switchable electric fuel pump

[Scott A. Anderson]

The #1 post mentions a switchable electric fuel pump. Does it look like the cruddy looking thing in the attached photo? This is up under the body near the fuel tank of my 1971 M&M ambulance. Hoping someone can shed some light on this, was this an option from Cadillac or the body builders, where was the switch was located, was this just to prime the fuel line to aid in starting, did it need to be on all the time, etc. As you can see from the photo, it is not connected to anything at this time.

The fuel pump on the engine does the job but it is a chore to get the car started after sitting for an extended period of time. A few shots of starting fluid get it running, and then the fuel pump can keep it running.

I do not recall any supplemental electric fuel pump in any of the Cadillac ambulances that I ever worked in (Superiors and M&M's from 1969 to 1975). When you turned the key, they usually started.

 

[Richard Vyse]

The fuel pump on the engine does the job but it is a chore to get the car started after sitting for an extended period of time.

That's the issue I have with my 73 Lifeliner. I have to manually flip the choke to draw in gas which takes a number of cranks for the fuel to get to the engine.

 

[Paul Steinberg]

This has been spit off from another thread, since it is a new topic... thanks Paul

 

[Dave Hopping]

Mine was aftermarket,had it installed a few years ago.Looks a lot like the unit pictured,and there's a little off-on toggle switch under the dash,so it doesn't need to be on all the time.I use it mostly to get fuel to the engine on startup,especially if it hasn't been run for a few days,or if it has been run for awhile in town on a warm day,what with all the alcohol and other weirdness they put in gasoline anymore.Before I had it installed (at Zac Helm's suggestion),I had the problem Scott describes,and I didn't like having to run the starter and stress the battery as much as I was doing,just to get the engine to turn over.The pump solved the problem,so I'm happy.I don't think a second fuel pump was ever a Cadillac factory option.

 

[Tom Hoczyk]

I have electric fuel pumps (Delco EP-50) on all 5 of my coaches, some leading into the mechcanical fuel pump, some leading directly to the carb, with the mechanical pump removed and a blank-out plate put into its place. They're all wired to run when the key is on, no special switch required. That setup has never given me any problem.

There was once a time that I let the key stay in the "on" position until the ticking of the pump slowed down, indicating the carb reservoir was filled with fuel, then started the car almost instantly. Since then, I've become more cognizant of oil getting pumped throughout the engine before starting, so I've started to keep the cars cranking for the few seconds it takes for the fuel to get to the carb, then at least I know the engine's been pre-lubricated before firing up. Tom