Converting from mechnical to electric fuel pump?

[dremu]

Truck has a carb, not fuel injection, so there's the stock mechanical fuel pump on the engine.

Seems like the stock fuel pump has difficulty pulling fuel from the tank, takes a long time to prime at first start. I gather the electric pumps are push-type, so I'd put one back by the tank and bypass the stocker.

Is this indicative of a leak somewhere, carb to pump to lines to tank, that I should try and chase down, or would it make more sense to go with an electric pump?

-- A

 

[alexsdad]

The carb should be holding fuel in it, for getting the engine started. If it's hard to start it could be the carb is leaking fuel out of the fuel bowl into the engine, the accerator pump is weak, or a choke issue.

 

[K85 Octane]

I'd never go electric pump unless going FI. Just seems like a waste of money and time to me. I guess if you had an engine that couldn't be fed fast enough even with an HO pump, then dealing with the electric pump would be a solution.

I'd say you have something else making things funky.

 

[Fordum]

If everything is good otherwise, I would try changing the fuel pump. Sounds like one of the valves is not seating good.
Or you have a stopped up fuel filter or kinked line or stopped up sock in the tank.

A good mechanical fuel pump should fill a completely dry carb in a couple of pumps. They are rated in gallons per minute, and a carb only holds a couple of ounces.

Of course, if your carb is running dry overnight, you need to fix that because there is not a good place for that gas to go.
If it leaks out externally, there is the fire hazard, and if its internally, it dilutes the oil and washes down the cylinder walls.

 

[zombie1969]

My truck had a electric that was installed at one time and I switched it back to mechanical.The electric is noisy and don't like having more wiring than necessary.Simpler is better I think.I also have the same problem with it being hard to start till it gets fuel to the carb.I know for a fact its not leaking because its a holly so I would smell it and see it.I think because it sits for longer than normal periods the fuel dries in the carb.