I want to install a holley pusher pump back at the tank on my truck to give the stock lift pump a little help. While I'm at it I'm going to put a stanadyne 30 micron pre filter down at the tank with a built in heater plumbed in before the pusher pump to make sure that the fuel going through both the pusher and the lift pumps is filtered. I'm also going to replace all my banjo's and fuel lines with Scotty's fuel system. I'm thinking of going with a holley red pump that put's out around 5 psi. I don't want to boost my total fuel pressure up too much because anything over 14psi just gets sent back to the fuel tank via the return lines. Will this work for what I want or should I be looking at the Holley blue that puts out 14psi? I've read that too high a pressure can make things tough on the VP44. Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks.

 

First, you WANT fuel to be pushed through and bypass the VP44. This is what cools and lubricates the VP44. Go for the higher pressure pump, as it will supply more volume. You won't have a problem, if you have a problem, until you exceed about 20 psi.
You also want to just bypass the factory lift pump if at all possible. The "pusher" pump will not necessarily increase the longevity of the factory lift pump, and why give yourself 2 points of failure in the fuel system? I bypassed mine and never looked back.
I have a Holley Blue and some 1/2 inch fuel lines I can hook you up with. PM me if interested.

Chris

 

You dont want to use the Holley pump as a pusher pump... you want to use it as THE lift pump. Just forget about the stock lift pump. Install a holley blue on the frame rail as the lift pump and plumb the discharge to the stock filter housing . Yes the blue is 14 psi and is what you want, and filtering it with a LARGE filter before the pump is good. But it has to be large and not too fine of a filter media, because its on the suction side of the pump not the discharge, so you want as least delta P as possible. I used a Cuno 'rotate to clean' strainer on the suction side of mine. It has .006" openings. Then into the pump and from the pump to the stock filter for final filtration. The stock lift pump is sitting there not connected to any fuel lines but plugged into the harness and running !!! Thats because you will set a code if you leave it unplugged.... Since I could care less about it, I dont care its sitting there running dry..... Run the holley blue with a relay triggered off of key switch on position.


Kevin

 

You should consider just using the lift pump connection for your relay, than you don't have to hunt down a key-on wire, and if the truck is not running, you are in a wreck, etc. the computer will shut off your Holley pump for you. That's how I did mine, and when I upgraded I found that FASS wisely took the same idea. My pump stock is just hanging on the side of the engine to counter-balance the extra turbo.

Chris

 

Humm, I didnt do this because I though that the ECM controls the speed of the lift pump by PWM (pulse width modulation) for slow speed and high speed.... I recall reading about this, I think on here??? I figured that the relay would chatter or not pick up at all with the PWM....


Counterbalance for the extra turbo!!! ROTFLMFAO !!


Kevin

 

With the relays used, I'm thinking on is on. I have never noticed my fuel pressure fluctuating as if the fuel pump was turning on and off. The relay has been in place on my truck for over a year, and not a hiccup out of it. You could be right, but I don't think it will affect the relay. You could always carry a spare. What do those relays cost, 10 bucks?
Just something to think about.

As far as setting a code, I wonder about that. When my LP went bad it still ran, but don't the LPs just stop sometimes? I have never heard of a code being set by the LP not working. Maybe I just missed it.

Chris

 

chucktownsend:

I have been running the Holley Red Pump on my 2002 Dodge CTD for over one
(1) year with no problems at all!! I have mine mounted off the support brace
for the transmission/transfer case on a piece of aluminum "L" bracket. I am running
-8 "Aeroquip" stainless steel braided line from the pump to the VP-44. I am also
still utilizing the stock lift pump and have had no problems doing that at all. I see
about 16-18lbs. at idle and NEVER see my pressure get below 12-13lbs even at
WOT! You asked about the Holley Blue Pump. IMO, you will have too much
pressure with that pump if you keep the stock Dodge lift pump. The Holley Blue
flows about 140 GPH @ 14 psi and with the stock lift pump you will see about
26-28lbs at idle. To see some good install pictures of a Holley Fuel Pump go
over to 3rd Generation (Eng&Trans). DTR Member "banshee" posted some
pictures of the install on his 2004 Dodge CTD. It is back on the 3rd or 4th
page now.

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John_P

 

Quick question which keeps confusing me. If you increase the size of the line from the pusher pump to either the lift pump or just to fuel filter and v44 but dont increase the line from the tank, isnt there a bottle neck from the tank to the pusher?

 

Absolutely. Even with the line sizes all identical, the line from the tank to the pump will ALLWAYS be the bottleneck, since its on the suction side of the pump and there is very little available NPSH. Thats why if you look at most every single pump in an industrial application, the suction line is much larger than the discharge line. Its all about NPSH when it comes to pump performance.


Kevin

 

so should or can you plumb a larger line into the tank?, is there any reason I could not at a minimum plumb a line that at least is as big as the new line I would put in

do you know what the stock line size is

 

Yes absolutely, I feel that any improvements in the lines from the discharge side of the pump are mostly futile until you enlarge the suction side.

I plumbed a new 1/2" sawgelock tubing line into the bottom of the tank. I know there are companies who make some fancy larger fittings and such to connect to the quick disconnect at the top of the tank and drop a new pickup into the tank, but I wanted a bottom feed, to increase the NPSH on the lift pump, I was not interested in dropping the tank if at all possible, and nothing is better than Swagelock fittings, so that is what I did.

Only problem is that I did put the fitting far enough aft on the tank, and now when I have less than 1/4" tank and accerlate like a maniac, the fuel sloshes back and uncovers the pickup.. . So now that the weather is nice again, I will move the pickup back a bunch.


Kevin

 

Kevin, Do you have a part number for the fitting?

 

Well, its just a typical Swagelock 90° fitting, 1/2" NPT on one end, 1/2" swagelock Female on the other. I just drilled and tapped the tank for 1/2" NPT (its only 1/8" thick and I was not even sure I would get enough threads to seal, but its just fine and has been for a long long time) and threaded it in with good dope. So its not an offical 'bulkhead' fitting which you would expect to use on a tank, but I figured what the heck, I have to drill a hole in the tank either way, lets give this a try and maybe then I dont have to drop the tank. Sure enough it works fine.




Kevin

 

Hey 600 megawatts. Who are these companies that mke the fancy larger fuel tank fittings? I've looked all over for something like that but never found any. Thans.

 

I LIKE this idea a lot.....Have been thinking about it - must have made a nice diesel bath when you drilled the hole...

I would probably want a 1/2" bulkhead connector on the tank and run 1/2" S.S. braided tubing along the framerail to the IP. I have "access" to the fittings, but would have to buck up for the braided S.S. supply/return lines.

Kevin, where exactly is the best place to put the bottom feed?

Do you happen to have any pics of your setup? Haulin in Dixie previously posted some pics of his setup, which is similar to yours.