Feed the Machine
Give your engine the fuel it deserves with Aerospace Components fuel pumps
By Michael Galimi
Drag racing is a progressive sport where what you ran yesterday falls short of what you will need to run tomorrow. It doesn’t matter if you race a heads-up car or a bracket racing one where dial-ins are suppose to prevent that; going quicker and faster always creeps into the picture during race strategy sessions. To that end, cylinder heads flow more, engines are bigger, camshafts let in more air, and the entire engine package simply works more efficiently and creates more torque and horsepower to help racers achieve their goals. Aerospace Components designs and manufacturers a vast selection of racing products that help decelerate your vehicle and other billet accessories to make racecar living better and easier. In addition to those products, the Florida-based company also produces three levels of fuel pumps to help on the go-fast part of the racing equation.
Jerry Stamps who races with NMCA, wins with Aerospace Components Fuel Pump in 2017!
Kicking off the triplet set of pumps is the SS 250, which flows 250 gallons-per-hour (gph) and carries a rating of up to 600 HP. The next step is the Ultra 350 and that bumps the horsepower capabilities to over 850 HP. And finally the largest pump in the Aerospace Components portfolio is its Comp 400, which if you haven’t guessed, flows 400 gph and will support way over 1,000 HP and in some cases 1,800 HP. One has to look no further than the fast bracket racing ranks to see the Comp 400 in action. Scott Meals not only works for Aerospace Components but he also relies on a Comp 400 to feed his 1,100hp big-block Chevy, which checks in at 632ci. He runs the wheels off the dragster in a mix of local and national events with consistency and reliability.
All Aerospace Components fuel pumps are made in the U.S.A. and come with a one-year warranty.
The gph results for each pump are free-flow ratings and when flowed with pressure, the readings will change. According to Aerospace Components, a number of factors come into play when flowing pumps under pressure like orifice sizing and fuel line inside diameter. So be careful when comparing pressure flow results as it could vary depending on testing variables. All three Aerospace Components pumps are compatible with gasoline (race and pump gas), ethanol (including E85), and methanol.
Anyone who has worked with Aerospace Components knows its prowess with designing and manufacturing high-quality racecar parts made from 6061 T6 billet aluminum and that carries over into its fuel pump body and bracket. The impeller is cut from billet aluminum, as well, and hard anodized for long life. The electric motor features high-carbon brushes that offer low amp draw—only 9.5 on Ultra 350 and Comp 400 and 7.5 amps for the SS 250—in addition to high torque and long life.
Since racers developed the fuel pumps, like most of the Aerospace Components product line, there are a mix of useful features. Line pressure is adjustable from 14 to 24 psi with an external adjustment that allows pressure changes to occur while the pump is running, and offers no mess. “The external adjustment is beautiful and can be adjusted with no fuss and no mess. Once it is adjusted, it stays solid with no need for changing,” said Meals. Additionally, the external adjuster makes fuel adjustments easy when switching back and forth from gasoline to alcohol.
Like all Aerospace Components products, the fuel pumps are 100% made in the U.S.A. and offer a one-year factory warranty. Every pump is tested for flow, pressure, and leaks before it leaves the manufacturing facility. These pumps are battle tested in the heat of competition from bracket racing to heads-up competition. Noted engine calibrator and street/race car builder Ken Bjonnes of Palm Beach Dyno relies on an SS250 for a NMRA heads-up racecar that he tunes. He stated, “we’ve been running that pump on Sondra Leslie’s Factory Stocker for over five years and it is probably the only part on the car that I haven’t touched or had to troubleshoot through the time with the program. That kind of reliability is something often overlooked but is very much appreciated.”
Aerospace Components offers 2- and 4-port fuel pressure regulators, also made from 6061 T6 billet aluminum. Each can be used with gasoline, methanol/alcohol, or ethanol.
Selecting a fuel pump is only one part of the equation in a fuel system, Aerospace Components also manufacturers high flow fuel filters to go along with its fuel pumps. The filter offers a capacity of 1000 gph, meaning it is compatible with any Aerospace Components fuel pump or just about any pump on the market. The billet aluminum housing encloses a reusable stainless steel filter element that has a 10-micron filtering capability. The housing is sealed with end caps that have O-rings and ½-inch NPT sized inlet/outlet orifices.
As engines get more powerful, so does the need to feed them lots of methanol/ethanol and Aerospace Components has three levels of fuel pumps ready to serve your engine’s needs.