As much as we hate to admit it, there’s still an intimidation factor that comes with electronic fuel injection systems. It’s not that we’re afraid of enhanced throttle response, improved fuel efficiency, and better overall performance–all things associated with electronic fuel injection.
We love that stuff.
It’s all the extra wires and fuel system modifications associated with EFI systems that make us cling to our carbs. In recent years, aftermarket companies have begun to take the hassle out of EFI swaps by developing more easily tuned systems that require less wiring.
Now, Edelbrock has taken the headaches out of making the necessary fuel system upgrades, too, thanks to its new universal sump fuel kit .
The Edelbrock Universal Sump Fuel Kit comes with everything needed to supply your fuel injection system with a constant fuel pressure of 49 to 60 psi in one pre-packaged easy-to-install kit. It includes a fuel sump tank with a high-pressure pump and regulator pre-installed, a wiring harness, a mounting bracket, hose, fittings, and all of the necessary hardware for installation. Best of all, this completely self-contained unit installs easily and neatly under your hood.
“One of the toughest parts of doing any fuel injection upgrade to a current carbureted vehicle is upgrading the fuel delivery system to accommodate the constant pressure needed by the EFI system,” said Mike Kovacs, regional account manager at Edelbrock. “With this kit, the toughest part is where you want to put it under your hood, whether it’s on the inner fender, core support, or wherever.”
How it Works
Electronic fuel injection systems require higher fuel pressures than carbureted fuel systems. In the past that meant an EFI swap could come with some time-consuming fuel system mods, including a higher-pressure fuel pump, plumbing and wiring modifications, or even a whole new fuel tank to accommodate an in-tank fuel pump.
“If not done properly, you may experience fuel starvation, drivability concerns, and possibly damage to your fuel pump or other systems,” Kovacs said.
The Edelbrock Universal Sump Fuel Kit eliminates the need to re-engineer your entire fuel system by working with your existing fuel pump and factory tank. Your existing mechanical pump supplies fuel to the Edelbrock sump, and the included high-pressure pump inside supplies fuel at the appropriate pressure directly to your fuel injection system. Fuel flow into the sump tank is controlled by a leveling float (just like in a carb’s float bowl), and the returnless-style pump is internally regulated to make installation a breeze. You simply run the kit’s included plumbing from your current mechanical fuel pump to the inlet on the sump kit, and then run the Edelbrock-supplied plumbing from the sump to your throttle body unit.
“For an experienced mechanic, this would save a minimum of four hours off the complete install time, and the complete installation is now under the hood,” Kovacs said.
No More Fuel Slosh
Easy, clean installation isn’t the only benefit to this kit.
Because the included fuel pump is housed within a sump-style tank, it stays completely immersed even during hard launches or cornering. This eliminates the fuel starvation, or “fuel slosh,” condition common when using old style, non-baffled fuel tanks.
“When you use an inline high pressure pump system on an older fuel system, such as a non-baffled fuel tank, once you are below ½ to ¼ tank of fuel, the fuel will “slosh” in the tank allowing the intake in the tank to be exposed to air and not submersed in fuel,” Kovacs said. “With a carbureted system you don’t really notice this due to the lower pressure demand and the fact that you have float bowls which will keep the engine supplied with fuel in that momentary situation.
In a high pressure fuel injected vehicle, fuel starvation can lead to drivability problems such as stuttering, hesitation, and potential fuel pump damage. But that’s no longer a concern if you install this simple, compact unit under your hood. And if you’re thinking of switching your mildly modified or street/strip muscle car to EFI, why wouldn’t you?
After all, the Edelbrock Universal Sump Fuel Kit has what it takes to handle up to 600 horsepower.
What’s not to like about that?
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