Interesting...
 

I've had a similar experience with our '62 Galaxie, but not so the tank was too hot to touch.

You may also want to plumb in a fuel cooler... Flex-A-Lite has one that looks like a steering cooler, Barry Grant has a heat sink type... it's a tubular piece of extruded aluminum about 10 inches long with fins on it and AN fittings on both sides. Of course, the scrapyards are full of ideas... a power steering cooler from a Ford cop car with the correct fittings on it would work well, too.

I'm concerned about the fuel tank vent. I've got the stock vent in our 62 ragtop, and the airflow around the car always keeps a healthy supply of gasoline vapors flowing up the back and into the cabin when the top is down... which is just about always. Any suggestions on alternative venting?

- Kevin Oeste

I measured the distance that the fuel line is from the front of the header and it is about 1.75" from it. How close is too close? I am going to try and build a metal shield to block the heat from the lines to try and keep as much heat out as possible.

Bingo, i'd bet that is your problem right there. Stainless line and pumping that much fuel will heat things up pretty quickly. As well the fuel in the tank very well could have been on the verge of boiling, depending on the grade etc. gasoline can have a boiling point in the 120F range.

I would keep the fuel line as far away from a huge heat source as possible. Think about it this way, with the engine running at 2500+rpm for an hour straight, would you want to hold your hand 2" from the header tubes?


I'm curious why they advised against using a voltage regulator. From my experience they work very well and reduce load on the pump as well as electrical system. Dial-a-flow is good stuff.

Thanks ProStreet R/T. Here's what they have on there website about voltage step-down devices.

I had the same problem. I went through 3 Aeromotive pumps before adding a controller and making my vent 1/2". Very expensive lesson!!!

I think you mean 850 lb. per hour of fuel is what the fuel pump pushes. If you figure it up you will see how long it takes to recycle the whole tank to the engine and back. That will make it easier to understand the problem.

The pump pushes enough to support around 1000 hp. at WOT. You are pushing that much fuel at idle and while cruising and you engine needs 1/2 of that at WOT. That is your problem main problem along with the fuel line being too close to tthe header. You can insulate the line to help or move it.

The pump issue is going to need some work/money. If you have a pump that moves allot less fuel put it on until you get the turbos on. I assume your engine makes no more than 400fwhp now at WOT, so any oem external pump for an injected V8 car will work. I am sure there are many 4 or 6 cyl. also that will work.

Most aftermarket pumps are not continious duty pumps made for the street. They are made to run for short time frames on race cars. They build up heat in the fuel and make the pump cavitate which leads to more heat and vapor lock and/or a pump failure when used in a street car. The pump usually will let you know by getting louder and louder before quiting.

If you are going to drive your high hp turbo/blower/nitrous car on the street for any distance then look for a pump that can use a controller. I prefer to use oem stuff because it will last. Bosch makes some good pumps (I use two on my car with a controller) that are quite. I use an aeromotive controller. Weldon makes a controller but their fuel pumps are very loud.

The aeromotive controller is a pwm controller, as I understand it, the pump gets the full voltage, only it gets turned on and off so the motor does not run as fast.

i two have been fighting the same problem after going to fuel injection i get to a half tank and the pump caviitates and the car quits running i added a aeromotive controller this weekend but the msd went bad so did not get to try it. the controller steps down the voltage to the pump.

A PWM controller is OK, a voltage step down box is a no-no.

Simply lowering the voltage makes the pump very "lazy" and at very low voltage it can stall.

A fuel cooler, as was stated, would be a very good investment in addition to the controller. Put it in the return line.

Thanks. I'm going to put a heat shield on the lines by the front of the engine and see about adding a bigger vent in the tank. I'll then check in to getting a controller and fuel cooler as the funds allow. I guess I can use the time to install the mini-tubs in the back since I won't be driving it until I get it fixed...

How much is a new Aeromotive controller ? I have a used one off the Mule I'll sell you for whatever is fair. Less than new. I switched over to two Bosch pumps.