I posted this in the Toyota forum also.

I have been running th Marlin Crawler Formula Toy for the past 2 years in competition and on trail rides. In that 2 years I have put 4 fuel pumps on it.

Here's the details.

I have a mostly stock 22re with an SDS fuel management system. The fuel pump is controlled by the computer just like a factory Toyota. From the fuel tank, the pickup is a 1/2" hose that is weighted at the end inside the tank so it follows the bottom of the tank for extreem angles. It comes out of the tank and into the pump about a foot on front of the tank. From the pump it goes into a 3/8 steel tube to the engine compartment and converts to the factory hose going into the factory fuel filter. From the filter it goes into the fuel manifold through a banjo fitting (it does not ahve a regulator at the begining of the fuel rail). As it exits the fuel rail it goes throught he factory vacuum controlled regulator and exits to a 5/16 fuel line back to the tank.

When I first got the F-Toy from Marlin, the motor would randomly quit when ideling. I plumbed in a fuel pressure guage and found that the fuul pressure would slowly drop while ideling until the motor died. I replaced the inline pump (which was a factory Celica pump) with one from Auto Zone. It lasted a week then froze up. I replaced it again, and again a week later it froze up.
I replaced the entire fuel system. All the hoses, all of the piping, I removed the fuel rail and inspected, and I replaced the fuel regulator and filter. I also quit buying pumps from Auto Zone and went with a MSD pump from Summit. The MDS pump was EXACTLY the same pump as the celica pump, the only difference was, it had push on hose connections at both ends. This pump has worked good for the last year. It runs at 30 psi. When I stab the throttle and remove vacuum from the regulator it goes up to 40psi. It maintains at least 30 psi during long term full throttle operation. Everything was good.
For the last couple of months I have noticed that the pump was getting louder. Also, when I turn the ignition on when the motor is hot, it takes a few seconds for the fuel pressure to come up. Lately I have had to cycle the ignition switch 3 or 4 times to let the fuel pump run enough to start pumping only when the motor is hot. This last weekend I noticed that the fuel pressure would start to fluctuate during full throttle operation enough to make the motor cut out.
So, I need to replace the pump again. The question is, why can't I get a fuel pump to last more than a year These things should last 5 years.
I'm not convinced that all of these problems are connected. I just want to get some better reliability.

Maybe a filter before the pump. The factory pickup has a screen filter so I was thinking it should have a filter before the pump. Thats what I am planning to do.

Maybe a filter before the pump. The factory pickup has a screen filter so I was thinking it should have a filter before the pump. Thats what I am planning to do.

Not a bad idea, but I'm not convinced that it is a contamination problem. Frankly, I think it is heat that is making them fail.

we had same problem, we went from tank to no. 8 to filter100 micron no.8 to pump, no. 6 fuel line and return. we had a starvation problem that burn-up the pump with this line size good for 500 hp check aeromotive efi systems.

pump on top of the exhaust?

foam in the fuel cell maybe?

we went from tank to no. 8 to filter100 micron no.8 to pump, no. 6 fuel line and return.
So was the fix or the problem? Cause that is how I am planning to set mine up with?

it was the fix.

John, kinda of a crazy idea here. How about drill some more holes in the tank, get some more bulkhead fittings, use the pickup line you already have, loop the line to the other bulhead fitting added that goes back into the tank where you have an internal pump in the tank to cool it, and back out the other bulkhead fitting you added to the fuel line. If done right it wouldn't look like crap. Like I said, crazy idea, but it would cool the pump.

Do you have a filter before the pump?

restriction causes cavitation in pump witch causes heat and burns-up pumps, and can be caused by feed to pump to small of line or to small of return line, make sure filter can handle volume and check vent size. Everything has to match to make a complete system work.

Submerged pumps run cooler and last much longer. Get an in tank pump. This will also prevent vapor lock as there will be no vacuum area to vapor lock.

I don't have a filter before the pump but I don't really think that it is a contamination problem.
Now, after comparing my setup to others with the same pump. I am thinking that because my pickup is a hose that comes out of the top of the tank, the pump is having to suck too much.
I am thinking about reconfiguring my pickup so it comes out of the bottom of the tank. This way the pump will not have to pull fuel up and over the top of the tank when I first turn it on.

Yes, pumps want to push, not pull. So yes, for sure swap out that pickup! I would put a filter inline before the pump while youre at it too though.

Working the piss out of that pump!! :D

I posted this in the Toyota forum also.

