Inertia switch on fuel pump?
 

Hi all. Are many out there using an inertial safety switch on your electric fuel pumps (for carb'd applications, not EFI)?

Thinking of putting one in.

Thanks

Cheers
Greg

I haven't got one fitted yet, but I intend to fit one over next winter when I plumb in my SW-240 pumps.

Paul

Thats what I have, two Stewart Warner 240 A's in the trunk ( but heavily modernized SW 240 A's).

I thought the inertial safety switch would be just another good safety factor.

Cheers
Greg

Yup, I used this one:
http://http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=202&cat_id=11
Can't tell you if it works or not :p

We need pictures. :)

Paul

Several years ago, when sorting through an electrical issue, Steve Wood (PANAVIA) recommended that I add one (inertia switch). I totally agreed. So he added one underneath passenger side of the dash.

You definitely should. When I was planning my fuel system I looked into this. You can get the "Ford" one anywhere, including Painless Wiring. GM uses an oil pressure circuit as an alternative. I ended up going with a RobbMC racing mechanical pump, partly for the simplicity, so I don't need it.

Is there a danger of yours getting upside-down in the garage??? :confused:

Probably not, especially now that I have some "tire skateboards" under each wheel to move my car around and workout my muscles. No need to really move the car in and out of the garage anymore with the engine running. :LOL:

I like buttons anyway.

I mounted mine in the left rear corner of the trunk which is approximately where it was on Mustangs. The one that Breeze sells is the Ford part and works perfectly in that location. There has been some discussion about possible reduced benefit when putting in the middle of the car.

Hi Paul (FatBoy). Here are a few pics of my "modernized" SW240A's:

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...humbs/1981.JPG

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...humbs/1961.JPG

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...humbs/0086.JPG

I disassembled a couple of old non working pumps, gutted them, bored out the housings and inserted a modern in-line electic pump into the housing and re-plumbed the pair.

I had posted more pics in a posting a year or so ago.

Cheers
Greg

They look good and a great way to make use of some otherwise scrap pumps. Mine are a little more conventional:

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d..._1024x765_.jpg

Paul

Your pumps look great Paul. Always loved the original setups.

Cheers
Greg

Greg - I'm thinking of doing something similar to what you did. Which modern inline pump did you use?

Thanks

Hi SuperCobra. I chose the pump to use based on a number of factors:
1) Form and fit:
- The pump had to be of the right OD to fit inside the SW240 bored out casing.
- The pump had to be the right length to fit inside the SW240 casing.
- This turned out to be a compromise as I wanted to retain the filter housing/bail wire/retaining thumbwheel on the bottom of the pump and the cover at the top of the pump.
- I also wanted to retain the side inlets and outlets for the fuel lines, but as it turned out I was only able to retain the lower side inlet and had to come out thru the top cover with the outlet.
- See the attached crude drawing/image with the new electric pump superimposed in the SW240 casing

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...mbs/img094.jpg
- You can see the new pump’s inlet will line up with the SW240 side inlet with the use of a 90deg fitting, and the top 90deg outlet of the new pump protrudes thru the top cover of the SW240 case.
- I was able to run the new pump wires thru the SW240 side switch housing.
- I ultimately put a few strips of foam around the new pump so it fit snuggly in the bored out SW240 case.
2) Function:
- Wanted a pump that provided reasonable flow and pressure knowing I would be running two pumps in parallel.
- For my street application and about 400 to 425 HP I figured a combined flow of two 30 GPH pumps using a ½” line to the carbs would be enough.
3) Choice:
- Chose an AIRTEX pump # E3073 sold at NAPA (#AFPE3073), O’Reilly’s(#AIX E3073) and AutoZone (#E3073) with O’Reilly’s being the cheapest at $48.00
- Spec of the pump is 30 GPH at 5 psi.

4) Fittings and piping:
- Individual choice. I chose to have some SS tubing and fittings welded up as manifolds to connect the two pumps.
5) Bling:
- I painted the SW240 body a bronze color, and had the top cover , switch cover, bail wire, thumbwheel, filter canister, mounting band and manifolds chrome plated.

My427cobra - Many thanks for the detailed response! The pumps came out great. I've got a couple of old 240A pumps that I was thinking of trying this on, so this information is very helpful.

Why don't you try rebuilding them? Provided the switch is okay, everything else is available to rebuild them and it would be a shame to ruin an otherwise rebuildable pump.

Paul

Hi Paul. Good point about rebuilding the pumps. I have quite a collection of SW240A's I've bought over many years.

Their condition range from junk (bady siezed pistons) to maybe rebuilldable to rebuildable (I have a number of rebuild kits including NOS switches and newly manufactured filters) and I have two never used NOS pumps which Bill Ginsler (spelling?) of Motorsports International refreshed for me before he closed his business.

So why did I do it? Partly because I wanted to hold onto the "good" pumps for posterity and partly because I like tinkering.

Cheers
Greg

I'd be interested in a switch if you want to sell one. One of the pumps I have has a dodgy switch. :(

Most of the other rebuild parts are available from
GT40 Gold Parts - Welcome To GT40 Gold Parts.

Paul

Hi Paul. Why don't you PM me and I'll check my boxes/shelves.

Cheers
Greg