Priming Bulb for 356C

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Brian R Adams
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#16 Post by Brian R Adams »

What's different about the 'A' fuel pump that makes a squeeze bulb in that location not work? I tried it on my '59 and fuel never got to the carbs.

Brian
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Mark Yarrish
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#17 Post by Mark Yarrish »

Just put one of these in my car (C Coupe) tonight. So far so good, the car definitely started faster than prior. The car was sitting for about 9 days prior to restart. I used the amazon link above from Dave, to source the bulb. My install is more similar to the registry article:

https://porsche356registry.org/article/77

picture of my setup. I will update on how this bulb works longer term. Concours Judges don't read this thread. :D
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Brian R Adams
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#18 Post by Brian R Adams »

I installed one of these in the same location, but it would not pull fuel through the fuel pump. My car is an 'A' model. Anyone know why mine won't work? (I asked here some time ago - nothing but crickets chirping. Hope springs eternal.)

Brian
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Rosemary Sampson

Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#19 Post by Rosemary Sampson »

We had one of these on our coupe. It worked fine but the car is being driven much more frequently now so less need. It apparently works on a Speedster: https://porsche356registry.org/article/77 Ron LaDow sells a more elegant albeit more expensive solution. His stuff has always worked for us but we haven't tried this particular one.

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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#20 Post by Mark Yarrish »

Brian, I don't know off the top of my head, what is different about the early style fuel pump/setup. A question though, did the car run with the primer bulb attached?
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Brian R Adams
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#21 Post by Brian R Adams »

Mark Yarrish wrote:Brian, I don't know off the top of my head, what is different about the early style fuel pump/setup. A question though, did the car run with the primer bulb attached?
It's been several years now, but as I recall I never drove the car that way - I couldn't get the bulb to prime the carbs, so I removed it immediately. But my hunch is it would have passed fuel under pressure through, as it must in its normal application as an inline primer. It has a simple check valve on the inlet end, so either suction at the outlet, or pressure at the inlet, should render it "open".

Brian
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Mark Yarrish
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#22 Post by Mark Yarrish »

Brian, yeah strange. I can't imagine the a fuel pump working much differently. However someone else would have to comment on that. Did you ever test the bulb outside of the car? maybe try to suck up some gas from a portable tank or a bucket of water? Maybe your bulb was defective in some way?
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Brian R Adams
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#23 Post by Brian R Adams »

Mark Yarrish wrote:Brian, yeah strange. I can't imagine the a fuel pump working much differently. However someone else would have to comment on that. Did you ever test the bulb outside of the car? maybe try to suck up some gas from a portable tank or a bucket of water? Maybe your bulb was defective in some way?
Sure, the brand new bulb from West Marine was fine. Not much to go wrong with one. And I did install it pointing the right direction. 8)
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Mark Yarrish
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#24 Post by Mark Yarrish »

reading other posts on the registry website, folks with earlier cars installed the bulb after the fuel pump headed into the carbs.

"For earlier cars, the primer pump can be put in place of the flex line section in the line which leaves the fuel pump heading for the carburetors. The primer pump and fuel pump will both permit the flow through and suction effects without difficulty."

not sure why this would matter. what location did you install your bulb? And yeah direction is important! I had to double check mine, to make sure my head and hands were working together!
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Brian R Adams
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#25 Post by Brian R Adams »

Mark Yarrish wrote:reading other posts on the registry website, folks with earlier cars installed the bulb after the fuel pump headed into the carbs.

"For earlier cars, the primer pump can be put in place of the flex line section in the line which leaves the fuel pump heading for the carburetors. The primer pump and fuel pump will both permit the flow through and suction effects without difficulty."

not sure why this would matter. what location did you install your bulb? And yeah direction is important! I had to double check mine, to make sure my head and hands were working together!
I installed mine between the fuel pump and carbs. (Kind of hard to install it between the tank and the fuel pump, on my 'A' anyway.)
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Jeffrey Leeds
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#26 Post by Jeffrey Leeds »

I went back and looked at pictures of the one I installed in my previous '65C. I installed it before the fuel pump where it worked just fine. Squeeze the bulb until you feel resistance (the floats in the carbs rise and close off the flow into the bowl) and then you fire it right up. Ron's is much more elegant and the right way to go as a more permanent solution.
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#27 Post by Mark Yarrish »

Brian, seems like it should work. Yeah, before the pump is possible but not easy. Not sure. Anyone with an "early" fuel pump have one of these installed?

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Brian R Adams
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#28 Post by Brian R Adams »

Seems like the problem (despite what that other thread opined) is that you can't pull fuel through the fuel pump, at least not using a hand bulb. And (as the other thread did acknowledge) installing the bulb upstream from the pump is not a practical option, unless you don't need easy access to the bulb - rather defeats the whole idea.
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Greg Scallon
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#29 Post by Greg Scallon »

Brian,
I have my bulb installed as in Mark's photo above and it works great pulling fuel through the lines. Call me crazy but one reason you might have not been able to pull fuel through when you installed your first bulb is that you accidentally forgot to open the fuel tap under the dash. I did that the first time I went to use my newly installed bulb and couldn't figure out why it wasn't working. It's just a thought, and there's no sense admitting it if it's true, but it possible. :-)

Cheers,
-Greg
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Brian R Adams
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Re: Priming Bulb for 356C

#30 Post by Brian R Adams »

Greg Scallon wrote:Brian,
I have my bulb installed as in Mark's photo above and it works great pulling fuel through the lines.
Uh, look again at Mark's photo - the arrow on the bulb indicates it is pushing fuel towards the fuel pump. I believe that fuel line is coming from the tank.

Is your car an 'A' or earlier, or a B/C?
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