Challenge-friendly fuel pump

Hey gang,

Looking to get a fuel pump for my challenge build. I'd like to support around 450hp of fuel, vehicle is a '98 Neon which has an annoying side mount fuel pump that requires dropping the tank to change. If it was an easy to replace pump under the rear sear I'd try a $25 ebay special and replace as needed, but I'd like to avoid dropping/emptying a Neon tank on the side of a highway when a cheap pump inevitably fails.

I've found a couple threads on here from 2012-2013, just wondering if there are any better options out there now. I live in the rust belt, so euro CIS cars are a rare find. Not sure of the additional cost of switching to external on a Neon neon is worth it. Lots of LS powered GM trucks that should have a pumps to feed 300+ hp factory, but do I trust them?

If I used a pair of pumps from my zero'd out parts cars, I'd like to run them staged (one only running when the nitrous is spraying), is there a cheap check valve setup? Is a check valve needed?

There's also a boxing day sale locally for a "Grams" brand 265lph pump for $62...

WWGRMD? Thanks for your input.

I don't have any help but what is desirable about the euro CiS pumps? 

In reply to Somebeach (Forum Supporter) :

Apparently they are high volume/high pressure.

The big boost neon guys are just running walbro in tank stuff. 

Id honestly grab a used stock vette pump or something similar and run it, knowing that life after the challenge will see its replacement with something trustworthy. 

I think the late nineties and 00's saab turbos all have nice walboro's stock. I dunno about 450hp but 300 should be no problem on them. 

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Are those external or in tank pumps?

We used to use an Audi/VW/Porsche external in-line pierburg for turbo use. They'll feed just about anything and they're easy to put on to an existing line. That's probably what was being pulled out of the old Euro stuff. It's got a wide range of applications.

Junkyard fuel pumps are a gamble unless the car is a fresh arrival, though. 

Keith Tanner said:

We used to use an Audi/VW/Porsche external in-line pierburg for turbo use. They'll feed just about anything and they're easy to put on to an existing line. That's probably what was being pulled out of the old Euro stuff. It's got a wide range of applications.

Junkyard fuel pumps are a gamble unless the car is a fresh arrival, though. 

Did you keep the in tank pump as well, replace the in tank pump with a pierburg, switch to a low pressure in tank feeder pump, or just remove the in tank pump and replace it with a pickup tube?

I'd look for a modified srt4 partout thread. 

Indy "Nub" Guy said:

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Are those external or in tank pumps?

In tank, didn't realize we were looking for external only

A $90 Walboro 255 will get you close on 93. The best junkyard alternative is 2 NA neon pumps (total of 260lph) or two srt4 pumps (320gph) 

The market for used Walboro 450s has softened because of the 525/Hellcat pump thats now common place. However any of that frame of pump takes some work to go in a neon canister

MrJoshua said:

Keith Tanner said:

We used to use an Audi/VW/Porsche external in-line pierburg for turbo use. They'll feed just about anything and they're easy to put on to an existing line. That's probably what was being pulled out of the old Euro stuff. It's got a wide range of applications.

Junkyard fuel pumps are a gamble unless the car is a fresh arrival, though. 

Did you keep the in tank pump as well, replace the in tank pump with a pierburg, switch to a low pressure in tank feeder pump, or just remove the in tank pump and replace it with a pickup tube?

For our application, we left the stock pump in place IIRC. It's not something we've done for 15 years so I'm fuzzy on the details. Exact implementation will depend on your needs and goals - I wouldn't try to suck through a dead stock pump, for example. 

A low pressure feeder would imply the use of a swirl pot. 

Been farting around the internet. Some claim an Airtex E2448 is a re-boxed Walbro 255. Some say it isn't.

Rock Auto has them listed for $15 CAD plus shipping and if it matches the published specs it packs a serious punch. Fitment is listed as 00-02 Ford Focus?? 55-75 gallons per hour which is 208-283lph

TYC brand '98 Supra Turbo fuel pumps are rated at 57-67 gph and only $18 CAD plus shipping. Visually they look very much like a Walbro 255.

Ultra Power brand '98 Supra Turbo pumps don't have a rating but are $10 CAD plus shipping.

300ZX Turbo pumps look goofy. FD RX7 turbo pumps have a lower rating than the Supra pumps and cost more. Neon SRT-4 pumps are listed at only 35-45 gph.

'89 911 Turbo which is a Bosch 044 style pump is listed at 70gph but $60. '92 Audi S4 looks like a Walbro, but $57 and 50gph. '87 Audi 5000 turbo looks like a 044 but $64 - no flow rating.

The Sloppy Mechanic uses and recommends the "Kemso" brand of fuel pumps in his LS swaps.  I had never heard of,  but it does fit the budget, so I ordered 1 off Ebay for my K-swapped CRX.  I have yet to install said pump, so I can't speak to it's...anything yet.  But it is listed at 340lph and cost $29.98 with free shipping.  They have many different part numbers and listings for multiple different vehicles, different socks and such.  So they appear to potentially not be entirely universal as well.

Just passing on random info that I've gleemed.  But I can't vouch...yet.

I debated cutting an access hole in the chassis the last time I installed a fuel pump...I didn't.  I will be happily adding said hole this go round.  It will make me less upset if this super budgety pump does S the bed!

In reply to Catch22 :

Excellent, that's a huge vouch coming from sloppy.

I ended up ordering those pumps from Rock Auto to see what would show up.

The Airtex E2448 showed up in a Carquest box and the pump does say Walbro on it. I won't get the chance to try it out anytime soon, but assuming it's a real Walbro and does what the specs say it's a winner. Right around $20 usd shipped international.

The other two pumps have the same mfg and markings as the boxes they came in.

Nice find there!  I did see the specs you listed above for this Airtex pump.  Otherwise I would wounder if it was a Walbro 190, instead of the 255.  But with the specs that you said and are listed on RockAuto, that sounds good!  I just looked up that part number and placed one in my cart for later.

I'm in Florida and it is looking like $11.97 for the pump, $6.99 for the cheapest shipping and $1.33 tax = $20.29 total.  

So if more parts are ordered along with the pump, that should help to lower the portion of shipping that would need to be applied to the pump. Then the part price of $11.97 and shipping cost of $6.99 = $18.96 would be added to the Challenge budget for 1 pump.

Just a for instance if you ordered 5 of these, and use just 1, the shipping for all 5 moves up to $8.99 and tax to $4.82 and the total moves up to $73.66.  Remove the $4.82 in tax, not included in the Challenge budget, then split 5 ways = $13.77 each or a $5.19 savings over a purchase of one.  Same thing would apply to additional types of parts added to the order.

So that Walbro has "F10000134" on the side, which gives some ebay listings calling it a 200lph pump.

This website says it's 48gph which is 181lph.

This website says it's 42gph which is 159lph.

So not quite what I was hoping for.  Now I'm leaning towards using the two  zero budget OEM pumps from my donor Altimas and running them both always on with a brass Y fitting inside the tank. The TYC brand MK4 supra pump might be decent too, I've had decent luck with their alternators and radiators.

Run_Away [FS] said:

So that Walbro has "F10000134" on the side, which gives some ebay listings calling it a 200lph pump.

This website says it's 48gph which is 181lph.

 

This website says it's 42gph which is 159lph.

 

So not quite what I was hoping for.  Now I'm leaning towards using the two  zero budget OEM pumps from my donor Altimas and running them both always on with a brass Y fitting inside the tank. The TYC brand MK4 supra pump might be decent too, I've had decent luck with their alternators and radiators.

 

The lies!  The lies!