $90 an hour to fix her GMC. And I'm paying her $90 an hour for help Linda. So we're both making good money. RIGHT? This is a fantastic situation for all of us. As we're getting some great things done for all. As to Barb's GMC. I'm finding it to be in good condition over all. PO did a good job of timely grease jobs, and oil changes. Plus many parts have been serviced. So now I'm looking to head off problems as best as I can for see. New starter, ignition switch, and some battery cables. Change engine oil, and FD gear lube. Fan, fan clutch, shroud, and new belts. Check front wheel bearings along with all steering components, and adjust steering gear box. Check rear pins for tightness, clean out grease, and lube. Raise up, and power wash undercarriage, and front suspension. Next replace trans, check gas lines, brake lines, install electric fuel pump, and get the generator running. Paint window frames satin black, then buff, and wax body. This GMC is her full time, and only home. North in the Summer, and the South in the Winter. So this GMC Glacier is everything for her. My hats off to her for living her dreams. Not everyone has the guts to do that. Bob Dunahugh


________________________________



On Barb's 73 GMC. The pump is working fine. But if it quits on the road. Not simple for her to change. I can make an electric simple to change. I think it's a good idea for her. Any thoughts out there? Bob Dunahugh
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Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316141 is a reply to message #316077] Mon, 17 April 2017 01:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
djeffers is currently offline  djeffers   United States
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As Frank Jenkins once told us:

"I carry a spare of everything that ever broke."

Don and Susan Jeffers
78 Eleganza III Cad 507 EFI

Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316142 is a reply to message #316141] Mon, 17 April 2017 01:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
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Out of all of the stuff I use to carry, I only used 1 ignition module and 1 fan belt. I also did a precautionary change to my spare tire once.

A few years back I unloaded most of the spare stuff based on non-usage and weight. The heaviest stuff went first. I need to do the same with most of the tools that I carry.





Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: [GMCnet] Good idea to remove a working mecanical fuel pump. [message #316145 is a reply to message #316077] Mon, 17 April 2017 07:27 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
kerry pinkerton is currently offline  kerry pinkerton   United States
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I followed Ken Henderson's advice and removed the selector valve, ran two pumps with filters between the pumps and tanks and check valves after each pump. They are mounted outside the frame. I'm using the old tank switch on the dash with some relays to select which switch (tank) is in use. I also have a line running from a oil pressure switch that kills power to the relays and therefore shuts off the fuel pump if the engine loses oil pressure. In the I believe Ken posted a schematic somewhere in his albums. The only thing I did different was put an emergency fuel switch on the dash. If the engine were to loose oil pressure in the middle of an intersection or somewhere similar and I want to risk the engine in order to get to a save place, I can turn on the emergency switch, start the engine, and move the coach. I also use it as a fuel primer once in a while.

Oh, and the mechanical pump is removed and blocked off. I believe two electric pumps is sufficient backup. Not to mention the extra 12 MPG I get because I'm not operating the fuel pump...... Smile

I have a drawing in the coach I think.


Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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