I have been running th Marlin Crawler Formula Toy for the past 2 years in competition and on trail rides. In that 2 years I have put 4 fuel pumps on it.

Here's the details.

I have a mostly stock 22re with an SDS fuel management system. The fuel pump is controlled by the computer just like a factory Toyota. From the fuel tank, the pickup is a 1/2" hose that is weighted at the end inside the tank so it follows the bottom of the tank for extreem angles. It comes out of the tank and into the pump about a foot on front of the tank. From the pump it goes into a 3/8 steel tube to the engine compartment and converts to the factory hose going into the factory fuel filter. From the filter it goes into the fuel manifold through a banjo fitting (it does not ahve a regulator at the begining of the fuel rail). As it exits the fuel rail it goes throught he factory vacuum controlled regulator and exits to a 5/16 fuel line back to the tank.

When I first got the F-Toy from Marlin, the motor would randomly quit when ideling. I plumbed in a fuel pressure guage and found that the fuul pressure would slowly drop while ideling until the motor died. I replaced the inline pump (which was a factory Celica pump) with one from Auto Zone. It lasted a week then froze up. I replaced it again, and again a week later it froze up.
I replaced the entire fuel system. All the hoses, all of the piping, I removed the fuel rail and inspected, and I replaced the fuel regulator and filter. I also quit buying pumps from Auto Zone and went with a MSD pump from Summit. The MDS pump was EXACTLY the same pump as the celica pump, the only difference was, it had push on hose connections at both ends. This pump has worked good for the last year. It runs at 30 psi. When I stab the throttle and remove vacuum from the regulator it goes up to 40psi. It maintains at least 30 psi during long term full throttle operation. Everything was good.
For the last couple of months I have noticed that the pump was getting louder. Also, when I turn the ignition on when the motor is hot, it takes a few seconds for the fuel pressure to come up. Lately I have had to cycle the ignition switch 3 or 4 times to let the fuel pump run enough to start pumping only when the motor is hot. This last weekend I noticed that the fuel pressure would start to fluctuate during full throttle operation enough to make the motor cut out.
So, I need to replace the pump again. The question is, why can't I get a fuel pump to last more than a year These things should last 5 years.
I'm not convinced that all of these problems are connected. I just want to get some better reliability.

Yes, pumps want to push, not pull. So yes, for sure swap out that pickup! I would put a filter inline before the pump while youre at it too though.


I wonder if this is whats causing all my problems with my truck cutting out when bumping. My pump is loud as hell and seems to starve for fuel when really flooring it...dies off then picks up. My pump and filters where clean as can be when I pulled them to check them. FYI I have the same pump in my truck its 3-4' or so away from the tank and has to suck the fuel up hill then down the frame rail to the pump through the #6 hose and filter. My pump has always been noisier than I thought it should be and seems to be getting louder.

I've been worried the return line is to small and is restricting the pump.

return line should be same or bigger then pressure line to not cause restriction
and back pressure that cause cavitation in pump that causes heat that burns-up pump!!!

Problem is the factory regulater downsizes the line to 1/4". I wonder if ditching the stock one and plumbing in an aftermarket regulater would solve part of the problem.

we are running a aeromotive adjust. reg. with no.6 feed and return.

return line should be same or bigger then pressure line to not cause restriction
and back pressure that cause cavitation in pump that causes heat that burns-up pump!!!

Getting ready to plumb my FToy in a month or so....so I should run both 3/8" pressure and return lines???

thanks! Buckle up, Shawn

Yes!!!!! Match lines when building a fuel system.or go 1 size bigger, return line should have little or no pressure this will keep your fuel pressure
consistent and your pump cooler without restriction.

This info couldn't come at a better time :D when I get home this month, I am ordering all my stuff for my fuel system and I have been wondering on shiat like this. :laughing:

This is timely info for me too...I bought an E2000 Fuel Pump and 3/8" Steel lines...other than using an adapter will there be an issue with the pump being 5/16" hose fittings and the lines being 3/8"?

I don't have a filter before the pump but I don't really think that it is a contamination problem.
Now, after comparing my setup to others with the same pump. I am thinking that because my pickup is a hose that comes out of the top of the tank, the pump is having to suck too much.
I am thinking about reconfiguring my pickup so it comes out of the bottom of the tank. This way the pump will not have to pull fuel up and over the top of the tank when I first turn it on.

This is the one difference between your and ours our feedline is 1/4 in. with 3/8 in. return and our feed comes from then sump on the bottom of the tank. we have never had a pump go bad we did change out a pump because it was noisy as hell whitch we use as a spare