# We have come full circle on fuel pumps **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252 "2025-10-15T18:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 11:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/21 "2025-10-17T11:53:19Z")
> [@wolyrobb](#): > > I’ve seen a Lexus NX and the latest Venza parked next to the other, you’d see some differences but very minor. Same platform but its a good one. That’s been done by manufacturers for DECADES. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/22 "2025-10-20T00:34:45Z")
That $15 dollar Pontiac fuel pump bought in, say, 1961, would cost $162-205 in today’s dollars. That $20 GM pump from 1970 would be $167-183 today. > **[Measuring Worth - purchasing power of the dollar.](https://measuringworth.com/calculators/ppowerus/)** ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 1:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/23 "2025-10-20T01:32:26Z")
> [@circuitsmith](#): > > That $20 GM pump from 1970 would be $167-183 today. Look it up, you can still buy them for under $30. Even with a fraction of their original volume in production! It’s not strictly inflation driving pricing. Improved processes, lower labor costs and other factors come into play. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/24 "2025-10-20T03:23:34Z")
> [@circuitsmith](#): > > That $20 GM pump from 1970 would be $167-183 today. I was quoting today’s prices to show how different the two pumps really are. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/25 "2025-10-20T21:54:39Z")
Yeah I know about inflation and everything but that $20 fuel pump I bought for the 59 Pontiac in 1969 in a car that cost me $175. Now that car would sell for $30 to $40,000. Maybe should have kept it and bought a spare pump. Naw. ---
**Author:** ![Jerome-Silverman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@Jerome-Silverman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jerome-Silverman)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/26 "2025-10-22T18:24:13Z")
The cheap aftermarket parts came from China. I found that I could buy complete new pumps and carbs on line for less than the cost of the rebuild kits. Those days may be over what with tariffs and the domestic aftermarket parts suppliers out of business or unwilling to tool up due to uncertainty about the import future. ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/27 "2025-10-27T14:17:39Z")
> [@Jerome-Silverman](#): > > The cheap aftermarket parts came from China. I found that I could buy complete new pumps and carbs on line for less than the cost of the rebuild kits. Those days may be over what with tariffs and the domestic aftermarket parts suppliers out of business or unwilling to tool up due to uncertainty about the import future. I think part of the problem of why carbs get so much hate is there are not many choices now for rebuild kits other than cheap China made kits available. Back in the 80s and even 90s you could get a good quality kit that would refresh your carburetor after 150k miles to easily get another 150k out of it. It doesn’t so much matter anymore, now if you talk about the advantages of older technology your are deemed to be experiencing “wrong thoughts” despite backing up statements with facts ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/28 "2025-10-27T14:25:27Z")
> [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > despite backing up statements with facts Any “facts” in favor of carbs, besides cost? Must be convenient to classify all those that disagree with you as unyielding idiots. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/29 "2025-10-27T14:30:21Z")
I don’t want our Emergency services having to deal with a finicky carburetor when I call 911 as I have needed to do a few times in the last couple of years. Rick you will not find anyone here who thinks you are correct so give up. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 2:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/30 "2025-10-27T14:46:53Z")
> [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > Back in the 80s and even 90s you could get a good quality kit that would refresh your carburetor after 150k miles to easily get another 150k out of it. Hmmm..You call 150k miles from a carb a good thing? I’ve yet to have a fuel injection system failure on vehicles well past 300k miles. Fuel injection systems are considerably more reliable then carbs - mainly because they have less moving parts. FI systems are far more efficient for better performance and gas mileage. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 4:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/31 "2025-10-27T16:33:10Z")
@Old-Days-Rick Any vehicle with a carb is going to be really old So these older vehicles need more repairs, probably have rust, are less fuel efficient, have less safety features and most likely have a lot miles, meaning many parts are simply worn out I agree with the others . . . nobody’s going to say older vehicles with carbs are the better choice . . . except you ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/32 "2025-10-27T17:28:27Z")
… plus, much lower emissions with FI. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/33 "2025-10-27T17:29:20Z")
I lived through decades of repairing carburetors. And even when I was in the dealership, I was the “go to” person for carb repairs. Today’s fuel injection systems are technically far superior to anything carburetors could offer. To expand on db4690’s comment, anyone insisting older vehicles with carbs are the better choice needs to do more homework. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/34 "2025-10-29T23:12:22Z")
I think that anyone insisting carburetors are better than fuel injection needs a psychiatrist! ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2025, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/35 "2025-10-30T15:28:11Z")
Yep, if I had one of my “dream car list” cars, the points would be replace with electronic ignition, carburetor replaced with FI throttle body. One car on my list is a Square Bird (58-60 Thunderbird) The 352 had solid lifters, I would go with a later 390 or 428 block with hydraulic lifters, even sneak in an AOD transmission. ---
**Author:** ![TheWonderful90s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thewonderful90s/32/29584_2.png) [@TheWonderful90s](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheWonderful90s)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 4:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/36 "2026-01-21T16:05:53Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > I think that anyone insisting carburetors are better than fuel injection needs a psychiatrist! Yet airplanes still use carburetors! ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/37 "2026-01-21T16:53:44Z")
> [@TheWonderful90s](#): > > Yet airplanes still use carburetors! Do you know why? ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/38 "2026-01-21T17:26:58Z")
> [@texases](#): > > Do you know why? My guess is the same reason they still use magnetos for the ignition system, In case of electrical failure. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/39 "2026-01-21T17:53:12Z")
In ground school, significant time was spent on carb icing issues flying as well as wing icing. Scary stuff. My small engine carb problems seem to have disappeared when I switched to non oxy fuel and stabilizer. But actually I’ve never replaced on injector. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252/40 "2026-01-21T19:25:46Z")
> [@It\_s-Me](#): > > My guess is the same reason they still use magnetos for the ignition system, > > In case of electrical failure. Yep, the whole ‘reliability is the most important thing’ criteria when you’re 8,000 feet up in the air. Same reason some current small plane engines are very similar to ones from 1950. Of course, there are also advanced private planes with fuel injection, turboprops, even jet engines (they’ve been advertising these lately on NFL games, as if many of those watching have $3,000,000+ to spare). ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/c/e/ce949549a48e806c688e695920373aacf463f16f.jpeg) [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252.md?page=1) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/we-have-come-full-circle-on-fuel-pumps/204252.md?page=3)