Just an update.  I pulled the hose off the nipple end, cranked the motor (with coil power removed) and could feel the suction, so I guess it was OK as I installed it.
Thanks again to all.
RB

blow on the side with the hose, ifyou can blow,and not suck, that isthe tank side., if the pump is new no woreys re gas, if a used pump the taste of gas  may remind 1 of his youth and the search for free fuel.

Remove the lines and crank it over with a finger on the outlets. The one that sucks is to tank and the other one blows.


Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I think I'll just pull it and manually pump it.

Thanks again!
RB

It’s hard to tell from the picture which is the inlet and which is the outlet.  Sometimes the pumps are labeled at the ports in the casting as to which is which.  If the hose side of your pump was already nippled, then you likely have it hooked up correctly.  If both the inlet and outlet sides were threaded, then check if one set of threads is NPT and the other is inverted flare.  The inverted flare side would go to the carburetor.  If it comes down to it, then the pump can be removed from the engine and the pump arm simply worked up and down by hand with fingers over the ports to determine which is the inlet and outlet.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Should have checked first.  The pic shows the two connections as level with each other.

Ted,
Thank you!  I'll check and see it your pic matches, or post a pic of my own.
RB

You didn’t mention which style or include a picture of the 390 fuel pump you have so I’ll take a stab at this.  There are several varieties of 390 pumps so the inlet/outlet ports do vary.  If one of the ports is lower than the other, then that is usually the inlet port.  If only one port has a nipple and the other is threaded, then the nippled port would be the inlet.  Some of the rebuilt pumps with the filter canister on them have two nipples which can be confusing.  Here’s a picture of a 390 fuel pump that had two hose nipples originally of which I removed the outlet nipple and replaced it with a 1/4" NPT threaded 3/8" inverted flair fitting so that a 3/8" steel line could be used going up to the carburetor.
 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Still working on my '29 with a 292 installed.  I put a 390 FE fuel pump on and would like to know which port is inlet from the tank and outlet to the carb.  One pic I looked at had the inlet to the front fitting.  Is that correct?
Thanks in advance.
RB