Well I just picked up my car today from my engine builder. He finished building me a 350 that is .030 over with vortec heads, Edelbrock Air Gap intake, and a custom grind cam from Crane (not sure of duration but the lift is .483) all he will tell me is that its matched for the heads and intake.

My question is ... I have a mechanical fuel pump and he's telling me that the motor will be starved for gas when I first get goin. I have looked online and it looks to me like adding an electric pump to the back of the car in ADDITION to the mechanical will help me. I also feel like this is somewhat overkill. Does this sound right? What do you guys think I should do?

I know I'm going to have to get another gear in the rear because it will spin tires easy shifting into 3rd. And going 25mph you can stop the gas and get sideways. (I've lost 2 fan belts already it turns up so fast)

My 1969 Z28:
355 (Dont know where the 302 is )
4-speed
3.43 gears (we think)
Jegs Aluminum Radiator
Spahl Electric Fans
All braided fuel lines
MSD Billet Distributor
MSD Plug Wires
MSD 6AL Ignition Box
Solid Body Mounts
Subframe Connectors

This is my first post and I hope to get involved! When I figgure out how to post pics of my car I will!

Thanks for all your guys' help!
~Tye

 

Welcome to the forum. If you get another fuel pump you will probably need a fuel pressure regulator as well. I am sure someone here will post up soon with the LBS you need, I'm not sure how much. I would also think you could get the electronic fuel pump and just delete the mechanical one altogether.

 

you don't state your carb size? there is nothing you stated that shiws the need for an electric pump because with the heads and intake, that sounds like a mild combonation. as cplthomas has said, if you go electric you will also need a regulator. this is a little more aggravation than it is worth in most cases. if you have a good high volume mechanical fuel pump, I see no reason why you would come across any problems. if you have starvation problems, the first thing I would do is upgrade from stock 5/16" fuelline to 3/8 fuelline

you aren't losing belts because of your gearing. once a belt flips once it becomes junk so throw it out. the way to prevent from losing belts is to get top cog belts and if you want to spend the money to remedy it even more, buy deep groove pulleys

 

Belts can fly off if the pulleys are not lined up. Look at your motor from the side and maybe use a straight edge to determine if the grooves in the pulleys match. If one is more forward than another, the belt may twist and eventually FLY off. Make sure the pressure is adjusted correctly (Tight but not majorly torqured.) The belt should be pulled tight so that the "play" left in the belt is within an inch or so. I don't remember the actual specs.

Electric fuel pumps are useful only for high volume carbs and fuel injection. Have you driven the car with the stock fuel pump? Maybe it'll be fine. Don't fix what isn't broke. And besides that, you can purchase high-volume mechanical fuel pumps. Edelbrock, Holley and Carter all make high volume mechanical fuel pumps. (between $50-150)