Who's Got A 2.0efi Pinto?

[peter_m7uk]

Hi injection dudes,

 

I took the engine out of my Sierra over a year ago and now I'm not quite sure about

the fuel system that will go in my Lightweight. I threw the fuel tank out, but I've still

got the level sender, the fuel pump, filter and the various gubbins which bolt onto the

engine. My numpty questions are:

 

1) Do I need a swirl pot? I'm sure I was once told that the EFi fuel pump contained a

swirl mechanism of some sort, but I spoke to Rich Hall at Robin Hood and he told

me my fuel tank would need a built-in swirl pot. Was there one inside the Sierra fuel

tank on EFi cars?

 

2) I still have a section of fuel pipe that went from the pump to the filter, but what size and

type of pipe went from the tank to the pump? Also, in the return circuit, there is a

piece of tube still attached to my fuel pressure regulator, but this pipe is only about

a foot long. I didn't cut it, so what size and type of tube went from the end of this

pipe back into the tank?

 

3) Finally, will I be able to re-use the tank level sender in a Robin Hood tank? Also, I have

seen senders which have two tubes coming out of the top. Mine has no tubes and is sealed

apart from a couple of wires. What would these tubes be for and why don't I have them?

 

Hope someone can help!

 

Cheers,

 

Pete

[steve in stockport]

Hi Peter

 

I've got an EFI pinto in my 2b so i'll have a go at answering your questions.

 

1. you don't need a swirl pot to fuel your engine BUT having one prevents fuel surge which will lead to no fuel at the injectors and therefore your engine cutting out, which can be embarrassing/dangerous or both depending on where and when it happens.

the fuel also lubricates the pump so any starvation will lead to the early demise of your fuel pump.

 

there are a few options- you could get a small reservoir welded onto the bottom of your tank and run your fuel line out of that.

you can buy a custom made swirl pot and plumb this in between your tank and fuel pump with a low pressure pump to feed it

or you can get a bit inventive and use an air seperator from a central heating system as a swirl pot and feed that as above - which is what i did.

 

if i was doing it again and i had a new tank i would go for the welded on reservoir as there is no need for second pumps and the plumbing is easier

 

which ever way you do it make sure you plumb the fuel return back into the main tank - it stops cavitation/evaporation in the fuel lines when they get hot that leads to hesitation when accelerating under some conditions

 

2. the fuel pipe from the tank to the pump is 15mm inner dia fuel resistant rubber hose

the return pipe to the tank on the sierra was 8mm steel under the vehicle, i used 8mm copper pipe for the flow and return from the tank to the engine bay with high pressure rubber pipe to make the connections

i swapped to a vauxhall injection pump cos it will suck/lift fuel about 300mm where the ford is gravity fed and must be below your tank - it gives a few more options of where to fit the pump.

vauxhall injection fuel filter is also only about 1/3 the size of the ford item

 

3.yes you can reuse the fuel tank sender but you may have to bend the float arm to get it to read right.

the two pipe are flow and return for the fuel for some of the different models - dont worry if you aint got them

 

Steve

[andyparry]

1.) You don't need a swirl pot, but it is advisable if you want to let the fuel level get low. You only need one if you go round a long sweeping curve with little fuel in the tank. The fuel will all surge to the opposite end of the tank from the pickup and thus there'll be no fuel going to the fuel pump or the injectors. I never had one with my EFI setup and never let the fuel level get oo low.

 

2.) Originally on the sierra, you'll of had 8mm stainless solid pipes (2) running the length of the car. A high pressured feed and a low pressure return. Same type of pipe in both cases.

 

3.) You need two pipes going to the tank. The fuel injection works by fuel being drawn up through the filter into the fuel pump and then pushed at high pressure down the car along the high pressure fuel rail. the injectors then electronically open and allow a squirt of fuel into the cylinders. Any fuel not used is then returned to the tank through the pressure regulator and the the low pressure pipe.

 

hope this helps.

 

Andy

[peter_m7uk]

Thanks for the help, guys

[Guest SteveL]

Remember to put a fuel filter between the tank outlet and the fuel pump, if you're using the Ford fuel pump. It'll only take a small bit of crap for the pump to grind to a sudden halt. They're not very tolerant of anything like this.

 

Steve

[peter_m7uk]

Hi Steve,

 

What type of filter did you fit, as the Sierra didn't originally have one between tank and pump?

 

Another Q to all: What did you use to secure the flexible fuel hose to the metal fuel hose, as the pressure

may be high? Do you reckon jubilee clips will be enough?

 

Pete

[steve in stockport]

wrong Steve, but i think people reduce the 15mm pipe to 8mm with plumbing connections and use a cheap throw away fuel filter as a pre pump filter, then increase the pipe back up to 15mm to the pump.

 

i used jubilee clips and have had no problems in 5000 miles.

if you use copper pipe you can flare the ends slightly to stop the pipe coming off

 

Steve

[Guest Mike Perry]

Hi Pete

 

We had used jubilee clips to secure our flexi fuel pipe to the 8mm copper, but just prior to SVA we were advised to swap them over to the the fuel pipe clips as these are preferable to some testers. The argument being that jubilee clips can pinch the pipe. That said I believe that we did overlook one of our jubilee clips and it did not cause us to fail (maybe the tester also overlooked it).

 

In hindsight I have also found that my brake pipe flaring tool will also cope with the 8mm copper and I would have flared the ends of the copper where it joins with the flexible pipe, but even so we haven't had any problems with just clamping.

 

I'm only up the A23 at Copthorne if you need any assistance.

[andyparry]

No need to flare the pipe. If the fule pressure is 8psi, the cross sectional area of 8mm pipe is about 1/12 inch. The pull off pressure on the pipe is therefore 1/12 of 8 = 2/3 psi. A jubillee clip is plenty to hold that in place!!. A zip tie would probably work equally well, but a jubilee clip is belt and braces.

 

Andy

[Longboarder]

You can get olives for compression joints for 6mm and 8mm pipe. Cut in half and solder on pipe for retainer.

 

Nigel

[Guest Phil Slater]

Cut in half and solder on pipe for retainer

 

Cheapskate

[Guest chris brown]

If the fule pressure is 8psi, the cross sectional area of 8mm pipe is about 1/12 inch. The pull off pressure on the pipe is therefore 1/12 of 8 = 2/3 psi. A jubillee clip is plenty to hold that in place!!.

Fuel pressure is much higher than 8 psi the fuel regulator should keep it to 2.5 bar at full throttle but the pump it capable of producing something like 5 bar which is about 70 psi. But having said that my 8mm copper is straight at the ends, with the flex held on with jubilee clips. BTW remember to buy the rubber fuel hose for injection which has a much higher bursting pressure and regardless of how short a piece you use ensure it has the working pressure on it as it is one of the things the tester will check for.

I also used a standard carb type inline filter in the 15mm line prior to the pump with a couple of 15mm to 8mm reducers (one each side).

 

Nigel

Like your style “true hoodie”

[Longboarder]

Well you don't want to waste a whole olive on one end when the'll do two!

 

Nigel

[peter_m7uk]

OK, I've got 8mm OD copper pipe for the main fuel runs now, 6mm ID rubber hose

to join things up, and a small inline filter to go between tank and pump. Just wondering

what the 15mm to 8mm plumbing connection looks like and where I could get one?

Also, my local motor factor didn't have any 15mm ID hose to join the tank to the

pump - Is this an unusual size? Do I need to go to Ford directly perhaps?

 

Thanks again,

 

Pete

[Guest Mike Perry]

WE re-used the piece that came off the doner car. To gain length we cut it and inserted some 15mm copper to get to our pump.

 

HTH