Thread: sc1 aero mods
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Old 08-22-2018, 01:33 PM   #187 (permalink)
arcosine
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Chicago area
Posts: 1,154

sc1 - '98 saturn sc1
Team Saturn
90 day: 43.17 mpg (US)

Airplane Bike - '11 home built Carp line Tour

rans - '97 rans tailwind

tractor - '66 International Cub cadet 129

2002 Space Odyssey - '02 Honda Odyssey EX-L
90 day: 28.25 mpg (US)

red bug - '00 VW beetle TDI

big tractor - '66 ford 3400

red vw - '00 VW new beetle TDI
90 day: 58.42 mpg (US)

RV - '88 Winnebago LeSharo
90 day: 16.67 mpg (US)
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Fuel pump

After coughing , spudding, stalling and bogging, I finally received the fuel pump element off e-bay.

I took the seats and carpet out and CARFULLY cut out a hole. It looked really good, spot on as they say...


Well, I over looked one thing, can you see it in the picture? Yes, no fittings at the pump. I disconnected the fuel lines at the filter, but just could not yank it through. In for a dime , in for a dollar, so they say...



I got the pump assembly out without destroying the level float. I disassembled it leaving the top and fuel lines in place in the car.

This filter on the bottom was nearly clogged, I cleaned it in gas and detergent. It could have been the problem, but I wasn't in a research mood.



I had to dissemble the unit to replace the pump cartridge, being the cheap ass that I am, I only bough the cartridge for something like $20.


.... sc1 is back to her old self now, though fuel starvation may have had improved MPG somewhat.

Moral of the Story: Lower the gas tank on a saturn to replace the fuel pump.

What is interesting is there is a check valve at the bottom that lets fuel into the aluminum cylinder, around the pump cartage. This keep the pump cool even though the gas level may be lower. Probably about a quart of gas that never empties out of the tank. A better design would have been a large heat sink extrusion around the cartridge.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Pump-F...72.m2749.l2648



... Well now for the rest of the story... The new cheapo Chinese pump fail after 45 miles, the car stalled on the railroad crossing and would start. I could here the pump running. The neighbor mechanic across from my moms house said the impellers fail and not to buy anything but only AC-delco parts. I was hoping to get a year from it, Ha. The car is parked 45 miles from home.
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Last edited by arcosine; 08-22-2018 at 10:13 PM..
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