Methanol Fuel Pump Question

[sanfordandson]

If the proper pump isnt in the budget....sit out until it is! Your engine will thank you.

Or run gas...

[Rick1999]

This engine ran on the big dirt half miles for five years with a block mounted pump without any issues. Has a good Braswell carb. The last time I ran alky belt driven pumps hadn't been invented... I guess we shouldn't have raced until they became available... just putting things in perspective.

I have the pump that came with the engine... but it's very old and I can only hope it can be rebuilt. Not sure of the brand. I'd like to get a new one and rebuild the old for a spare.

I have two race engine projects going on at once (plus a chassis rebuild and two engines down for repairs on my daily drivers) so $$$ is tight and I can't spend what I don't have.

BTW this is a 383 CI SBM....

You haven't run alky for 30 years?

[Krooser]

This engine ran on the big dirt half miles for five years with a block mounted pump without any issues. Has a good Braswell carb. The last time I ran alky belt driven pumps hadn't been invented... I guess we shouldn't have raced until they became available... just putting things in perspective.

I have the pump that came with the engine... but it's very old and I can only hope it can be rebuilt. Not sure of the brand. I'd like to get a new one and rebuild the old for a spare.

I have two race engine projects going on at once (plus a chassis rebuild and two engines down for repairs on my daily drivers) so $$$ is tight and I can't spend what I don't have.

BTW this is a 383 CI SBM....

You haven't run alky for 30 years?

Nope... ran it some in late models and modifieds in the 70's and 80's and my friends ran it in the coupes in the 60's and 70's. There have been tons of IMCA type mods that have run methanol with these power levels over the years...and used block mounted pumps.

Hard to believe but we used to use open trailers pulled by station wagons, too! We came to race... we built our own chassis's... built our own engines in one car garages... ran off of our winnings not some plastic with a big spending limit. It can still be done... if you put your mind to it. Nothing against those who have the $$$ to go first class. But I don't... never did. But an skinny wallet shouldn't stop anyone from competing...

[sanfordandson]

Nope... ran it some in late models and modifieds in the 70's and 80's and my friends ran it in the coupes in the 60's and 70's. There have been tons of IMCA type mods that have run methanol with these power levels over the years...and used block mounted pumps.

Hard to believe but we used to use open trailers pulled by station wagons, too! We came to race... we built our own chassis's... built our own engines in one car garages... ran off of our winnings not some plastic with a big spending limit. It can still be done... if you put your mind to it. Nothing against those who have the $$$ to go first class. But I don't... never did. But an skinny wallet shouldn't stop anyone from competing...

It is puzzling that you want to switch to a fuel you haven't run in 30 years all while not being able to afford the proper pump.

[Rick1999]

This engine ran on the big dirt half miles for five years with a block mounted pump without any issues. Has a good Braswell carb. The last time I ran alky belt driven pumps hadn't been invented... I guess we shouldn't have raced until they became available... just putting things in perspective.

I have the pump that came with the engine... but it's very old and I can only hope it can be rebuilt. Not sure of the brand. I'd like to get a new one and rebuild the old for a spare.

I have two race engine projects going on at once (plus a chassis rebuild and two engines down for repairs on my daily drivers) so $$$ is tight and I can't spend what I don't have.

BTW this is a 383 CI SBM....

You haven't run alky for 30 years?

It's not that the block mounted pumps can't deliver enough fuel at WFO, it's the fact that they are controlled by engine rpm and produce lower volumes of fuel at lower rpm's and in the end are not more expensive than a regulated block mounted system. I applaud your work ethic and desire to race no matter what, it's the spirit of racing IMO, but we race to race not fight battles in the pits that could be easily solved by using the correct parts to begin with. How much does a missed race cost you? How about a blown up engine? Things have changed quite a bit since you last ran alky, the pump is one of them and it's not an exotic or expensive part.

Nope... ran it some in late models and modifieds in the 70's and 80's and my friends ran it in the coupes in the 60's and 70's. There have been tons of IMCA type mods that have run methanol with these power levels over the years...and used block mounted pumps.

Hard to believe but we used to use open trailers pulled by station wagons, too! We came to race... we built our own chassis's... built our own engines in one car garages... ran off of our winnings not some plastic with a big spending limit. It can still be done... if you put your mind to it. Nothing against those who have the $$$ to go first class. But I don't... never did. But an skinny wallet shouldn't stop anyone from competing...

[Rick1999]

Not sure what happened to my reply but here it goes again in a shorter version. belt drive pumps are not new, expensive or exotic. They are considered normal on today's methanol cars. They were new in the 80's but not now. Get one or run gas, which might be better anyway depending on how long your races are, of course the fuel expense will eat up the pump cost in a few races.

A lot of people still run open trailers and build a lot of their own stuff, but if it's a budget you are chasing you have to look at the long term $$$$ a blown up or washed out engine costs way more to fix than the correct fuel pump.