donor vehicle? - external fuel pump for TBI

[fury fan]

I'm looking for a donor vehicle for an external TBI fuel pump. I don't really want to spend $100 for a port-EFI pump (which will send most of the extra capacity thru the return line anyway) and I'm hoping to find something for around $50 or so. $50 is not a huge savings but do that a couple of times on a $1000 project and it adds up...

Anyone know of a good donor vehicle? Unfortunately it will need to feed TWO TBI units to around 350-375 hp, so such a pump might not exist from an OEM.

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My engine – ’69 Chrysler 440 rated at 350 (gross) hp, mostly stock except for shorty headers and 2 ½” X-pipe exhaust. Cam is very small at 256° duration. Overall view – dual throttlebody injection on inline dual-quad manifold.

I’ll be using some 88-93-ish Rochester GM throttle bodies from a 305 or 350 pickup truck or RWD car. These engines are usually rated from 170 hp (net) and up and so I think 2 of them should satisfy my fuel needs. I’ll get ones with matching part#s somehow.

[cygnus x-1]

I'm not really familiar with TBI systems, but it sounds like they do use a return line? If so then you could use a pump from a late '80s to early '90s Ford pickup. The F150s and larger used an external pump. It would be mounted on one of the frame rails in the middle of the vehicle.

C|

[1950ChevySuburban]

...................and those Ford pumps had low pressure boost pumps in the tanks as well. At least make sure you mount your pump low so it primes easier.

[Thomjpster]

Those Ford external pumps are found on a LOT of different cars and trucks, and apparently they all interchange.

I'v gotten them off T-birds vans and pickups.
For a TBI I would immagin that one pump would feed 2 TBIs, you only need 12psi. If not, then run 2 pumps?
My friend is using one on a GM 4.3 MPI v6 and he runs around 60psi IIRC.

2x on mounting the pump really low and right next to the tank, they don't suck very well.
My buddy also uses a simple carb elec pump as a booster before the Ford pump. His is installed even with the top of the tank, and he use to run out of fuel at about 1/2 tank.

BTW mine is installed even with the bottom of the tank, and I can run the tank dry.

Thom

[fury fan]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I was hoping to find a cheap low-pressure pump, but based on the specs on the F-150 pump it's port-EFI capable, plus it's over $100 new (which is what I was hoping to avoid). I'll visit the local junkyard and see if any of the Ford trucks have a newer-looking pump to grab, otherwise I'll get a new port-EFI pump from Summit.

But if anyone has any other info or ideas, please shout it out!

[cygnus x-1]

I'm thinking you won't find what you're looking for for less than $100 new.

My Ford pump is about level with the middle of the fuel tank, and hasn't had any suction problems. It only sucks air when the fuel gets below the pickup tube (no surprise there).

C|

[borflink]

I'm running the MSD 2225 from Summit racing ~$94 on my Bronco (GM TBI on a 351W ). I have the pump even with the top of the tank, and can suck the fuel tank dry.

[fury fan]

I've got the same pump in home-brew water injection setup, good pump for the money and not too loud. This is the pump I planned on using if I couldn't find a lower-pressure/lower price pump.

On your TBI 351, what are you using for a regulator? A GM/Rochester or a Holley? I guess theoretically the internal regulators should send the excess fuel back to tank, but I wonder about a 12PSI regulator being overwhelmed by such a high pump output, I'd worry that fuel pressure might start to creep up. I guess it would happen most at idle when the engine consumes the least amount of fuel, so I could monitor that on my car while it's idling (I planned on installing a fuel pressure gauge anyway).

[borflink]

I'm using the stock TBI regulator with no pressure creep. I've tuned and retuned the Bronco several times in the 3 years I've had it 'squirted, and every time I check fuel pressure, right there at 12 PSI.