SW 240A Fuel Pumps

[Bernica]

I would think that Bob Bondurant would have the definitive answer....

[FatBoy]

Anyone have his contact details?

[Bernica]

Try here....
Bondurant School of High Performance Driving | Bondurant.com

[Bernica]

Dan Gurney would also be a source. I believe he drove for CS as well. Both are still around as far as I know....

[FatBoy]

I've just sent an email to Bob and Dan was at Goodwood last September for the Revival, so I'll see if I can track him down somewhere as well.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Paul

[Bernica]

Good luck. Post what you learn. I am still with Mickmate on this, but will be curious what you learn.....

[601HP]

Originally Posted by Bernica

Good luck. Post what you learn. I am still with Mickmate on this, but will be curious what you learn.....

I'm also on Nick Acton's side of the fence.

FWIW, the folks at Hi-Tech Motorsports back in the day (early 1994 for my car) were finicky as relates to originality. And...they maintained a relationship with Mike McCluskey, and shared build info with each other.

My car came with two SW electric fuel pumps, two toggle switches for use on the dash, and a fuel tank plumbed with two pick-ups. Those pick-ups were arranged exactly as Nick described; providing a primary and reserve configuration. I have dismantled that original Hi-Tech Motorsports tank and saw the internal construction.

David

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by 601HP

My car came with two SW electric fuel pumps, two toggle switches for use on the dash, and a fuel tank plumbed with two pick-ups. Those pick-ups were arranged exactly as Nick described; providing a primary and reserve configuration. I have dismantled that original Hi-Tech Motorsports tank and saw the internal construction.

David

David,

How are your pumps configured? Does each SW pump draw fuel from a different pickup or do they both use the same one?

I'm sitting very much on the fence at the moment, but I'm equally happy to fall one side or the other.

Paul

[601HP]

Originally Posted by FatBoy

David,

How are your pumps configured? Does each SW pump draw fuel from a different pickup or do they both use the same one?

I'm sitting very much on the fence at the moment, but I'm equally happy to fall one side or the other.

Paul

Each pump is plumbed to a different pick-up.
David

[FatBoy]

Interesting, because that is different to the pictures I have seen of "original" cars where only a single feed from the tank goes to both pumps.

Thanks,
Paul

[Bernica]

Only one toggle switch that fires both electrics at the same time, at lease in my case and most I know of.

I trust Nick and McCluskey. In Shelby's own words about McCluskey: "To the Man that knows more about Cobras than I do".

Nick is the same, and passionate about "properly sorted" cars.

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by computerworks

They were plumbed as a secondary pump set up from a pickup lower in the tank.

The mechanical draws fuel from a higher point; the 240's are normally off during normal operation.

The purpose was, when the tank ran low and the mechanical pump starved, the racer could throw a toggle on the dash to turn on the electrics and make it back to the pits.

The plate that has the fittings on the fuel tank would have two fittings, with one drawing fuel lower than the other.

For what it's worth, CSX6022 came set-up exactly like this. There are parallel lines with a T-fitting on the outflow side of the mechanical pump. The mechanical pickup is lower than the pickup for the twin electrics. They are off during normal driving and even at WOT I have never had a fuel starvation issue on just the mechanical.

It works exactly as designed, by the way. Given the inaccuracy of my fuel level gauge, I ran out of gas once. Sat there for a minute pissed at myself and then remembered the story of why racers had it set up this way, flipped the switch to turn on the electrics, fired back up and drove to the nearest gas station.

[Mongoose930]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your diligence in going to reputable source to get these details. Mickmate will be installing my 42 gallon Comp tank over the next few weeks which was originally a Mike McCluskey fuel cell that Mickmate converted to baffled tank for me. It came with two pick-ups that were clearly marked “Main” & “Reserve” and the reserve pickup was lower in the tank.

[ERA Chas]

Interesting discussion. I wondered further; with gas at ~6.2 pounds per gallon (ambient temp. dependent), a full 42 gallon tank puts 260+ pounds behind the rear axle.
Think OVERSTEER.

Then consider the change in handling as the load burns off. Put this on 8.5" wide F'stones or G'years of the day and Bondo, Miles, Gurney et al look like genuine he-men to wrestle that. Especially like in the Targa or other endurance races.

#3170-Bruce, can you give some insight?

[FatBoy]

Okay, another update.

I've just had a reply from Thomas Kirkham. Their standard tanks are fitted with dual pickups. By default, the lower pickup is connected and the upper pickup is blanked off, which can be used as a return feed if fuel injection is used. However, if the fuel pipe is connected to the blanked off connection and the free connection is then connected to an electric pump, you have a reserve fuel capacity at the throw of a switch.

Paul

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

... with gas at ~6.2 pounds per gallon...

Do you know, when I first read that, I assumed you were in the UK - but of course you don't mean 6.2 pounds per gallon, as in £6.2 per gallon. Which is pretty much exactly what we pay, $9.50.
Sorry - as you were...

[ERA Chas]

I used to buy race gas for $7.50 US per gallon-you poor guys are getting killed at the pump...

[FatBoy]

Another update from Mike McCluskey. Both pumps ran together rather than separately, although he did say that a BBF would run on a single pump.

Paul

[601HP]

Originally Posted by FatBoy

Another update from Mike McCluskey. Both pumps ran together rather than separately, although he did say that a BBF would run on a single pump.

Paul

Dang it! Now I've gotta re-plumb the trunk.

Not!

David

[mickmate]

David interesting to note your drawing shows a street tank albeit with a cell flange on top. That also shows a single line to the front as in street cars.
Hey Ron shall we sing together in two part harmony ;-)