electric fuel pump recomendations for 200 hp merc carbed

**skialot2** · 09-15-2025, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by pcrussell50

Are you saying that you leave the pulse pump in place and just have the Holley red pump from the tank, to the pulse pump?

For now, I'm perfectly happy with my primer buib and pulse pump, but I'd still like to get this squared in my head in case plans change down the road.

-Peter

It has been a long time since I had an electric pump on an outboard. And I didn't install it. It came with the boat. So it's hard to remember. It was on my Bridgeport carb. But I don't believe it had the pulse pump. I think it was just the electric pump. The book says if you use an electric pump with the pulse pump it must be limited to 4 psi. Holley Red goes to 7psi. I would never put in an electric pump unless it called for it. The pulse pump is super reliable.

**David - WI** · 09-15-2025, 05:04 PM

My HST came with a Holley Red pump and a non-adjustable (probably 4 psi?) regulator on a carb 200... worked fine. Now with EFI I'm using the stock setup.

**tlwjkw** · 09-15-2025, 09:03 PM

both carb BP's and high performance oval port came with 'lectric only.. had brads/rivets in tha pluse port hole... no need ta leave a pluse pump on it when ya go to 'lectric.. i've run tha red on most every carb motor i've had from tha oval port to tha 245's with no regulator at all over tha years.. mainly cause i'm lazy and don't like ta squeeze tha bulb......................

**coffeeguy** · 09-16-2025, 04:40 AM

I know these pumps rather push then pull fuel, my original tank has the fuel pick up coming out of the top. Will it be ok to mount it at floor level (still have a primer bulb between the tank and pump) so a little bit of suction is needed( about 12"? Its a QFT 125 I am putting in, with a return line. I had have a Carter 4070 but at WOT the pressure needle is a blur between 0 and 3 psi. I figure the return setup will give a steady pressure of my choosing.

**aj06bolt12r** · 09-16-2025, 06:33 AM

"I know these pumps rather push then pull fuel, my original tank has the fuel pick up coming out of the top. Will it be ok to mount it at floor level" Yes

"(still have a primer bulb between the tank and pump)" No need for the primer bulb

"Its a QFT 125 I am putting in, with a return line. I had have a Carter 4070 but at WOT the pressure needle is a blur between 0 and 3 psi. I figure the return setup will give a steady pressure of my choosing." Lots of dead head systems with no return out there that have been running fine for years, but yes, a return style regulator is better because it keeps the fuel circulating and keeps fuel and fuel pump temperatures down.

**Merc 2.5** · 09-16-2025, 04:50 PM

My holley red went down and i went to orileys and got a eldebrock fuel pump , says 5 to 7 lbs , regulator guage read 7lbs not holding anything back, I set it to 5.5-6lbs at idle and it's been doing great up to 7200 or little more , never starved. It's nice to not squeeze on primer bulb. Mines on a toggle with a relay and fuse. Been runnin this set up for last 10 yrs or so.