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Picked up my 408 from Shady Dell Friday and was reminded that I have no fuel pump eccentric. So I need to design and install an electric fuel pump system. A look on line pretty much so confused me with all the choices. The motor made 498 HP and 520 TQ. The car is a 66 dart that sees quite a few street miles and the track as well. Luckily I have a 3/8 sending unit and 3/8 stainless steel factory style line from the sending unit forward. I want the system to be trouble free and as un obtrusive to the look of the car as possible (think sleeper)But, if it means doing it "right" I can live with the look. I really want to avoid the line coming to the passenger side fender well with a regulator and 2 3 foot braided steel lines looping around to the carb. I am sure it works awesome but not the look I am after. My questions are:

Can I use the 3/8 sending unit as my pick up and avoid welding in a sump?

I read the install instructions for several pumps and it says to mount it lower than the tank. Yet tons of pictures I see on line clearly show the pump above the tank. I have seen a lot of pics where there is a factory tank with a rear sump welded in and the pump mounted on the rear frame rail above the sump ? What is possible here ?

Do I need a return line from the regulator. I see Holley makes a black pump that makes less noise and will run cooler. Does it work well ? Or is it hype ? I don't want to have any issues with vapor lock.

Ideally I would like to use the factory pick up in the sending unit. Run the Holley Black pump. No return line, plumb the regulator in right by the carb as part of it's inlet. Am I crazy ?





All good questions and you will find lot's of people who have done it wrong and will say it's fine when it's not when the weather get's hot. You will shorten the life of the pump if you cause it to cavatate by restricting the inlet by trying to get the pump to suck up hill and a 3/8" OD pickup is not big enough to supply enough fuel to prevent cavation with a electric performance fuel pump.

The warmer it is, the harder it is to suck gas. Do you want to worry about that during the summer when we drive our cars?

That's because gas will vaporize real easy under vacuum(suction) with a electric hi performance pump. Your electric fuel pump can not suck vapor, not at all.

Yes the pump must be gravity fed, that means the stock 3/8" pickup is not good or OK in hot weather. You need a sump, I know what a PIA.

And yes you need a return with a electric pump especially in hot weather.

Too bad you don't have a eccentric, it would make it so much cheaper and easier for you to use a mechanical pump and not have to modify your stock tank. Yes a mechanical pump would keep up with your motor.

Good luck, good for you for asking.

Fuel transfer is a black art that few understand. The really fast guys figure it out by the school of hard knocks most of the time.