I am planning on dropping a 5.3 in my 1977 z-28, and have a few questions:

1) Fuel to the engine: My fuel tank is only a few years old, so I want to use it with an external pump. I found a MSD electric fuel pump at Summit, pn MSD-2225, for $93. This is by far the lowest-cost high pressure pump I can find. It puts out 43 gph at 80 psi. Will this pump work? (I know that I will need to add a sump to my gas tank.

2) Return vs returnless: Does it really matter? What year did the 5.3 change over to a return system?

3) Can I just hook the 5.3 up to my stock radiator? Or do I need to convert it over to a radiator with a pressurized overflow tank?

Thanks.

 

that pump sounds ok, i used an external walbro 255($155) through my existing pick-up(no sump), i'm also using a returnless set-up with an aeromotive regulator. it was easier running 1 line to the front rather than 2. not sure on the years of return and returnless but it's a good idea to match the intake with the system you're going to use. the returnless intake's fuel rails are different and the intake doesn't have a vacuum bung for the pressure regulator. i'm using my factory non-pressurized overflow tank. i've used dex-cool with it for 3+ years with my previuos engine combo with no problems. if it was my car i'd look into a Northern aluminum radiator, they already have a bung for the coolant bleed in the tank, plus it's more than likely better than the radiator you have now for less than $300.