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Fuel Pump Safety Switch

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Wiring the rear of the car, using a Ford inertia fuel pump switch. Ford wired it so the safety switch was the last item in the circuit, "juice" goes to the pump, then to the switch, then to ground. When the switch activates, the ground is broken.

So the question becomes, "Is that necessary?" Is there anything wrong with wiring the safety switch "hot", prior to the pump? Grounding is not an issue, it is a plastic bodied switch with a wire to ground.

Bill
 

Barry

Diamond Level Sponsor
Bill,

It will make no difference in normal operation or following an impact when the switch goes "open". With the switch wired after the fuel pump (the Ford way), a short to ground between the pump and the switch would eliminate the protection of the switch. With the switch wired before the pump, a short to ground between the switch and pump would shut down the pump and blow a fuse. IMO, the "switch before the pump" arrangement is a better mousetrap.
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Thanks Barry. I had thought pretty much the same, but figured there might have been a reason for the way Ford did it. This way will use about 3 feet less wire, too! I always like to check that kind of stuff, espcially wiring, which I "sort of" understand. Never too old to make a mistake!

See you have added "Slow progress etc." to your sig. Does that mean you are once more making progress on the V6?

Bill
 

Barry

Diamond Level Sponsor
Bill,

I wish I could say that my progress is something better than SLOOOOOOW, but the after effects of my back surgery are not allowing much to happen. My left leg is alternating between numb / weak and the attack of the killer bees. The medical experts say "this is not unusual and should get better with time", but they won't (or can't) say how much or when. As someone said, "Youth is wasted on the young." Bummer!

Add a steady diet of job travel (currently in the Charlotte, NC airport on the way to Roanoke and Martinsville, NYC next week, Japan and Thailand next month, etc.) and not much is happening Alpine wise.
 
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