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External fuel pump...possible? Long.

Dragonslayer

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Los Angeles
OK, I've just removed, sealed, and replaced a leaky fuel pump on a '93 XJ,
4.0L, H.O. - and I must say that it was not a pleasant experience.

The previous owner never seated the pump against the tank properly and
I had to bend the assembly (a lot!!) in order to get it to fit in the tank.
The solder joint on the OUT and RETURN tubes were cracked and leaking.
The plastic wire grommet was leaking, too.

While I had everything out, I shined a light and inspection mirror in the tank
and found 3 filter socks and 2 of those rubber tips (from the RETURN tube)
floating freely in there. It was real fun getting them out.

The O-ring was a P.I.A. to keep seated while struggling with the pump flange
and mount ring.

After almost a whole day of struggling and breathing in fumes and soaking my gloved hands & shirt with raw fuel, I finally thought I had it all together.
Jump in. Switch on. Engine bursts to life. Fuel gauge reads in reverse.
(...this is really annoying since it was working OK before, and I didn't mess
with the sender wires, at all).

It is my thinking that this setup is for the birds. Also, I'd hate to have to
deal with a kaput internal fuel pump on a roadside emergency (especially if
the tank is half-full or more with fuel).

Has anybody swapped to an externally-mounted pump? I want to keep the
stock sender, and remove the internal pump and extend the pickup tube.

I know that racer-folks use an external pump this when putting in plastic fuel
cells - but I'm thinking of sticking with the stock steel tank.

Shouldn't be too hard, no?

Any pointers? (...better yet, is there an aftermarket kit for this?)

Pump preferences?

Where to mount?

Thanks, y'all.
 
I did this to a Chevy Blazer. Left the old disconnected one there and added the external outside. Just got one that matched the carbs need. Ran great for 100K miles that way.

Sarge
 
Cut an access hole under the carpet with a hole saw then make up a cover and screw it down. Yea, I know, PIA lifting the carpet but better than dropping the tank. Chrylser used to put access holes in some of their carrs, daytonas had them in the 80's. External pumps are a maybe, most external pumps of reasonable cost cannot supply the flow and pressure of the intank pumps, they push better than they pull which is why the go in the tanks...
 
My concern is what would I do if the internal pump would die on the road
while carrying a big load of fuel in the tank.

If it is possible to use an external pump to draw fuel through a dead internal
pump (as a temporary roadside fix), then I'd be happy with this.

I've read on other forums that the new-style VW uses an external pump
that has output specs that are very close to the stock XJ pump.

My thinking is to maybe get one of these and to prewire it so that it'll quickly
plug into the XJ harness (sans the fuel gauge sensor) - and to keep it stored
in a box, onboard. This way, one would be able to quickly swap a couple
of hoses, plug in, and limp home.

Thoughts?
 
I'm sure its do-able you would just have to seal the tank and have pickup and return lines coming out of the tank then just get some pumps. I have a fuel cell and I run two external pumps, a primer pump thats like 7psi and then the high psi pump thats like 90psi or something out of a ford van. The 7psi just makes sure that the 90psi pump is primed, without it the engine cuts out at like 3-4 grand. maybe that helps
-calvin
 
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