Got a 455 with long tubes and an intake. Still has the normal 455 fuel pump. I am working on getting my stage 2 qjet from quadrajet power on top of it and plan on getting a newfuel line to replace the one spliced up for the holley. So i was wondering with the simple upgrades and the fact im going to be messing with this area anyways. Can i step up to a stage 1 pump and order the line for it and not over flow the carb?
i would do that to any 455 that will be driven hard. i believe that about 70% of hot street cars have fuel delivery issues at sustained high rpm.
Your main restriction is the size of the pickup in the fuel tank and the contorted fuel lines after that!! if you ever going to build for over 450 hp , then all of that needs to be upgraded first, fuel volume wise, 8 psi of nothing at the Carb is nothing!! many cars when run at the track with good 60 ft times and only making even 400 hp have G force problems with the stock fuel lines even when a sump and its related pick up is put on the bottom of a stock tank when feeding thru the stock steel lines!
My upgrade path is definitely clear now, it is good to know with confidence now that the stage 1 pump can be put in and stay in place to support some future modifications (up to a certain level) but not be over kill now. :TU:
Both my Stage1 cars at one point had non stage fuel pumps and were able to get into the mid 13's/high 90s with no issues. I did replace them both though on the chance I was leaving something on the table.
Replacing the stock 455 fuel pump with the deep bowl Stage1 fuel pump is a no brainer, there are no downsides except replacing or modifying the fuel line. If you should reach the limits of that pump, you can also tee in a small electric pump like the Holley Red right near the fuel tank. I used that combination to run low 12's. Then there are several mechanical pumps good for 550-600 HP and more. RobbMc Performance makes 2 of them, and a 1/2" pick up/sender unit. http://www.robbmcperformance.com/products/buick550.html http://www.robbmcperformance.com/products/buick1100.html http://www.robbmcperformance.com/products/1069_gmsend.html Then there is the one I use. Tri Shield Performance modifies it by installing a Buick arm on it. https://www.karlperformance.com/p/SPIN-MP-2509-FUEL-PUMP-8-5-9-PSI-100-GPH/173831
Larry, Will the Holley Red allow fuel to flow thru if it doesn't receive current or fails? Also, I think someone (maybe you?) had a problem with Jim's pump shortly after buying it? An internal valve came loose or something? Jim made good on it, of course, but I don't wanna pay 5 bills for a pump that I have to "baby sit." Best, Ranger Aiken, SC
Yes, the Stage1 pump will pull through the Holley Red with the pump off, but it is a restriction in that case for anything other than sedate driving. I remember one time, I was following Marco on our way to the BPG Nats in Columbus. We were doing close to 80 MPH, and the engine started to surge on me, I had to turn the Holley on to stop it. You can also wire it the kick down switch so it comes on at or close to full throttle. On the CV pump, mine was actually assembled wrong from the factory. It ran mid 11's like that my first year out with the new engine. It just suddenly refused to pump at all after I let the car sit for about a month during the winter. I took it apart with Jim's directions, but couldn't find anything wrong, so I sent it back to Jim. Jim discovered that one gasket was reversed. The gasket had a window in it, and it was facing the wrong way. He told me that it had to be that way from the factory because he could see from the impressions in the gasket that it had always been that way and it was nothing I might had done when I took it apart. Pretty sure he checks them all now before they leave TSP. After I got it back, it was perfect, hasn't missed a beat since.
I just put one of those pumps on my car. Any pics of what to check for to make sure it was assembled correctly? Or the email of how to disassemble it to check?
Electric pumps are not meant to suck fuel up out of a tank as with the stock pick up deal, then need to feed fuel from a bottom outlet.
Very true, but in this situation, it is being used as a pusher pump to supplement the stock Stage 1 pump. It works really well as a stop gap if you aren't ready to upgrade your fuel system yet. The TA catalog actually recommends it if you are using the Stage 1 pump at it's HP capacity. Again, not optimal, but Buick guys have been using it for years, it works. I used it after going to aluminum heads so as not to risk leaning out at the track. I eventually stepped up to a fuel system suitable for the new engine I currently run.
