Cheap K-Jet Fuel Pump - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DieselPaul · #1 01-25-2013, 09:23 AM

So, I start a new Fuel Pump saga.

This isn't about the 350SL with Djet, I just picked up a 1977 450SLC for a song. I am not sure what I am going to do with it which is why I'm interested in el-cheapo fuel pumps. The car may get painted and I'll keep it, I may get it running and sell it as a project car, or I may put a 6.9 in it if the cheap one I've got a line on pans out (thats another thread for another time so we will worry about that later). Either way, I want to try to get the 4.5 running.

Has anyone used the eBay fuel pumps? I remember reading a long time about when I was reading about Djet pumps finding stuff about some people using the Ebay kjet pumps on kjet cars with success. As this car could go one of many different directions I don't really want to invest in a big dollar pump.

When you key the car on the fuel pump doesn't make any noise, I still haven't applied power directly to the pump to make sure its not a wiring or relay issue, but I figured I'd start a discussion about the cheap pumps.

Car turns over and sparks and will kick over on some ether.

Do the KJet pumps come apart so you can clean them out like the Djet pumps?

Some pics of the car

nobby · #2 01-26-2013, 12:41 AM

Remember.....you almost always get what you pay for.

If saving money is the idea....get a good used one. Lots of SL /SLCs being parted out.

DieselPaul · #3 01-26-2013, 12:43 AM

I've got access to some used ones, was just curious if anyone had tried to eBay ones.

alabbasi · #4 01-26-2013, 08:18 AM

Buy a Bosch pump, it's cheap at around $120. I once bought a pump from Meyle for about 1/2 the price. It failed in less then a year, I replaced it under warranty and the next one failed within a year. I can't remember what caused the first failure but the second failure was caused by a crack in the casing.

meltedpanda · #5 01-26-2013, 09:57 AM

I'm with Al , if you were talking several hundred dollars I'd go cheaper just for the grins but 50-60 bucks , not sure I'd go that route. Good thing about Kjets, less expensive fuel pump, I think they are a bit more fussy to deal with as far as fuel delivery, but that is coming from a Djet guy

Car looks good, and where it sits looks awesome, wish I had that kinda space!
good luck

Mike D · #6 01-26-2013, 10:13 AM

Get that antennae replaced while you still have a trunk. A water leak there is the fast track to trunk rot! Plug the hole if nothing else. Ohio weather is not kind to cars.

97 SL320 · #7 01-27-2013, 02:18 PM

A fuel pump only makes pressure when it is pushing against a restriction. Any pump that flows sufficient volume will work, even one that has a "max" pressure of 10,000 PSI.

All you really need is an external capable pump. 80's Fords with Central Fuel Injection (CFI ) had a frame mounted pressure pump with a low pressure lift pump in the tank.

Airtex / Carter / NAPA have to have a universal pump. If the pump you have is what I'm thinking of, chasing the old style used since 68 on the VW type 3 unit could be expensive.

If the pump isn't turning and the car has been sitting long term, try isolating the pump wiring from the rest of the car and hit it with 24 V or even higher. I recently jump started an in tank pump with 120V house current, but will likely use DC in the future to prevent demaging the field magnets. An air nozzle on the inlet might get the pump to turn as well.

E10 can corrode the commutator bars causing them to lose contact with the brushes.

dugald · #8 01-27-2013, 04:11 PM

To answer the OP's question, I bought a couple of pumps for my 560 on ebay from efuelpumps.com.
They have worked fine for over 5 years now.

97 SL320 · #9 01-28-2013, 08:24 PM

Oh, wait, K jet as in CIS? the pressure needs to be pretty high , in that case, the CFI Ford pump won't make enough pressure.

DieselPaul · #10 01-28-2013, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike D

Get that antennae replaced while you still have a trunk. A water leak there is the fast track to trunk rot! Plug the hole if nothing else. Ohio weather is not kind to cars.

Car was, and is stored indoors. The people who were working on it in the past were a hot rod shop, the antenna is in the trunk, not sure why they took it out. I've lived in Ohio my whole life, admittedly a short period of time, but I know how to keep my rust free cars, rust free.

Quote:

Car looks good, and where it sits looks awesome, wish I had that kinda space!

I've got 9,000 sq/ft, I posted pictures of my garage in the past but people didn't seem to care.

I'll look into efuelpumps, thanks for the review.

I hit the pump with 12v from the battery today, it made this loud howling screaming noise and then shut off. I think I'm going to pull the tank and have it cleaned out and I'll replace as much rubber as I can back there. All the hoses are nice and dry and crumbly.