HEP 02A fuel pump.

[reb53]

I know there're old posts about fitting fuel pumps but when I did a search I realised I'd need a spare month to read them all.
Our fuel seems especially volatile these days and I'm getting tired of priming the Webers if the car is left for more than a few days.
So I thought rather than fitting a full time electric pump I'd put one in line with the normal mechanical pump and just have a push button "priming" button. Once primed, the mechanical pump would carry on as normal.
So I need an electric pump that still passes gas if it isn't actually turned on.
The people on Ebay etc have no idea and I wondered if anyone here knew.
A search of "HEP 02A" brings up the pump I was thinking of.

PS.
The idea is sound. Looking at an old Alfa yesterday where the owner had wired in an old Morris Minor SU pump to do the same thing.

Cheers,
Ralph.

[ericbushby]

Hi Ralph,
That is just what I did. I used a cheapo Facet lookalike cube pump fitted in the Right hand front corner of the spare wheel well, supplied by a twin wire along side the wiring harness from a spring return double pole toggle switch bracketed off the rear of the dashboard fixing screw.
There was no noticeable resistance to flow when blowing through it.
So I now reach under the dashboard and pull the switch back for 10 seconds and am ready to go.
I chose this pump because it is so noisy that I can hear when it slows as the float chamber fills up.
Hope this is useful.
Cheers
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[reb53]

Thanks Eric,
I've found a cheap one locally and have ordered it.
One more thing added to the Lotus pre-start check list !

Cheers,
Ralph.

[ericbushby]

Great, tell us how you go on with it.
I think it is one of the most satisfying low cost improvements you can make to a Weber equipped car.
The pump I fitted was about £12. I think they are £17 pounds on ebay now.
Eric

[reb53]

Spent the better part of today wiring and plumbing this in.
I already had an unnecessary hole in the dash so that now houses a push button.
A handy, and easy to get at, 12 volt source was on the back of the cigarette lighter which had an unused plug.
Still took maybe 30 seconds to lift the carb floats but a lot easier than messing around with squirt bottles.
Went for a drive and the usual mechanical pump seemed to have no problem sucking fuel through the, ( now turned off), electric pump.
All up, including extra fuel hose, and clips, about US$25.

Ralph.

[ericbushby]

Hi Ralph
Thanks for the update, that looks good. It is amazing what a difference a small modification like that will make.
Same for the diff access hatch. It all makes things easier without making significant changes to the car or costing too much.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC ( off the road with a failed head gasket )

[reb53]

Hi Eric,
Sorry to hear you have a failed head gasket, assume your car is in better shape !

I'm at the computer, ( obviously....), waiting for Rocket Lab's launch in 10 minutes.
They have a live stream if you're quick enough to Google Rocket Lab.
You can see it on-line, I have to merely turn around, and I'll see the orange dot climbing into our night sky.

Ralph.

[reb53]

Here we go.
Took a time lapse photo.