Fuel cooler- do I need one?
 

Pulling my 575SCi and installing a known/new to me HP500 with 2.3 top mt whipple Dart Pro1 heads, good bolts, head gaskets and custom calibration on Dyno.

Going in a 28 Pantera, single. Fuel system was custom in the previous home for this engine and I have the components to use in my boat- high end billet filter, electric pump, regulator. Will be fed with 1/2" line from 140 gallon tank, regulator will bypass with 3/8" and return for constant fuel flow and a happy pump. Feed to engine is 1/2". Fuel is not flowing near any hot components aside from the obvious proximity to the engine on the way in but the bypass fuel is pretty far from the exhasut etc.

Water temp will range from 55 to 80 with mostly 70+, not a whole lot colder than air temp.

Will a fuel cooler really do me any good? I know merc uses them but the also keep the whole fuel system much closer to the engine and typically use a more marginal system. I will have a fuel pressure gage as well.

Thanks for any input

Re: Fuel cooler- do I need one?
 

It really depends on where the return fuel goes. If it goes back to the tank then you could get away with not having a fuel cooler. If it returns to the fuel filter like most factory mercury setups then you MUST have a fuel cooler between the regulator and the filter. This will help keep the looping return fuel cool and prevent vapor lock or other problems. Most marine fuel coolers are there to cool the return fuel...not the fuel to the engine.

Re: Fuel cooler- do I need one?
 

Thanks,
I was starting to reach the same conclusion

Re: Fuel cooler- do I need one?
 

I just returned it back to the tank filler hose ,No fuel cooler :drink:


Rob