[TR] Are Electric Pumps Going To Be Necessary

[John Macartney]

Ed

Interesting article. Personally, I've never come across this problem in terms of modern fuels 
causing pumping problems per se.
However, what I *have* encountered many times is a failure of rubber (for want of a better word) 
components in the fuel system itself. In non-injection cars, I've seen many mechanical pump failures 
where the chemical mix in unleaded fuels is well known to attack those components that ran happily 
for years on leaded. This is a real problem on Triumph fuel injection cars and the only way round it 
is to do a full service exchange on the metering unit, low pressure return lines and pressure relief 
valve. However, its clear that unleaded fuel (as a generic) seems to come in different complexions 
in terms of additives used and what we have in the UK may not be the same as in the US. I do know 
that when unleaded was first introduced in New Zealand some years ago at the same time as leaded was 
banned, there were horrendous problems with the fuel itself causing breakdowns everywhere and 
nothing to do with valve seat recession.
IMHO, if this issue worries you and your mechanical pump seems to be working OK, either leave it 
alone or replace the *rubber* parts with neoprene units which are known (in the UK anyway) to be 
completely unaffected by unleaded.
FWIW ....

Jonmac

Randall may have another view?