Universal 5411- Ok to fit electric fuel pump?

[marcericjo]

Hi,

I'm replacing the fuel tank, fuel lines etc on my Catalina 27. In the process of removing the old tank, I ended up purchasing a very nice little electric fuel pump just to pump out the fuel in the old tank. I used filters while pumping out the tank, so the electric fuel pump is clean and brand new (cost over $100).

A mechanic friend of mine casually suggested that I go ahead and install it, since it would make bleeding easier, since the Universal 5411 has a mechanical fuel pump (which means bleed while turning over engine with decompression lever engaged, ten seconds at a time).

What do you think? Any problems with me using this pump in addition to the mechanical pump built in to the 5411?

Best Regards,

-Marc

[deniseO30]

Hey! welcome to sailnet! I would agree with you on the pump. You may want to make sure it's rated to be a "diesel lift pump. Facet makes a few that work very well. I have the solid state cube pump and carry a spare. Also consider a primer bulb to prime the engine. C27 nice boat!

[MitchM]

so will you plan to disable the on-engine mechanical pump, or run both the original on engine camdrive pump, and your new electric diesel pump in series ? what is the advantage to doing that ?

i've heard of using a squeezebulb manual to assist in fuel system bleeding. i quite frankly think it's a bad idea to have 2 fuel pumps in series driving diesel into your hi-pressure pump and injectors. and how will you stop the flow of diesel from the electric pump if your engine dies, (which event would of course stop only the on-engine fuel pump?) if your objective is to make it easier to bleed your system, just install the manual fuel bulb after your Racor and before your mechanical on-engine fuel pump. those mechanical on-engines usually are rated to last 10,000 hrs. you'll have a lot more stuff fail on the engine before that solid little built in fuel pump goes...that pump has been precisely designed by the engine manufacturer to supply the correct fuel flow required. ...

[mitiempo]

Or install the electric fuel pump with a manual switch in the engine compartment for bleeding the lines and don't use it on a normal basis.

[marcericjo]

It sounds like a bad idea to use the electric even with a manual switch given that I am notoriously absent minded.

I like the idea of having some kind of pump for bleeding though, just because i've never done it, probably. Don Casey talks about using a manual lift pump for bleeding lines that is foot operated, do any of you use them or a squeeze ball to bleed?

I'm sure this electric pump will be useful for something someday, I don't have to install it...

[marcericjo]

Casey also mentions pumping air into the fuel tank to create enough pressure for bleeding. Anyone do that?

[JimsCAL]

I lived with a 5411 for 20 years and only had to bleed it once after some repairs. Not a big deal. Just engage the decompression and crank the engine with the starter.