The original fuel pump on my 914-6 finally died, started to die on the way to GAF, didn't make it, but made it home. I priced new fuel pumps, $370-$450, ouch.

I replaced the pump with a FACET pump, plugged return line. New pump runs 4-7 psi, 32 gallons per hour. Fuel pressure runs at around 5 1/4 psi at idle. Old pump put out 5 psi at idle.

I seem to be getting vapor lock after turning engine off and fuel lines absorb radiant heat from engine. The new pump fit on the orginal fuel pump rubber mounts in engine bay corner, and it was a nice, neat installation.

I picked up some 2000 degree tubing heat sheild yesterday and will install over fuel lines for radiant heat.

The question is, "should I reconnect the return fuel line with a orfice fitting and what size orfice should the fitting have, or is it just a hit or miss deal?".

Any suggestions will be appreciated, Thanks

no fuel pressure regulator?

I matched the new pump as close as I could get to the original pump, and it's recommeded for carbs. Also checked with Don Clark at Extreme Motorsports (Porsche Master Mechanic). He uses FACET pumps on race cars.

Now if I was using a pump from a 914-4 with fuel injection, fuel pressure runs 45+ psi, if I remember right, then a fuel pressure regulator would be needed to reduce the pressure to the carbs or you'd blow out the carb float bowl needle valves with the high pressure.

So I think I've got a good sized pump, just trying to cure the vapor lock problem.

One other thing, when it's sat with a hot engine and then restarted, it sounds like the pump is running dry, clears up at idle in 1-2 minutes, that's why I suspect vapor lock.

I have a facet on both of my teeners, although I have never driven the -6. The -4 has it in the stock location with no trouble, vapor lock, etc...

Which Facet pump did you get? If it is the small cube one that buzzes the capacity is a tad small for a six. This sounds weird but my big four used one of those and it worked great but the six conversion (same HP at rear wheels) ran out of gas! I am guessing the blocked return is causing the vapor lock since when the pump used to start it would circulate fuel and that would cool off the fuel supply so vapor lock never occured. Good luck

Just finished putting the heat shielding on the fuel lines, now to test it. Take her out on the freeway, maybe go get coffee at Viegas? Leave the cash at home.

The pump is rated 4-7 psi, 32 gallons per hour. If I do put in a return bypass, I think I might need a larger pump? I can also make a orfice insert for a T connector on the discharge side of the pump, only question is, "What size orfice in the bypass?", then what size pump are you using?.

Don, I checked a racing website that gives a rough estimate on fuel needed per HP. On my race car with about 210 HP I needed about 25 GPH so with your stock six I think your pump should be fine. Ask Don what he runs as fuel pressure as I found that 4.5 PSI was too high for my Webers and used a regulator to drop it to 3 PSI and my stumbling on hard corners went away. Fuel pressure regs will have a built in bypass so fuel can be returned to the tank in a recirculation manner. Good luck

Check the regulator for a return port before buying, as the less expensive types probably won't have one.

BTW, For years I ran a Facet mounted up front with dual Webers without a return line and never had vapor lock problems. Plenty of Facet tapping aggravation though! Noisy little buggers!

Just got back from the test run. Engine's running strong, shifted at 7000 rpm in 2nd and 3rd, already a ticket in 3rd at 7000. Accelerated up the hills just fine in 5th gear. Didn't notice any power loss/flat spots anywhere in the rpm band.

The original problem was noise at start-up, not while running.

I just got the noise(clicking) right before I started a hot enginet, used to take 1+ minutes to quiet down after starting the engine. Now less than 30 seconds. Or the engine running masks the noise. After shutting down the engine, I can turn the pump on and it's still relativly quiet, it's also quiet with a cold engine. BTW with a stock pump, you can hear the stock pump running too.

I just read in another post about "Noisy" Facet pumps. So maybe the noisy pump is just normal for the Facet pumps?

Well, what do you think, am I chasing a phantom here, or do I need to do something else?

In my experience, the small box-like facet pumps make a noticable rattle on start-up which quiets slightly after a little while (10 seconds?). I assumed the noise changed when the carb bowls filled and closed and pressure built up in the supply line. This noise is probably less noticeable when the pump is located in the engine compartment, as opposed to front mounting below the tank.

I like the noise. It tells me the pump is working

where did you get the fuel line wrap? i experience a hot fuel issue when i shut the motor down on a very hot day. a bit of stumble until it runs for 30 seconds or so. i presume cooler fuel is reaching the carbs. when i ran a facet i isolated the pump from the body with some pieces of thick rubber. it cut the rattle down quite a bit.

kevin

I found the heat shield tubing at Industrial Liquidators in Kearny Mesa here in San Diego, runs about $5.50 a foot. Good for 500 degrees covering, 2000 degrees liner. I've found the stuff cheaper before, but it's usually mail order, 1-2 weeks delivery. They had different sizes, 1/2 to 2 inch.

I can get into real trouble in that store, they have all kinds of neat stuff.

Beginning to sound like Facet pumps are just noisy at start-up. I do have it mounted on the original rubber fuel pump mounts. It's not annoying or anything, because it does quiet down, just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything.

I got the new facet pump at Kragen Auto Parts. Purolator p/n PRO06SV, Kragen p/n PA 6011241. Costs around $40 for the pump. It's rated 4-7 psi, 32 gallons per hour. It fits perfectly on the original fuel pump rubber mounts in front of the right rear wheel. You will need to buy a 1/8 inch street elbow to clear the firewall. The pump comes with the hose fittings you'll need to hook up the fuel lines. I just plugged the return line.

At idle I'm running about 4-5 psi, that's what I ran with the stock pump. There's a couple of steep hills around here, that's where I test the car, if I can accelerate all the way up them, it's cool.

I was just cruising around 75-80 up the freeway, when the car just started slowing down, no acceleration, down shifting didn't work, just losing power. Pulled over, checked the fuel pressure gage, 0-1 psi, not good, 1 was about 100 miles from home.

Each time I'd turn off the engine, I'd get a different fuel pressure on the gage. Luckily I made it home.

I talked to my step-dad, he'd owned her for 30 years, said she was still running the original fuel pump. Ok, fine, I figure the motor brushes have to be about shot at 34 years old.

Now as far at the popping, backfiring, loss of power goes. I had all those symptoms a couple of years ago. Turned out to be the Webers needed to be rebuilt, they were just getting old. Had them rebuilt, cost about $350, just get a occasional pop now and then since the rebuild.

So it could be a conbination of things, fuel pump and carbs. Cheapest thing to check is change out the fuel pump, see what happens, if it's still popping, backfiring, loss of power, get the Webers rebuilt.

Hope this helps, Take Care, Don