Bryant

I'm putting a vortec 350 into a street rod w/carb. I'd prefer to run a mechanical fuel pump, rather than electric. Does anyone know if a machine shop can drill the passage for the fuel pump pushrod? Is this a common practice? If not, is there a good in-line fuel pump available. I can't put an in-tank pump and I don't want anything noisy or unreliable.

RB83L69

IIRC there isn't even a place on the block to bolt the pump to. So there would be more to it than just drilling the push rod hole.

I believe you're stuck with the electric alternative...

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

perp

Just run a holley electric pump, it is a better pump anyway.

Ed Maher

Wow, i never knew that the later vortec truck engines didn't use a regular SBC block (and thus no fuel pump mount.) You learn something new everyday.
...ed

Blade

As far as I know the boss to actually mount the pump IS still there. If you look inside though it's filled in with iron and it comes almost flush with the mounting surface. I guess he was wondering if he could drill trough that. Personally I woudlnt bother... run a small electric pump and put a low pressure regulator on it

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92 Z28 L98 350
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Ported and polished heads, ported stock TPI base, ported plenum, Comp Cams XR270HR-10 cam (lift .495/.502 duration 218/224 lobe separation 110), Edelbrock TES headers, LT4 valve springs, Crane AFPR, Flowmaster catback with LT1 style tips, MSD coil & wires...

"Take that auto, drop it in first, hold the brakes, stomp the gas and grin from ear to ear! :-)

Jester

My 90 block still has the furl pump provision..just has a plate bolted over it.

merf23

Also, many of the late model cams dont have the fuel pump eccentric. I know 1st hand that the LT1 cam does not. I used a holley pump which works just fine. In fact the car starts better after it had been sitting a few weeks than with the mechanical pump.

Jester

Oh yeah..niether does the L98 cam..I found that out the hard way.

Bryant

I've got a few late model ('90-up) blocks laying around. They all have the casting for the fuel pumps, but weren't drilled for the push rod from the factory. I think I'll call a machine shop to see if they've dealt with this before. I figure they could drill it for less than $50 bucks(if it can be done). I'm sure a good electric pump and regulator would be at least double that price. I don't plan on running a stock cam, so I'll check with the cam makers to see if their cams have a fuel pump lobe.

merf23

I bought the holley street pump which does not need a regulator from Jegs for about $65.
It works perfectly.

Bryant

I called a couple of machine shops and they said that it could be drilled. Unfortunately, nobody seems to have the jig around here. I'll post if I find a machine shop that can do the job. If not, I guess I'll be running an electric pump!

Bryant

OK--I just got the Vortec engine home (along with a warranty-removed crate engine for another project). I'm not sure what "RB83L69" is talking about because the Vortec engine has a fuel pump mount and both engines are drilled for the fuel pump pushrod. He must be referring to the newer LS1-style engines.The diameter of the hole seems kinda small, so I'll check it out and see if a pushrod will fit. I'll also see if there's a lobe on the cam to actuate the pushrod. I might get lucky after-all!

JP84Z430HP

My engine that I'm building is a 98 truck block (I think this means Vortec) and I know for a fact that it doesn't have the hole for the pushrod. I just wonder what year the cutoff is that they quit drilling that hole? Also, the cam out of that engine doesn't have the fuel pump eccentric. The LT4 HOT cam that I'm gonna be using says that it DOES have the fuel pump lobe though. I may look into getting it drilled, now that I think about it!

I'm sure that not putting that hole in saved them about 10 cents each block! And when considering the number of blocks that they make each year, well just do a little math!

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Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!

Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!