Vacuum fuel pumps

If you buy a small inline electric fuel pump rated for an import with a carbed engine you'll be fine..

I used an old AC fuel pump I had lying around that is big enough to handle a 400+ V8,looks like a mini beer barrel, on my 20 HP Kohler and it hasn't flooded it once,and it puts out 6-8 psi..the lower pressured import style pumps will put out 3-6 psi..the needle in a car carb & its float aint much different than a small engine,I wouldn't worry about it flooding unless the needle and seat needs replacing anyway..

The type of pump I'd look for resembles a small electrical transformer,they have a nylon ball inside thats operated by a solenoid..they are tiny enough to muont easily in tight engine compartmemts,but remember,electric pumps "PUSH" fuel a lot better than sucking it,so its important to mount them close to the tank if possible--I think thats why many fail rapidly,and they get a bad rap,they get mounted close to the carb and run too long airbound,and overheat and seize..
I wired mine to a push button and only energized it to prime the carb for a quick start after long sitting time--the stock vacuum fuel pump seems to work OK once its started,it can draw gas through the electric pump even with it "off",so I only use it when it has sat before firing it up--but if you bypassed the vaccuum pump you could run exclusively off the elecrtic pump OK..use an inline fuse and a switch though,for safety--the "correct" way to wire an electric pump up is to incorperate it in with the oil pressure sending unit ,so it wont keep running if the engine stalls,to avoid filling the crankcase with gas--but I haven't gone to that extreme on my setup,since I use it mostly as a "primer" to fill the carb bowl up after its sat a long time,not constantly..

I think thats how they are wired on most cars nowadays,but looking at a wiring schematic will be the best way to see how its done..
Here's a story about an oil pressure switch that was hooked up to a fuel pump,maybe one like this VEGA had,would work..

My sister had a 74 Vega that had one of the first "in tank" electric fuel pumps..one day in '76,it stalled about a mile from her house,so I dragged it back with a tow rope,and replaced the pump--had to drop the gas tank,it was a sucky job!..ran great again,thought that was the problem--until it died about ten feet from where it stalled two days before!..in the middle of January,no less..

I figured the pump was defective,I dropped the tank again,and the parts store handed another pump over under warranty--(never thought to test it on a battery though!)--again it started fine,and I drove it 15 miles with my sister following me,with NO troubles!..

I thought it was fixed for good...WRONG!..next day it didn't even back out of her driveway before it stalled,and refused to fire up again--silence when I listened for the pump,it wasn't working!..I beat on the tank with the key on,checked the fuse,it was OK,and I had power getting to the wires on the pump--but it had THREE wires,one I guessed was a ground,the other two had power (??)..

I finally started calling mechanics I knew from working at parts stores,and two said the same thing---- "Oh,a VEGA??..Replace the oil pressure sending unit!..I bet thats what yer problem is!..

I went HUH??.."yup,it runs the FUEL pump too,even if the "OIL" light works right,the portion of the switch that cuts power to the fuel pump can (bleep) up!..we had a few drive us NUTS till we figured THAT out!..see if it looks melted where the contacts are the wires plug onto,or if they are loose--if you can wiggle them,its JUNK!..

SO--I replaced the oil pressure sending unit (6 bucks!),and it fired up instantly..never gave any trouble after that..I jumped her original fuel pump to the battery,to test it--nothing wrong with it!..it gushed gas all over me,good thing it didn't ignite!.....

man,I was so ticked,all that work in the freezing snow for NOTHING!..(and 35 bucks for a pump it didn't even NEED too!)..