Low oil pressure switch and inline pump starvation?
07-29-2009, 05:59 PM
#1
Low oil pressure switch and inline pump starvation? I have read about people burning up their inline fuel pumps from starvation.
Has anyone installed the low oil pressure switch from GM in line with the fuel pump relay and had this happen?
It would seem once the engine stalled, the pump would shut off.
Just curious, as I'm putting together the fuel system for my Studebaker, and thought perhaps this could protect the pump from a clogged prefilter or just out of fuel.
Has anyone installed the low oil pressure switch from GM in line with the fuel pump relay and had this happen?
It would seem once the engine stalled, the pump would shut off.
Just curious, as I'm putting together the fuel system for my Studebaker, and thought perhaps this could protect the pump from a clogged prefilter or just out of fuel.
07-29-2009, 06:09 PM
#2
I had such a switch on my system when the pump destroyed itself on a piece of debris.
The switch is more to shut the pump off in an accident. A very worthwile thing to have.
The switch is more to shut the pump off in an accident. A very worthwile thing to have.
07-30-2009, 06:07 AM
#4
I had a prefilter too. Apparantly it wasn't a very good one.
I now have two very good filters. Or at least expensive.
Most fuel sites recommend a 40 to 100 micron filter before the pump, then a 10 micron after the regulator. You don't want too fine of a filter before the pump because any pressure drop across it will cause cavitation in the pump. While that isn't good for the pump, it is even worse for the engine since it will usually happen at full throttle.
But the point is the oil pressure switch isn't going to do much to protect the pump, but it will protect people in the case of a bad accident.
By the way, Mr Gasket makes a cheap oil pressure switch. Less than ten bucks from Jegs.
I now have two very good filters. Or at least expensive.
Most fuel sites recommend a 40 to 100 micron filter before the pump, then a 10 micron after the regulator. You don't want too fine of a filter before the pump because any pressure drop across it will cause cavitation in the pump. While that isn't good for the pump, it is even worse for the engine since it will usually happen at full throttle.
But the point is the oil pressure switch isn't going to do much to protect the pump, but it will protect people in the case of a bad accident.
By the way, Mr Gasket makes a cheap oil pressure switch. Less than ten bucks from Jegs.
07-30-2009, 06:32 AM
#5
There should be some way from ruining a pump when starved for fuel. I'm wondering if the current rises quickly when unloaded like that? Or an actual pressure switch from the fuel rail?
How long does it take for a fuel pump to fail when starved? 20 seconds, or minutes?
How long does it take for a fuel pump to fail when starved? 20 seconds, or minutes?
