Backup fuel pump for IO-240 engine

[PapuaPilot]

I am wondering if anyone has installed a backup/larger fuel pump for a Continental IO-240 engine installation. The Facet fuel pump that came with my KF 5 Outback is only for priming the engine. It doesn't provide enough pressure/flow to run the engine in the event of an engine driven pump failure.

On certified planes with fuel injected engines there is usually an aux pump capable of keeping the engine running in the (unlikely) event that the engine driven fuel pump fails. Without one you become a glider . . . with an engine that could run otherwise.

Specs for the IO-240 show that it requires 35-53 psi of unmetered fuel pressure and about 12 gph at full power. I would think 20-25 psi and 8-9 gph would be enough to keep the engine running and get you home safely. I cannot find any 12 volt Facet or auto pumps with those kind of specs. I am getting ready to install the fuel system and think this would be the best time to make a change.

Is this something I should be concerned about or should I just stick with the Facet pump?

If someone has installed a larger pump what fuel pump did you use (brand, model number, specs)? Do you have pictures of your installation?

[airlina]

Good Morning Phil, There are but a few of us with IO-240's in our Kitfoxes but I know some are contributors to the forum. I have an IO-240 powered Series 5 Outback that I have been flying for 10 years and love the engine. Although heavy, it has been bulletproof and reliable with lots of power with good fuel economy. Now for your question on fuel pumps. Take the supplied facet pump and use it as a paper weight, it is not even stout enough for priming the engine. I used an automotive Holley "blue" pump as a substitute. It has enough pressure for good priming power and is preset at 14 psi . Will it keep the engine running if the engine driven pump quits? To be honest I don't know, I suspect at a reduce power setting but no way to check this. Price about $120 . If you want to be sure your pump will be a viable, keep the engine running backup pump, you will have to step up to something like a $600 weldon (see aircraft spruce) aircraft pump. I know of another IO-240 guy on the forum who has gone this route and I expect he will chime in ( Yo Jeff). As far as plumbing details- I came out of the header tank (just replaced my old poly tank with an aluminum one due to persistent fuel smell in cockpit ) to a "T" under copilot seat, then one branch of the fuel line goes behind copilot seat to Holley pump, and the other branch goes toward the center of the airplane thru an andair check valve then "T's" back into main fuel line to the fuel shutoff valve. This was done to keep fuel flow to engine in case the holley pump should ever seize and block fuel flow. I will see if I can find photos somewhere to make this clearer than mud. Bruce N199CL

[airlina]

Phil, we hit the jackpot as I found a photo cd of my fuel system that I made for another IO-240 guy a while ago. There are too many to put on Teamkitfox but I could try to email them or make you a copy and mail it to you. Send me a private message letting me know what you want to do. Bruce

[airlina]

OK Phil, here are a few photos of my fuel system. Photo 1 is looking down at header tank from the front-note the one way check valve (wrapped in fabric tape) and the fuel line heading behind the header to the fuel pump. Photo 2 is looking down on the header from the copilots door and you can now see the Holley pump. Photo 3 is at the back of the header . Photo 4 shows how the pump is mounted to an aluminum bar adeled to the fuse tubing. Hope these help, Bruce

[n85ae]

I use a Weldon pump in mine, I lost my engine driven pump on test flight #4
and I can assure you the Facet pump does nothing ... N85AE was a glider
luckily I was within glide range of the airport.

It was NOT inexpensive ...

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...clickkey=14901

regards,
Jeff Hays
N85AE, Series 5, IO-240B

[n85ae]

Mine is the Weldon 8163 I'm pretty sure it could run the engine in-flight but
after reading about how the fuel injection system works, the counter intuitive
way to keep the engine running IF you lost the pump would be - Turn on
pump, guess how much throttle you want (3/4), tweak mixture lever to
get engine to run at that position. If you wanted half throttle you would
would have to set 1/2 throttle, and pull/push mixture lever to where the
engine ran correctly. If you read the fuel injection manual for the IO-240B
it should clear up why the fixed pressure pump would require this tweaking
to keep running.

I believe the Holley Blue (which Bruce has) "might" be good for 1/2 throttle
likely at most, but surely not full throttle.

The Facet is a paperweight, and can "barely" start the engine. It trickles
fuel in at such a slow rate that the fuel injection system barely pops open
and feeds fuel. Whoever spec'd that pump for the IO-240B was in my
opinion - An imbecile (which is the polite version of my feelings). This is
based on my four miles, and a prayer, Series 5 glider experience.

Regards,
Jeff Hays

[SkyPirate]

Whats the minumum pressure requirement for the fuel injection?

[n85ae]

Completely variable, it's a combination of engine driven pump output which
is regulated by mixture lever position and rpm, which then is adjusted further
by throttle position. The injection system takes about 10 psi to pop open to prime the engine and around 37 psi at full power. So if you have a fixed output
pump as a backup it would require fiddling to get it to run at any given throttle
position in flight.

In other words it's not going to be a simple flip the switch and it's running like
nothing happened should the engine driven pump fail.

Regards,
Jeff Hays

[SkyPirate]

I had a variable pressure pump on my race car, it went from 13 to 45 lb pressure, i will try to find a link

[SkyPirate]

http://www.fuelab.com/

http://www.aeromotiveinc.com/

A couple examples mine was a holley set up with a mechanicl control with inline pressure guage