Where is my fuel?!?!?!?! and patience

["Whitey Ford"]

OK this may be a ltitle long but I want to try and give out all of my symptoms/problems.

So I posted awhile back about my truck starting and then quitting real quick but after awhile it would start and be ok. So this Friday I get home from out of town and this time it would even come close to starting, however the engine was turning. Maybe an ignition problem...checked everything, spark, battery all and it was fine. I looked into the carb (Holley 750 4 barrel) and seen that fuel was getting sprayed into the carb. So must be fuel filter...changed it out, then changed the fuel pump. Got home installed the new fuel pump and BAM it started over like a champ.....for about 10 seconds and then quit. I noticed now I have no fuel getting sprayed into the carb. and hell the new pump and lines were not even wet. Seems the pump cannot pump the fuel from the tank to the carb.

OK maybe someone stole the gas out my truck while Im gone during the week...nope filled a jug and filled it up..nothing. I filled the carb up with gas and started it to hopefully get some prime back in the truck to suck the gas but nothing..Im scared to continue this process without screwing the truck up.

Here are some of questions/thoughts on this and please tell me if Im wrong or its just something different...whatever.

1.) How do you check to see if a pump is working or if one is bad with it out the truck. I pumped it by hand and actually both the new and original seem to suck and push air out pretty good. Maybe I got a crappy pump and within no time it blew out?

2.)A fuel pump pushes the fuel to the carb but the secondary vacumn on the pump is for????

3.)My cast numbers is C8AE-H..so that a 68 427 block????? Would a 390 fuel pump be the same as a 427 pump, seems it would right? (Hope I dont get the stupid sign for that question) Just wondering if the new fuel pump just isnt as tough...

4.) I took the line off the out side of the pump and tried to start it...no fluid at all...is that a good test for a pump and if there is nothing would the pump be bad?

5.) I noticed markings on the pump lever...what device actually hits this to keep the pumping of fuel? another stupid question...

OK i think that should be good enough. So whats your thoughts on this....NO Fuel???? oh yeah and last week it drove great and had to problem to even start when in the past its been a little difficult....

Lets the opinions and your past experience come through my great friends....im having slick withdrawls of not driving....

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

I n past exp Holley carbs are very sensitive to trash, thats why on my 56 we run 4 fuel filters to eliminate that, then on my Big Slick gas tank picked up trach inside the tank where the line went inside the tank, boom shut truck off, put a clean tank to be sure not even the smalles rust partlicle would not stop it,, I know have seen a lot of trucks that when you take your hose coming from the tank to the pump that a steady gas flow goes there and have to plug it off when working on it, also I have seen wrong is wrong pump then installed and then breaks the pump internally,, maybe the part on the camshaft broke or bolt that works it loosened up tab that holds it broke ??? just some ideas

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

oops what I meant on the gas line is that if you do not have a steady gas flow out of that line then could be stopped up someplace

["Whitey Ford"]

ok so let me ask you this...if I did take the fuel line off at where the hard line from the tank, to the soft line before the fuel pump then fuel should just run out right??? Reason im saying this is maybe there is alot of trash in the tank and just not letting fuel come out..maybe? it would make sense but then again thats not always how it works. ahha

I guess when I put the new pump in and it started maybe that was the fuel that was left in the line before it stopped up and it was running the remaining out. Just odd to me.

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

yes, saturday nite on my truck line from the pump to the carb. rubbed a hole so when I took the line off coming from the tank to the pump had to put a 1/4 ext. tighten the clamp to stop the gas from flowing,, look inside the tank and see how clean the is,, take the line loose at the top of the tank take a air hose and blow through see what happens should blow out each end then blow through the line in the tank and then should go through but also any trash will move buy only temp since with gas in it it will find its way to that steel line again

["Whitey Ford"]

ok great well this makes me think that there something in the tank cause I took the line (from tank to pump) completely off and not a drop came out. and of coarse what did you do before knowing this???? Put even more gas in the tank to make it heavier and more to siphon out hahaha.

I would ahve to remove the entire tank out to clean it right? Is there a product out there to do this the correct way?

[don luster]

I have seen a hole in the line caused by rubbing on something or rust eating into it and this would preclude the pump from pushing fuel to the carb. Do you have a little hand vacuum pump that can be attached to the line going to the fuel pump. If not (This is not good but I have done it) in the past by using a hose and suck on it quickly then see it it will flow by itself after the fuel gets over the top of tank on the way to the pump. This has some bad health problems and you must be very very careful. Its not really safe for someone that has done it in the past because you can get fuel in you mouth.

