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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Electronic fuel pump

Im toying with the idea of replacing the mechanical pump with a facet silver top. Ive convinced myself that this would be a good "modernising" idea for a car thats in daily use. (Having had a few mechanical ones fail on previous cars)

If I get the lowest output one, 4.0-4.5 psi at 18 gallons per hour IIRC, would this be suitable to use on a more of less standard 1500cc or would it require a regulator?
D Tetley

4-5 Psi is pushing the top end, id say yes to a regulator....BUT your really going to need is ear muffs or a real load radio to drive the midget, those pumps are apperantly obnoxious, But Ive never neen around one...why not go an original NEW SU fuel pump, they wear like iron avg. life around 30 years.

prop
Prop

If you must have a membrane pump, take a Hardys. these are with electronic thinghys inside wich "get used" to your car and will regulate itself to your engines needs. Had one for a while, fantastic. Untill the little contact inside broke....

And on the new SU: that was one of the new items fitted to my MG1300. It was also the first that broke down within a year. and several times more..
Alex G Matla

Sorry to hear that alex, I thought the Su where almost indistructable until they hit age 25...what kind of problems did you have.

Prop
Prop

D - Why not get one of the little cube Facet pumps. They are about half the price of the silver top and will supply plenty of fuel for the Midget. The original SU pumps that were used in the Midgets supplied only 8.4 GPH at 2.7 psi (and you still get the obnoxious continual chattering that is the hallmark of the Facet pumps). There are a number of models of the cube pump that will work for you. They are 40171, 40178, 40217 or 40254. There is also their Posi-Flow model (which is rumored to not be so noisy, so you would miss out on that part of the enjoyment). The model that will work on the Midget is 60104.

Bear in mind, it doesn't much matter what pump you get, SU, Hardy, Facet, Carter or any of the ones on the market today, they are all electromechanical devices and as such can fail at any time. 99% of them will last somewhere around 100,000 miles, the other 1% give the rest of them a bad name. The mechanical pumps can be just as reliable or as capricious as the electrical pumps. The advantage of the electrical pump is that it is located in the back of the car and away from engine compartment heat, making the fuel system less prone to vapor lock. the other advantage of n electric pump is that it will fill the float bowls with fuel before you start cranking the engine, instead of having to crank the engine in order to fill the float bowls (a minor consideration unless you run around with a marginal battery installed). Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Prop, inside the pump, at the terminal end, there is a contact breaker bridge with springs and stuff. these contacts would fail. HAd to fix them in the south of france. First it appeared to be vapor lock, you now the engine misfires, lack of power, cut-out. Wait a while and it runs again. Only every time the distance driven became shorter. And then I noticed the pump was bloody hot (it was under the bonnet, right hand side).

So took it apart at the roadside (and lake side, it was at "the gorges du verdon IIRC) fixed the points, readjusted until it worked again and finished my holiday.
Alex G Matla

Oh its in the engine department...that explains alot, Id certianly put it in the rear wheel well or the trunk (I know its a bad idea), or make a well fresh air ventaliated aluminum insulated foil lined box,

As long as you have the pump inside the engine compartment...Im afraid your going to have a continuous problem with fuel boiling regardless of the fuel pump maker...if you got the fat bumpers...maybe put it into the bumper cavity


David,

"Capricious" what a great word, thanks

Prop
Prop

Prop, it was in a MG1300 (ADO16, glider) in a fairly cool place. It became hot because of the current going trough it (I think) When it was fixed temp was ok
Alex G Matla

This thread was discussed between 18/05/2009 and 20/05/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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