<VV> The Eternal Mechanical vs Electrical Fuel Pump Question

[FrankCB]

Dennis,

     I agree that the bypass device (I prefer a pushbutton that cannot be inadvertently left on) is probably not needed for NON-turbo Corvairs.  But mine has a turbo which has the stock YH carb a LONG way from the combustion chamber.  When the car hasn't been run for some months, it takes a lot of manual priming using the pushbutton to get the car to start.
     And since my electric fuel pump is located inside the fuel tank, it's hard to envision vapor locking the pump.<GGGG>

Frank "occasionally needs priming" Burkhard


In a message dated 05/26/09 00:00:26 Eastern Daylight Time, dpleau at wavecable.com writes:
I've heard all this about manual switches and such to allow the oil pressure 
switches to be bypassed.  I never put in a manual switch for this reason.  I 
like the idea of cranking the engine and building up oil pressure before 
supplying the fuel to start the engine.  I usually crank the engine until 
the light goes out and then stop and listen to the fuel pump run.  When it 
stops I start cranking again and it starts.  I know the oil has been primed. 
I do keep a jumper wire so I can bypass the oil pressure switch if I have a 
reason to want to run the pump without oil pressure.  I've never found a 
reason to use it. 

On my Greenbrier I have both and electric pump operated from a toggle switch 
below the dashboard and a mechanical pump.  The previous owner installed the 
electric pump. He owned about 80 GM collector cars, all drivers.  Often his 
cars sit for months or years between being driven and the electric allowed 
them to get started easily.   

The best use I found for it was on a run where we had climbed a pretty steep 
hill and stopped at a rest stop for a potty break.  Just as I pulled back on 
the highway, the mechanical pump vapor locked.  I hit the toggle and the 
engine refired  within seconds.  It was worth its weight in gold that day.. 

dp