MTFCA Forum

Looking for suggestions on a fuel pump. I only want to use it when necessary. Does anyone make one that doesn’t require a regulator?
Bob Giles
divco100b@icloud.com

Consider installing a gasoline tank vent kit from one of the dealers. Route the vent line so that you can reach it while driving. A light puff into the vent line followed by putting your finger the end will get you up any steep hill as long as there is fuel in the tank. Cheap, simple, no actual modifications and easy to remove.

I have a fuel pump (6 volt) and regulator on my 1923 Fordor but have it bypassed so most of the time I run without it using gravity feed. I live in an area with a lot of hills and will only switch it on when low on gas and need the boost to get up the hill.

I have not done this myself, but I have heard of folks sealing up their tank vents, soldering a tube to the filler cap, and running exhaust gas into the tank to pressurize it. I believe they also added a metal fuel filter in the exhaust gas line to act as a flame arrestor.

https://www.google.com/search?q=fuel+ta ... e&ie=UTF-8

For about $15 you can buy a fuel pump for a Briggs and Stratton engine. It works with very low pressure as it is feeding a conventional float type carb.
This pump is operated by pulses in the crankcase on the B&S motor. The pulse connection is made on the rocker cover on my 18 hp 2 cylinder engine. I don't know if a T has strong enough pulses in the crankcase to operate one, but a T may have enough pulses in the intake manifold. Honda small engines use the pulse in the intake manifold to operate their fuel pumps. I don't know how much a fuel pump for a Honda is so I can't comment on that. Kohler also has a similar pump on their lawn tractor engines, again more pricey.

The B&S pump might be a perfect and inexpensive solution if it works. I don't see why it wouldn't. In any case you would only be out a few dollars for the pump and a few feet of rubber line. You would drill and tap the intake manifold. An unmolested intake manifold should be very readily available so you can return the fuel system to stock or just plug the hole you drilled and tapped. I don't currently have a T or I'd try it myself if I felt I needed a fuel pump.

"I only want to use it when necessary"

When is it necessary?

I have been driving Model T's for 59 years, and have never had a need for such a device. Perhaps you should check your gas level more often!

B&S pulse pumps require "pulses". A T crankcase is not sealed and will neither pull a vacuum nor build pressure to create either 1/2 of the pulse. An intake manifold only creates a vacuum, or 1/2 of the pulse required, and it's installation will ruin an otherwise good manifold.

If you need a fuel pump, something is wrong with your car that you are attempting to mask, or are running a modern carburetor on the car which is pretty much the same thing. It will ultimately cause more problems in the long haul, and the easy solution to that is to install a stock carburetor.

The questions you're getting regarding the "why" of it all should be considered and answered before you start fixing things that aren't broke. 15,000,000 cars built and driven without fuel pumps was not an engineering mistake.

I'm puzzled. It seems lately, the majority of topics on the forum deal (like this one) with concepts for re-working the basic design of the Model T Ford in nearly all of its aspects. Do the majority of T owners want a T-model to be something much different than how it was actually made, or do we just not hear from owners who know what a Model T truly is, love it for all that, and get along just fine with their "stock" T, without having to change practically every aspect of its being ?!?

If you want a fuel pump, you should get a fuel pump. Just don't use it on Sundays, that wouldn't be right!

My question was, and still is, what pump has been used successfully.
Two years ago I took my Model A to the top of Mt Washington in New Hampshire. I want to make the same accent with a
Model T. I’m not interested in whether it was made with one or not.

Both Airtex and Facet make the 6 volt pumps but are preset I believe at 6 psi. A regulator using a close 1/8" pipe nipple works great, setting the outlet pressure at 1 1/2 to 2 psi. Please use an impact kill switch such as a Standard brand PN (FV 7) in case of an accident. You can put a series fuel line with a 5/16" check valve if you do not wish to run the pump with an accessory on/off switch.

All the Best,

Hank in Tin-A-See

Thank You Henry.

What do you have for brakes? Down will be more interesting than up.

Look on ebay, search for electric fuel pumps. They run between $15 to $50. The USA pumps are higher. Come in 6v or 12v. Check the description for low pressure pumps. I'm running a low pressure cube pump and also use a pressure regulator to feed my Winfield carb. As mentioned, aux. brakes are a must running in these western mountains.

I wasn't aware that gravitational forces are absent on Mt Washington...

My car came with a Winfield carb and a fuel pump. I tried running without the fuel pump, but no go. Especially on my 1/2 mile 20% + grade hill all the way up to my house. I’d rather make it up the hill under my own power than have my wife tow the T up the hill with my Ford Explorer. Again...although she’s getting pretty good at it at this point... “this is the last time, I swear.”

After much trial and error I finally came up with a reliable setup with an on/off switch under the dash. The Napa auto parts 6v fuel pumps and especially the low pressure regulators are total garbage as the one that came with the car failed and the exact same pump purchased new leaked. And you won’t find a low pressure 6v fuel pump. I tried.

Here’s what I now have, it’s rock solid, all purchased on eBay since Amazon won’t ship these restricted items to my retarded state of CA

Carter P4259 6-Volt Electric Fuel Pump $52 .
Holley 12-804 Carbureted Fuel Pressure Regulator 1-4 psi. $37 .
And just for ease of adjustment, a simple pressure gauge $15 (unnecessary but useful)
Mr. Gasket 1561 Fuel Pressure Gauge Add a few brass fittings to string them together, all found at your local hardware store. All mounted right next to the fuel tank on the frame rail. Adjust for 1-1.5 psi and you’re golden. This is probably the ONLY system on the car I haven’t touched in the past two weeks. It just works.

Jeff