M37 fuel pump

[Gordon Maney]

What are those in the know doing with regard to fuel pumps? Are you buying rebuild kits and fixing your pumps? Are there some now of new manufacture? Are you changing to electric?

As a practical matter, I enjoy mechanical things and originality, and would like to stay with a mechanical pump.

Discuss.....

[Charles Talbert]

www.then-now.com

What are those in the know doing with regard to fuel pumps? Are you buying rebuild kits and fixing your pumps? Are there some now of new manufacture? Are you changing to electric?

As a practical matter, I enjoy mechanical things and originality, and would like to stay with a mechanical pump.

Discuss.....

New production rebuild kits are available, they also offer rebuild service. We have done a lot of electric retrofits. With originality in mind, the rebuild kits from then-now is as good as it gets. For longivity & quality trouble free service in mind, a Walbro 12 or 24 volt electric marine pump delivering 4 PSI is the best we have found; "0" problems to date.

[Sickcall]

I drove my truck when I first purchased it with the original fuel pump and had no problems. I wanted to keep my wipers working while they were vacuum operated. When I installed a new 251 I changed to a civilian mechanical fuel pump as I no longer needed the vacuum service and had heard too many stories of gas in the oil with holed diaphragms. I have had no problems with this pump either for over 7 years.

Another truck I have has an electric fuel pump which has also had no problems, but requires better fuel filtering at the tank. The plus to this is the carb has never had a debris problem which is common with old trucks with old gas tanks. Although it is a good idea to have this filtering installed on a truck with a mechanical pump, it is not necessary for the pump itself.

A little off topic;^)

[Gordon Maney]

New production rebuild kits are available, they also offer rebuild service. We have done a lot of electric retrofits. With originality in mind, the rebuild kits from then-now is as good as it gets. For longivity & quality trouble free service in mind, a Walbro 12 or 24 volt electric marine pump delivering 4 PSI is the best we have found; "0" problems to date.

When you put on an electric, are you blocking the hole in the block with a plate?

....and going to electric wipers, I gather?

[Gordon Maney]

I drove my truck when I first purchased it with the original fuel pump and had no problems. I wanted to keep my wipers working while they were vacuum operated. When I installed a new 251 I changed to a civilian mechanical fuel pump as I no longer needed the vacuum service and had heard too many stories of gas in the oil with holed diaphragms. I have had no problems with this pump either for over 7 years.

Another truck I have has an electric fuel pump which has also had no problems, but requires better fuel filtering at the tank. The plus to this is the carb has never had a debris problem which is common with old trucks with old gas tanks. Although it is a good idea to have this filtering installed on a truck with a mechanical pump, it is not necessary for the pump itself.

A little off topic;^)

No, not off topic..... what did use for wipers?

[Gordon Maney]

....and Charles, are you using a pressure regulator with this pump you mention?

[Charles Talbert]

No regulator

No pressure regulator needed since the pump Max output is only 4 PSI which is perfect for the 230, will not overwhelm the needle/seat assembly. Whatever the owner wants as far as removing the stock pump, it can be left in place for an original look or removed & a cover plate fabricated & bolted to the block. Electric wipers are a great upgrade, a big safety issue I think. Vacuum wipers can still be used also, in the majority of cases if you check it out you'll find the vacuum pump is doing little or nothing for wiper performance anyway.

[Sickcall]

Gordon,

I fabricated a block off plate from a piece a 1/8 stainless plate. I used the gasket as a template.

For wipers I ordered them from JC Whitney. They work okay but I would do better next time. I had to solder internal conections in one to get it to work. What can I say they were cheap, I use Rain-X alot, and do not usually drive in rainy weather. I still plan on changing to a better wiper motor like the one's Charles recommends.

[Gsmith]

I found the vacuum pump is basically worthless when it comes to the wipers. With the NDT's I will put driving in the rain on the low priority list.

[Craig Kustanbort]

I have an electric fuel pump on both of mine and for my wipers i just bent the vacum pipe that comes off the manifold around to connect to the wiper hose

[dwilson]

Electric Source for Electric Fuel Pump

Just got a 67 WM300 with the 251 engine. The mechanical pump has been removed and electric pump installed close to the fuel tank with a filter on the suction side. Interesting enough the power for the pump comes off of a oil pressure sender switch....supplying 12 volts only when oil pressure exists. Any thoughts on the rationale for this source of juice.

[Gsmith]

safety feature

Someone incorporated that as a safety feature. If the engine shut off but the key was still on it would eliminate any problems from a pump malfunction.

[Charles Talbert]

It's the correct way to do it

Just got a 67 WM300 with the 251 engine. The mechanical pump has been removed and electric pump installed close to the fuel tank with a filter on the suction side. Interesting enough the power for the pump comes off of a oil pressure sender switch....supplying 12 volts only when oil pressure exists. Any thoughts on the rationale for this source of juice.

It's absolutely a BIG safety issue. This way if there is no oil pressure to activate the switch, the fuel pump isn't pumping. In the event of an accident & possible fuel line rupture, if an electric pump was wired straight from the ignition switch, you could have a horrible situation going on really fast if the operator didn't think or wasn't able to turn of the ignition quickly.

[HWooldridge]

I retained the original wipers and did the same with the fuel pump. Kitted it and no problems for several years. The one non-stock thing I installed on the truck was a large diesel style, spin-on fuel filter and housing just in front of the carb. Has kept out all the trash and no trouble with junked up jets.

[dwilson]

Electric Fuel Pump power source

It's absolutely a BIG safety issue. This way if there is no oil pressure to activate the switch, the fuel pump isn't pumping. In the event of an accident & possible fuel line rupture, if an electric pump was wired straight from the ignition switch, you could have a horrible situation going on really fast if the operator didn't think or wasn't able to turn of the ignition quickly.

10-4 on the rationale. Begs the question of having enough fuel in the "carb" to get the engine running to build oil pressure. I suppose if you crank it long enough...it might build enough oil pressure to start the engine. How about that?