Tech:Engine/A Series/Installing EFI Lifter Pump into AE86 Fuel Tank
During my 4A-C to 4AGE engine conversion in my Australian AE86 sprinter it came time to upgrade the fuel system to be able to meet the new demand for fuel. Being a naturally aspirated engine beforehand there is no in-tank fuel pump, only a mechanical fuel pump on the engine (driven by the camshaft). Japanese AE86 Sprinters on the other hand came from factory with a 4AGE engine and the EFI tank to suit. I had 2 options, find a tank from a Japanese AE86 (Can be expensive) or install my own generic lifter pump setup inside the tank. I opted to use a VK/VL Commodore lifter pump inside the tank. (This setup could also be adapted to other non efi tanks (KE70/AE71 etc).
(Lifter pumps are designed to suck the fuel, not pump it at a high pressure so you will also need to use a Hig pressure external pump with this setup).
To start with I removed the fuel line setup from the top of the fuel tank.
The Lifter Pump will be fitted where the old in-tank fuel filter is, it can be removed easily.
The Lifter Pump I'm using is from a VK/VL commodore
Here is what the Lifter Pump looks like with the fuel filter on.
I had to hacksaw a fair bit off the end of the fuel pickup line to get the lifter pump to sit where it needed to in the bottom of the tank. A few test fits and I clamped the lifter pump to the fuel pickup line.
Here is a shot of the Lifter pump mounted to the fuel pickup line.
This is the VL Commodore In-Tank Lifter Pump assembly I bought from the wreckers for $55.00, I bought this for the wiring connector and the wires. I Decided against running normal wire inside as I don't know how long it would last before the petrol chewed it away. An auto sparky I taked to said the same thing I was thinking, use the wiring out of another in-tank setup.
Here is a closeup of the wiring connector that I removed to install into my setup.
Another advantage of using the wires from the VL lifter pump setup is that the connectors for the lifter pump wiring are already crimped and properly insulated.
Here is a photo of where I drilled a hole in the AE86 fuel line setup for the VL wiring connector to go.
Underside shot of where I drilled the hole in the AE86 fuel line setup for the VL wiring connector to go.
The VL In-Tank wiring connector removed from previous setup.
The VL In-Tank wiring connector installed / wired into the AE86 fuel line setup. (bottom view).
The VL In-Tank wiring connector installed to the ae86 fuel line setup (Top view)
The complete converted setup ready to install into AE86 fuel tank.
Article by Medicine_Man
VN Commodore's use the same wiring and a very similar fuel pump as VL commodore's, The VN pump is longer so more of the ke70 in tank piping would need to be cut off. All the instructions above are the same for Ke70/Ae71.
It is best to to use wiring from another fuel tank as normal wire insulation might get eaten away from the petrol.
Make sure you get a VN in tank pump for a lift pump as the VP in tank pump is a pressure pump. You can use just one pressure pump in the tank but it WILL surge on hard cornering with 1/4 tank or so and that can lead to your pump seizing and failing.
The Ke70/Ae71 fuel tanks are not baffled nor have an internal swirl pot. - AE70
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