anyone used a high pressure inline fuel pump in place of the in tank one?

basically I don't want to drop my fuel tank.  Actually I don't want to put the tank back in once it's out.
It's an 88 formula 350 I'm trying to sell.  We just barely got it running and were setting the timing when the pump died.  I can't prove it runs with starting fluid because the timing isn't set yet.
I'm hoping to be able to just get a cheap high pressure inline pump and run the car off of that at least to prove it does run.

Anyone done this before successfully?

External fuel pumps have to be significantly larger and more powerful than in tank ones.  I would image replacing the in tank one with the cheapest new pump you can find is the ticket.  

If you are set on using an external pump to just "Get it going".  Find a 80s/90s Mercedes V8 equipped car at a salvage yard.  Most had big externally mounted Bosch pumps.  

NordicSaab said:

External fuel pumps have to be significantly larger and more powerful than in tank ones.  I would image replacing the in tank one with the cheapest new pump you can find is the ticket.  

If you are set on using an external pump to just "Get it going".  Find a 80s/90s Mercedes V8 equipped car at a salvage yard.  Most had big externally mounted Bosch pumps.  

I'm trying to avoid the 4+ hrs to do the tank and potentially stuck fasteners that come after 31yrs.  
I'll look for the specs on those mercedes pumps and see if they are capable enough.

thanks

I applaud you not taking the trap door path.

But then I'm not sure a huge external pump is better. Easier to reverse though, I imagine.

No tech to offer other than lots of euro cars ran external high pressure pumps in the 80s, but you're going to be pulling through a dead pump which means the new pump won't last very long either.

iansane said:

I applaud you not taking the trap door path.

But then I'm not sure a huge external pump is better. Easier to reverse though, I imagine.

No tech to offer other than lots of euro cars ran external high pressure pumps in the 80s, but you're going to be pulling through a dead pump which means the new pump won't last very long either.

I won't do the trap door because I don't want to hack up the sending unit and have a place for it to fail and leak.  The trap door is also fairly easy to reverse.  
I'm not terribly concerned about pump life right now, just getting the car running and saleable.  IF I decide to keep it, as you mentioned, it's easily undone.

Is there a reason to not pick up the external and run it from a gas can?