Umm the edit function could use a look @ too......

Slight thread jack to make it all about me for a moment...

I'm chasing a similar problem of underwhelming performance. I tossed the crappy Holley red pump in favor of the OEM mech pump and instantly picked up 6mph on my 502/502hp Baja 272. It's producing 8+ psi with a minimum drop to 6psi under load and wide open throttle. That should be adequate, right?

I'm still only getting 50mph in a boat that does mid 60s with the stock 454. I can hear the secondaries open, but nothing happens other than more noise. I can disconnect them for all it matters with no difference. The fuel bowls show plenty of fuel at idle. I did get a wideband controller, but it's of no use until I switch out the manifolds for headers over the winter.

I'm just trying to gather as much info over the winter as possible to hit the ground running in the spring. The carb is a brand new QFT 850 mech secondaries.

Thinking my plan at this point should be to put that 6-valve mechanical pump on there with a 1/2" line feeding it, along with a new 1/2" pickup in the tank.

Two questions - anyone running the composite fuel pump rod on a billet cam?

Anyone have a good source for a tank pickup, or should I plan on having one fabricated from aluminum tubing?

So, 500 pages later on just fuel system speculation (if his is okay or not) - what if his keeps the fuel psi.

Budman, please verify your fuel system psi before we have to wonder all winter and spring long.

It will kill most of us and make such a dman long thread on something a $10 fuel psi guage could have answered instantly.

LOL.

PS: You do realize a lot of threads you start go on for seemingly forever.

LMAOF.

Hey, can I help it if I'm popular? :p

It's not even a $10 gauge - it's getting away from work long enough to get the boat out right now.

I still haven't put my Alpha SS I got in the spring. Same as you. No time for a 1/2hr - 40 minute install.

Only difference is, I have a post but not a 1yr long thread. LMOAF.

BTW: Just to reconfirm, I am busting your ballz, and yes, you seem pretty dam popluar. LOL.

It finally warmed up and thawed ouut enough around here to drop the boat in the water and make a quick run. We had steady 15-20 mph winds out of the south whipping up some nice 3-4 foot chop, so I wasn't able to run WOT, but I didn't need to. GoPro camera mounted in engine compartment revealed fuel PSO gauge holding steady at 6.5 PSI at idle, but as soon as I leaned on it a little to get up on plane, it started fluttering badly and dropped as low as 4 PSI. I think I found my problem.

I was also seeing some funky oil PSI readings, so I shut things down early. Was holding a steady 45 PSI at idle, but at one point when I was getting up on plane it dropped to around 30. Hopefully I didn't already damage something with the low fuel pressure. Not really hearing anything unusual, and pressure jumped back up to around 45 PSI after that. Going to verify with a mechanical gauge, and also going to pull oil filter and cut it open. Also thinking about sending out an oil sample for analysis. Where is a good place to send it off?

Blackstone labs.

Hope you didn't hurt anything. Not surprised your fuel psi sucks . shoulda changed the pump and lines weeks ago!

Yep, me too. If I did, I'll be tempted to punt and drop a stock motor in, and part this one out. Hard to find the time to screw with it anymore. I just need something that I can run and keep the hatch down.

You should have a very reliable engine that lasts a long time. You didn't build it with anything really outside the boundries.

However, first rule of thumb with ANY engine, stock or modified, is never let it run out of fuel supply. This could have happened if you had a stock 365 mag with the wrong fuel pump, or fuel lines. You were so anal about the build, parts selection, valvetrain geometry, rocker alignment, and so forth. I mean you were looking into .060 backset rockers to correct the geometry issue, had a 20 page thread on it, which most average guys on here wouldnt have even looked twice at. But then to totally disregard the fuel supply? Ran it all summer and not even verify fuel psi?

Not trying to beat ya up bud, but if the engine is hurt, you can only kick yourself in the ball bag. You did a nice job on the engine, and have a good piece there. Don't right off the engine as being problematic, it was a simple fix from day 1, and still is, well hopefully. We all fuk up once and a while, but ya gotta hang in there. If not for yourself, then do it for all the guys who helped ya with advice on building that thing for 3 years. I think we'd all like to see a post from you that says

"Fixed the fuel supply issue!!! Boat is running 75mph and had to back out because it got a little scary!!" :drool1: