Electric fuel pump

[ICEMAN]

Hello everyone. I am, both, new to Fulvia ownership and new to this forum.
I own a 1974 Fulvia S3 and have decided to upgrade the fuel delivery circuit.
Via a switch under the dashboard, it will allow me to prime the carbs to prevent having to crank continuously until fuel is present.
I’ve ordered a Facet silver top road electric pump, a Filter King, fuel pipe and clamps.

There are many similar topics on this forum, I realise.
It, however, is not clear to me whether to connect said items in series or parallel with the existing mechanical pump (which is in perfect working order).
What are your thoughts ?

[andyps]

I'll be interested in responses to this as my Fulvia came with an electric pump which bypassed the mechanical one. Having fitted a new mechanical pump I'm planning to run them in parallel so the electric pump can be used to prime the carbs and then revert to the mechanical one by switching off the electric pump as you describe once it is running. I have some Y pieces to split the fuel line but did wonder if the electric pump will put pressure on the mechanical one in the wrong direction and if there is enough power in it to cause an issue if it does.

[lancialulu]

I'll be interested in responses to this as my Fulvia came with an electric pump which bypassed the mechanical one. Having fitted a new mechanical pump I'm planning to run them in parallel so the electric pump can be used to prime the carbs and then revert to the mechanical one by switching off the electric pump as you describe once it is running. I have some Y pieces to split the fuel line but did wonder if the electric pump will put pressure on the mechanical one in the wrong direction and if there is enough power in it to cause an issue if it does.

Just for the record you can do both methods. I started on one car some 15 years ago with the parallel method which was described by Andrea Nistri at the time. The plumbing was a bit of a nightmare to be honest and after thinking about have opted for series plumbing with the electric pump pushing fuel through the mechanical pump. This set up I use for priming. I have other Fulvias that are exclusively electric (Silver top Facet and Filter King set to 3psi), and have deleted to mechanical pump on these cars. For priming only (and a get you home back up) the Facet solid state pump (rather than the full blown Silver Top) is just fine and a lot cheaper. No need to regulate this for priming.

[ICEMAN]

Does anyone know if the Filter King can be placed between the fuel tank and both pumps.
Will it regulate the pressure in this configuration ?

[simonandjuliet]

I fitted a pump recently on the GT see link : https://www.lancia.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=9921.msg82437#msg82437

Personally I would rather regulate the pressure after the electric and/or the pumps

[lancialulu]

Does anyone know if the Filter King can be placed between the fuel tank and both pumps.
Will it regulate the pressure in this configuration ?

No! I would advise a cheap plastic replaceable fuel filter between the tank and the electric pump and then the filter king. I recommend the plastic filter is accessible as you may need to change it a few times if the car has not had much used and is still the original fuel tank due to dirt coming through.

[andyps]

Just for the record you can do both methods. I started on one car some 15 years ago with the parallel method which was described by Andrea Nistri at the time. The plumbing was a bit of a nightmare to be honest and after thinking about have opted for series plumbing with the electric pump pushing fuel through the mechanical pump. This set up I use for priming. I have other Fulvias that are exclusively electric (Silver top Facet and Filter King set to 3psi), and have deleted to mechanical pump on these cars. For priming only (and a get you home back up) the Facet solid state pump (rather than the full blown Silver Top) is just fine and a lot cheaper. No need to regulate this for priming.

Thanks Tim, just for clarity, do you turn off the electric pump once it has primed the system? I was concerned that the mechanical pump would struggle to pull the fuel through the electric one which was why I was thinking of going for a parallel set up.

Where are people getting the filter king? I bought a couple of plastic inline filters but have wondered about a filter king once the system has flushed through.

[lancialulu]

Thanks Tim, just for clarity, do you turn off the electric pump once it has primed the system? I was concerned that the mechanical pump would struggle to pull the fuel through the electric one which was why I was thinking of going for a parallel set up.

Yes switch in side car and 4A fused supply on ignition circuit.

[fay66]

I turn my electric priming pump off once the carbs are primed, my pump is adjacent to the tank, so my filter king fits between the pumps.
I tried using a plastic filter after 21 years off the road and a 2 year restoration, then after most of the rubbish had been filtered out, I fitted a filter king.
Got mine from demon tweeks but I think they still sell them, get the one with the glass bowl.
Brian
8227 

[ICEMAN]

I have decided to delete the mechanical pump completely.
The Facet silver top will be wired via a switch under the dash for security reasons and via an inertia switch for safety reasons.
The Filter King will regulate the fuel pressure to 3 psi prior to the carbs.

[lancialulu]

I have decided to delete the mechanical pump completely.
The Facet silver top will be wired via a switch under the dash for security reasons and via an inertia switch for safety reasons.
The Filter King will regulate the fuel pressure to 3 psi prior to the carbs.

Not that Facet pumps are unreliable but I would carry a second if you are going to rely on it. Good idea for an isolating switch for working on the car when you do not want petrol being pumped, but the ignition circuits live.

[ICEMAN]

Thanks for the advice. As a Lancia newbie I appreciate it.
Will I need a support vehicle following me with a set of critical spares, just in case  😂
Only joking.
Besides a spare fuel pump, which spares do you suggest I carry in case of breakdown ?

[lancialulu]

Thanks for the advice. As a Lancia newbie I appreciate it.
Will I need a support vehicle following me with a set of critical spares, just in case  😂
Only joking.
Besides a spare fuel pump, which spares do you suggest I carry in case of breakdown ?

AA card! Only suggested a spare fuel pump as it is an easy fix at the side of the street. I generally travel light with a simple set of tools, a spare coil, fan belt, plugs, a small multimeter and circuit diagram. Oh and oil and antifreeze mix. If going abroad it would add a few more hard to get easily spares (depending on the age of the existing parts) such as water pump, alternator, and head gasket.

[chriswgawne]

And (slightly tongue in cheek) a mobile phone! And more seriously a Lithium battery pack with a reasonable capacity for the car, phone and laptop.
Chris

[fay66]

And (slightly tongue in cheek) a mobile phone! And more seriously a Lithium battery pack with a reasonable capacity for the car, phone and laptop.
Chris

Recovery membership with a mobile phone will cope with most real emergencies, antifreeze mix, oil, engine and gearbox, WD40, tool kit, tow rope, torch, fuses, fan belt, electric tyre pump, pair of Magnetic flashing emergency breakdown lights as no hazard flashers.
But a lot more comprehensive when abroad.
With the priming pump fitted, I don't need to carry a spare fuel pump as the priming pump is for emergency use as well.
Brian
8227