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starving for fuel

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blkcorvair

Jedi Knight
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I havent posted in a bit. (new baby) but Im tweaking a few bits with the car soon and have one question. I notice in hard long lefts I suck air in the fuel pump. I can tell because it briefly gets louder. When I make several lefts I can starve it out. Probably getting an air bubble stuck in the pump. (simple facet pump) perhaps a holley pump would perform better? Its a circle track cell and the pickup tube is routed to the back right corner, maybe I shoud tweak it over to the middle? Also run a single HS4 on a stock 1500 manifold (Hap you once talked of defferent bowl angle grommets that would work better with this configuration.) The bowl sits pretty perpendicular to the ground, should it be angled one way or the other? Thanks.
 
First: Congrats on the new baby! Hope Mom and baby are doing well.

If your fuel pickup is in the far right and you are making left hand turns to cause starving, that would not make sense.
It would seem that the fuel pickup would have a higher level of fuel in left hand turns.
Am I right or did I misunderstand?

If the pump is clacking away, you are probably uncovering the fuel pickup and need to reposition it....that's for sure.
The Facet pump is fine (but noisy). I doubt a Holly would make any difference.

When I had a single SU, I modified it so that the float chamber would be perpendicular to the ground. Sounds like your's already is, so you should be OK with that.
 
you are correct It is right hand turns I was thinking of the fuel sloshing left. I noticed it more at etown just around the back a few hard turns and than the hairpin right before the exit. Would start breaking up right after the hairpin. Not always but definatally a few times.

Thank you Mom and baby doing great!
 
I had the same symptoms no matter how I adjusted the floats and stabilized the bowls.

I switched from Facet to a Holly Blue and installed a regulator at the carbs turned down to 5 psi, also enlarged the fuel line to 3/8" between tank and regulator.

End of problems,
 
I remember that post and actuallu re-read it a night or so ago. Ive got the regulator installed. Just recently rebuilt it. I may also switch to the holley blue, it seems the facet is a bit erratic at times. May be malfunctioning altogether.
 
""""Its a circle track cell and the pickup tube is routed to the back right corner""""

first thing I would do is fill the tank rather full and see if the same thing happens. Chances are the pickup is moving around or the pickup hose is broken or kinked. you might check the condition of the pickup and hose. Also there might be a screen at the pickup. Check to see if the foam in the can is going away. (you do have foam in there ...no?)
 
Got foam in tank. Very new tank. And yes problem goes away when I add more fuel. Ill have to run it low and check it all out
 
I was looking at Holley Pumps. Now the Blkue one is rated at 14psi. The red at 7psi. I am running the low Pressure Regulator at 2.5-3psi. Should I simply go with the red one? Mike I know your running SU's too, what was the reason for the Blue pump?
 
Hi Scott--

I collected numerous opinions on a few different fora and newsgroups.

Some folks suggested using the red pump (which I think was rated at about 5-7 psi)with a regulator to bring the pressure down to 2-4 psi. Others made the point that because the differential in such a setup was so small I might be risking fuel starvation and recommended using the blue with the regulator.

I chose the latter arrangement and have the regulator mounted right at the carbs and set to 5 psi. I have not experienced any flooding and have not had any problems with lack of fuel.
BTW I use HS6's with conventional jets.

Either arrangement would probably work!
 
The crow foot that attached to the pick up tube in the fule cells often time can come unattached form the pick up tube, these should always be clamped ot safety wired tight, ask me how I know :smile: Yes repostion the the pick up tube to the left while you there. I always try to run tow more gallons of fuel than I need for a given session, I measure my fule in inches, in a 8 gallon cell a inches come pretty close to a gllon, but forget glaonns monitor the inched of fuel you use in a given number of laps and give yourself a two gllon cushion.

On float bowl orientation, I like to orientate my float hinges in the float lid on a SU carb to be pointing either fore or aft, and never left or right, you can use a washer under the SU float lid,and rotate the lid to the angle you want, given the inlet tubes are not blocked , you're not governed to use the three bolt eyelets in the float lid, the washer can take the place of them.

FWIW, the little Facuet pump should be enough for your engine, I've used them before with 1275s with zero problems.
 
Yes you dont need the expense nor the volume that the Holley pump has...you are not pushing big number horsepower. There are also carbon vanes and brushes that wear out in them.

Use the E8012 or 8016 rollervane or solenoid type pump either 6 psi or 4 psi and definitely use the small Holley regulator set to about 2.5psi. A 5/16" fuel line will support 175 hp. Don't overcomplicate things. Follow Haps advice above.
 
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