VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Fuel pump with vacuum pump

If I’ve installed an electric wiper motor can I install an electric fuel pump and eliminate the fuel/vacuum pump? If so what would the recommended electric fuel pump be?

You need to select the electric fuel pump carefully. First of all, which voltage?

The most important factor is the making sure you have a way to control the fuel pressure to the carburetor. Pressure over 5 psi could create problems by pushing the needle valve off the seat and flooding the fuel bowl.

Are you having problems with the mechanical fuel pump? Most of us have run them for years with no issues. Most of the time any problems can be resolved by a simple rebuild. Also, if you have a dual diaphragm fuel/vacuum pump those are hard to find.

Booster Fuel Pump

I’m still on 6 volt. I’ve been thinking it is the fuel pump. I crank the engine and I don’t have fuel to the carb. I bought a rebuild kit and a couple of the parts didn’t seem to fit like the old ones. And your right they are hard to find which is why I'm looking to try an electric pump but I'm not sure how the whole vacuum system is supposed to work.

Let's make sure we are talking apples to apples.

Is your current fuel pump a dual diaphragm pump. Does it have connections on top for a vacuum line from the engine and then a vacuum line to the wiper motor?

If you have eliminated the vacuum wiper motor then you can use a regular single diaphragm pump. The vacuum side of the pump has nothing to do with fuel flow to the carburetor.

Your fuel delivery problem is not necessarily the pump. There could be blockage at the feed from the tank or in the line to the pump. If you disconnect the line from the tank and apply a little air pressure to the filler neck, do you have a steady gasoline flow.

Thanks Rusty 37
I’ve checked the fuel line and have flow to the fuel pump. I have a single diaphragm pump ordered. I assume the vacuum line from the intake manifold can be capped and removed.

You are correct that the vacuum line is no longer needed. You are also correct that the port on the intake manifold should be capped/plugged.

As a word of caution, don't be surprised if your "new" fuel pump is defective. Today most of the mechanical fuel pumps are made in China regardless of brand. Quality control appears to be non-existent based on posts on this and many other forums.

Try to determine if the dual diaphragm pump you have is an older US made pump. If it is your best bet might eb to send it to someone like Arthur Gould for rebuild. You can loop a short piece of vacuum line between those 2 ports and use it as only a fuel pump.