Squeezy primer

[zoidberg]

I'm retro-fitting a new duplex fuel filter setup, and I really want to ignore the 'impossible' lift pump manual lever for the rest of its life.
In one of my many boxes of stuff I have one of those manual squeezy bulb primer thingys, and I'm thinking of incorporating it into this new arrangement.

Does anyone with relevant experience have pros and/or contras to offer? Or should I just go and fork out C£100 for an 'lectric pump?

 

[<152587>]

Facet pumps, well known in competitive motor sport will do the trick and available for much less than 100 squids.

 

[NickRobinson]

Why complicate things by going electric (like my 60yr old moggy 1000)?
Fit the bulb pump you already have. A secondary gain is that it works as a rudimentary vac gauge and will flatten if your tank feed (and filters if downstream) gets partially blocked in normal engine use.

 

[VicS]

+ 1.
Fit the bulb but be aware that they don't suck to great heights so don't fit it high above the fuel level.
Also a good idea to mount with the outlet end highest , if not actually vertical, so that air does not collect in it.

My old diesel car, Peugeot, even has one!

 

[prv]

Another vote for the bulb, I fitted one on both boats I refitted.

Those small electric pumps presumably don't handle crud in the fuel very well, and since you want the bulb upstream of the filters in order to be able to push fuel into them for bleeding, the pump you use needs to cope with unfiltered fuel.

As well as the "rudimentary vacuum gauge" that Nick describes (which has helped me diagnose a problem before), the feel of the bulb as you squeeze it lets you know when you're pushing air or diesel and how hard.

While you're at it, an actual vacuum gauge (cost about £7 from eBay) tee-d into the line between the filters and the lift pump will tell you when the filters are becoming blocked and need changing. Doing this based on time is a poor alternative because the need varies so much with the quality of the fuel. If you always get clean stuff you could be throwing away perfectly good filters every year (admittedly not a problem with £2 CAVs, but annoying if you use £25 Racors), if you get a dirty fill you could conk out without warning at any time. When I was in the Channel Islands about to motor through a tide-swept rocky channel, I'd quickly check the vacuum gauge before committing, just like my dad checks the engine gauges in his little plane before starting a manoeuvre.

Pete

 

[macd]

Those small electric pumps presumably don't handle crud in the fuel very well

We have one (due to relative fuel tank/engine heights). Facet pumps vary in type and characteristics, but ours pushes better than it sucks, so must be mounted fairly low, close to the tank and have it's own pre-filter: not always practicable. A useful side benefit is that it's easy to rig up the system for fuel polishing, which got us out of a hole a few years ago.

Unless the OP has something against CAV filters, it's possible to buy them with an integral mushroom-type pump: neat and far more effective than most OE manual lift pumps.

 

[Yellow Ballad]

Yup, I fitted one to Sundance, best thing I did.

As the fuel pipe goes up torwards the secondary (fine) filter on the engine, on the Beta thats right at the front so easy to get to and as it's been mentioned the outlet it facing upwards to clear air.

 

[prv]

We have one (due to relative fuel tank/engine heights). Facet pumps vary in type and characteristics, but ours pushes better than it sucks, so must be mounted fairly low, close to the tank and have it's own pre-filter: not always practicable.

I saw that a lot of them have a tiny filter integrated. I have a decent primary filtering setup of two Racors with a quick-change valve, inspection bowls, bleed screws, catch tray, etc - adding a crude little outboard-style inline filter to block first and be a faff to change is obviously not sensible.

Unless the OP has something against CAV filters, it's possible to buy them with an integral mushroom-type pump: neat and far more effective than most OE manual lift pumps.

You can get also the same style of pump on spin-on and Racor heads, though not combined with the dual-changeover version of the Racor.

Pete

 

[zoidberg]

That reads like a good consensus, thanks. I'll fit the little squeezy job, as I have it, and consider the facet pump for an easy later retrofit.