Mechanical or Electrical?

[ArtJ]

Thanks Hanley

[vabiker23518]

Electric for me

My Columbia 8.7 has the electric pump, bulkhead mounted, with no problems in the four years I've owned it. I hope I haven't jinxed myself now!

[danejyhrr]

Use what you've got. (But hopefully it's a mech.)

I've had to do a fair bit of fussing with the electric pumps I've had, one (not sure of the model) blew a seal somewhere internally and started dribbling gas into the bilge. My facet on at least one occasion suffered from vapor lock and wouldn't prime until I figured out the hose had to be sloping evenly down to the pump without the slightest dip. I doubt a mech pump would've had these problems, and would have been rebuildable, unlike that first leaky electric one I had. My first motor had a mech pump and it only needed a new diaphragm once to be good as new.

I'd give the mech another try, if I didn't already have two electric ones on hand, but my vote's for "Use what you've got".

[Mo]

I use electric fuel pump(s).

# 1 is Mounted on the bulkhead on the carb side and has been running the engine past 3 years.

# 2 is the spare..in the "spare" box.

It takes moments to change one out or rig the back-up to trouble-shoot.

[Jesse Delanoy]

Electric. Maintenance free.

[JonnyQuest]

just replaced the fuel pump, carb and racor water filter/separator

It was a rebuilt fuel pump from Moyer and I now have a sweet running system. Starts on first crank with about 5 turns max . Don't know the pros/cons for elec vs mech, but for simplicity sake I went with a rebuilt mech from Moyer.

[lat 64]

Jonny Quest, Cool boat name!
Hadji, Bandit, Dad, and Race. Did I get it right.
That show used to scare the crap outta me when I was real little.

Oh, my fuel pump is electric.
I think it's like that old saying " the grass is always greener on the other side"
Which is to say, I wish mine was mechanical; but if I had a mechanical pump, I'd probably wish for the electric. Both have merit.

russ

[JonnyQuest]

Jonny Quest was my favorite show growing up. I know boats traditionally are a "she", but I've always wanted a boat and name it that.

Hopefully my mech fuel pump gives me many years of service. If it dies too soon, I'll probably give an elec one a try so I can be fully experienced with all manner of failing parts on a boat.

[Dave Neptune]

Mechanical

Make mine mechanical, I like the idea of less electrical is better when dealing with gasoline. I do carry an extra electrical that is already to plumb in as a spare if the mechanical one fails but so far it hasn't. I rebuilt my mechanical about 10~12 years ago when it got weak. It did not fail but I was loosing a bit of fuel preassure as I advanced the throttle so I removed it and did a rebuild. It did get me home althought I could only run at about 4 knots. I found the problem as the motor began to stumble a bit so I opened the engine box to see if I could find anything amiss, ALL I HAD TO DO WAS LOOK AT MY [B][I]FUEL PREASSURE GUAGE MOUNTED JUST BEFORE THE CARB and all was well.
The reliability of both types are excellent I just like that the mechanical is a much simpler instalation and I am a firm believer in the KISS ruel.

Dave Neptune

[jerrysingle]

After spending a good two months in getting a rebuilt mechanical unit in without leaking I love the simplicity of the mechanical. First one lasted 34years.

[dbschulz]

Electrical

Electrical for me.