Mechanical or Electrical?

[Administrator]

We've taken the bait. Forget what you have. Which would you recommend? Electrical or mechanical fuel pump?

[roadnsky]

Originally Posted by Administrator

We've taken the bait. Forget what you have. Which would you recommend? Electrical or mechanical fuel pump?

Man, you are soooo easy!

[67c&ccorv]

Mechanical, because it is an integral part of the original design, doesn't require electrical energy to be generated and consumed in the process and mechanical fuel pumps have proven themselves to be reliable in a plethora of internal combustion engines.

They do require maintainence though.

BTW...you guys are super real easy!

[rigspelt]

I replaced a worn out mechanical pump with electrical because after reviewing all the forum archives I figured it was a 50-50 decision. Both are acceptable and reliable, and both have long histories on the A4 now, so it comes down to personal preference. I liked the idea of simply swapping out the old pump for a new one if needed, and I wasn't worried about the wiriing bit. But the mechanical have advantages too.

[MikeB.330]

Originally Posted by rigspelt

I replaced a worn out mechanical pump with electrical because after reviewing all the forum archives I figured it was a 50-50 decision. Both are acceptable and reliable, and both have long histories on the A4 now, so it comes down to personal preference. I liked the idea of simply swapping out the old pump for a new one if needed, and I wasn't worried about the wiriing bit. But the mechanical have advantages too.

The only thing I would add is that my spare facet pump takes up less space then then my spare mechanical pump used to. OK maybe one more, when it fails it won't fill the crankcase full of fuel..

[Bob Grenier]

Maybe I’ve just been around to long, cause I remember why we started using the electric fuel pump on the A-4 in the first place.
.
It wasn’t because it was a better idea; it was just because there weren’t any parts out there to rebuild the mechanical pump.
.
In the BM (Before Moyer) parts of all kinds were hard to come by.

In my case by the time the mechanical pump did fail I couldn’t find a pump or parts anyplace. I ran with an old VW electric pump ($9.00 from J C Whitney) for a number of years. It wasn’t until recently that Moyer found a way to make parts for the mechanical available. Thank you Don!

I have gone back to the mechanical pump. After all the original lasted over 25 years with out a problem.

[sastanley]

Woo hoo - go the Mech!

[bluenoserii]

Despite the better fuel delivery of the electric pump, you can't beat the reliability of the mechanical. The mechanical also handles air and other irregularities much better.

[MikeB.330]

electric ahead by a nose

[sastanley]

Mike,

So, if I have managed to acquire 2 1/2 mechanical fuel pumps (I say 2 & a half because the third one is basically only good for maybe the screws & metal linkage inside ) can I vote more than once?

edit - Although I've so far found the mech. pump to be reliable, my goal is to have a built/rebuilt spare 'ready-to-go' for the major engine components that I can bolt on & off with limited difficulty. Are the leftover parts useful to the folks at Moyer for rebuilds, etc..???

[ghaegele]

My opinion is merely anecdotal. In 25 years I never had an issue with the mechanical fuel pump other than a leak from the seal on the sediment bowl which is easily resolvable. After we installed the mechanical pump about 5 years ago it has been the root of shutdowns a number of times due to a sediment problem we had soon after the installation from ethanol based delamination of our gas tank. It took us a while to diagnose and resolve the problem. These pumps don't like being overworked. The problem wasn't directly caused by the pump, but the blockages fried the pump fuse. Since then the pump has worked fine, though I'm always suspicious of it and have a jumper wire at the ready. I also carry a spare. Another couple of problem free years with the electric pump and I may change my vote.

[ArtJ]

I have little experience with the mechanical pump, having upgraded to
the electrical within a year of acquiring the boat. Because of warnings
of potential gasoline in oil worries.
I have had a lot of shutdown problems with the electric pump losing
prime or having minor air leaks or???

IT seems as though the electric is very finicky. I had a couple of older
facet pumps drastically overheat they were substituted by another
brand by Don one of which operated for at least 6 years. I substituted
the second brand x pump as a troubleshooting event last year. It failed to work after less than a season.

I currently have a brand new gen 2 facet pump installed with a Carter
as backup (never had used carter).

The electric seem to be a lot of trouble.

[ArtJ]

I note in a conversation with Tom Stevens of Indigo he himself has
gone back to the Moyer Mechanical pump now that they are available.

[ArtJ]

I just noted in another post that perhaps fuel pump issues are aggravated
by being mounted on bulkhead, rather than directly on engine.
It would be interesting to note if people are having more issues with
electric pumps mounted on bulkheads? perhaps gravity is a factor?

Regards,

Art

[hanleyclifford]

The conventional wisdom has always been "mount it low and take advantage of the gravity advantage from a tank mounted higher than the engine". The wisdom goes on to suggest that a pump mounted away from the block will run cooler and if mounted somewhere vertically between tank and engine will maintain prime and uniform flow. In fact this works perfectly for me and my Carter pump. But I have a new working theory that somehow the Facet pump is different. In Jerry and Joe's cases I am beginning to suspect that the internal bleed off feature is now making the pump drive fuel BACK uphill. This is being thrashed about on another thread.

[ArtJ]

Thanks Hanley

[vabiker23518]

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]

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]

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]

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.