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

cleaning the gas tank just depends on how much trash in it when taking the sending unit out take a flashlight and look down the sides that should tell usually I pull the tank out Kathy will hold the bucket when I dump in some 5 gallon buckets, then look in the sunlight down the tank hole line is possible but it will show something in the line as far as wear spot but those pumps will pump enough pressure to run the truck, On my truck the other nite it pumped 10 gallons in 40 miles with a hole in the line and still drove the truck till able find a parts housde to 5/16 line,, on some of these fuel pumps had to put a pressure regulator to control the pressure to the carb

["Whitey Ford"]

Actually I do have a hand pump that I used to suck the old oil out of my rear end so maybe I can get an adapter and use it...if not I can do the "sucking" part...sounds weird typing that....anyway, I had a few old Harleys and I have done this several times. I dont mind the fuel in the mouth since I quit smoking, gives me another reason to down the beer when working on my truck.

[ICEMAN6166]

another thing that could possibly be happening is porosity in the metal line along the frame. any pinhole may not leak fluid but will certainly suck air into the fuel line. same goes for all the clamps and other connections between the tank and pump if not tight .

any holes or leaks on the carb side of the pump will spray out from the pressure of the fuel.

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

one air gets in the line then will drive you crazy to find Good Point

["Whitey Ford"]

Got ya....I think the carb is good (for now) but Im going to get on that fuel tank and the line coming from it. Try and blow into the line to see if I (helper) can hear bubbles on the other end. Im also going to look for any pin holes, leaks or anything like thatin the hard line. My carb seems a little rough looking but I remember seeing a great steady stream right before all this went to poop...Ya know with me working out of town now during the week Im really hoping someone didnt put anything down the tank....that will make me LIVID...we will see though.

Like I had posted awhile back about my truck being harder and harder to start...so maybe the line finally got stuck full of crap now...

["Whitey Ford"]

Got ya....I think the carb is good (for now) but Im going to get on that fuel tank and the line coming from it. Try and blow into the line to see if I (helper) can hear bubbles on the other end. Im also going to look for any pin holes, leaks or anything like thatin the hard line. My carb seems a little rough looking but I remember seeing a great steady stream right before all this went to poop...Ya know with me working out of town now during the week Im really hoping someone didnt put anything down the tank....that will make me LIVID...we will see though.

Like I had posted awhile back about my truck being harder and harder to start...so maybe the line finally got stuck full of crap now...as usual thanks for all the comments...great help

["Whitey Ford"]

Guys...I have another question. I bought the fuel pump from Autozone and it was like 40 dollars. As I research a little more into this Im noticing that fuel pupms for the FE's are like 120 dollars. This pump fitted fine but ya think maybe this fuel pump just doesnt have anough pressure for mine. I do have a small cam and a Holley 4 barrell...or is this another new guy question? ahaha

[Fanatic]

No pump will work if ya dont have fuel coming to it.

I would bet that some of that varnish has finally clogged your line. I had this issue ---it was thicker than molasses and had the line all messed up. What I did was blow back thru the line with steady light pressure until it cleared alittle then I ran an electric fuel pump and circulated the fuel back to the tank and let it wash itself clean. Since you let the truck sit alot it would be best to run it for quite awhile to really flush it out. Throw some good fuel cleaner in will help too.

Tim

[DCarr]

C8-1968, A-full size Ford,E- engine, H- August? Thats what I got from the motorsport book.

["Whitey Ford"]

C8-1968, A-full size Ford,E- engine, H- August? Thats what I got from the motorsport book.

yeah and the A is Galaxie. So what Im getting form the code is 1968 Galaxie Engine. I looked on some other website and it said its a 427 Cid but im not sure about the H....Im thinking August as well since its the only application where"H" is coded.

[ICEMAN6166]

FE and Y block use the same fuel pump.
3 kinds are available that i know of, glass bowl, metal canister and the filterless type.
i prefer the ones with the canister for my FE and the glass bowl on the Y block.

if the autozone pump is so cheap compared to the others its likely an import.

["Whitey Ford"]

yeah I bet its a damn import...especailly at 39 dollars or whatever. Im out of town but im pretty sure its the filterless. Either way Im going to try the gas in a can under the truck and run the line straight to the pump and if it work then Im going to replace this cheap pump for a good one while the tank is getting cleaned since i bet thats the problem...guess change the oil and such while Im at it...dyna mat behind the tank...whatever else i can do while this is going on...I know Ive said this but damn I wish I had a garage....

[blackagatha]

HOW TO SAFELY SIPHON GAS


Get a LONG CLEAR HOSE (like 10 feet), 1/2 inch or so

Shove it in the tank

Pinch/ Kink it at the end

Pull it out until there is gas visible in the hose, and below the level of the gas in tank

Un kink the hose

Let it RUN!!!!!