Help - truck won't start

qwertyd10n · Post by **qwertyd10n** » February 6, 2009, 12:43 am

Hey guys,

So I went to start the truck tonight so I could turn it around in the garage, but it wouldn't catch. Turns over no problem, but that's about it.

I had a feeling it wasn't getting any fuel, so I siphoned a little out of the tank and poured tiny amounts into the carb and then it would catch until it used that gas up.

The truck was running about a month ago, but I consistently seemed to have trouble getting it to start... but once it was going it would stay running with no problems.

Any ideas?

Dion

BackyardRest · Post by **BackyardRest** » February 6, 2009, 1:13 am

qwertyd10n wrote:Hey guys,

So I went to start the truck tonight so I could turn it around in the garage, but it wouldn't catch. Turns over no problem, but that's about it.

I had a feeling it wasn't getting any fuel, so I siphoned a little out of the tank and poured tiny amounts into the carb and then it would catch until it used that gas up.

The truck was running about a month ago, but I consistently seemed to have trouble getting it to start... but once it was going it would stay running with no problems.

Any ideas?

Dion

how much fuel in the tank? Possible fuel pump problem

What engine and carb?

Does the gas you have in tank smell old?

Pop out the fuel pump and test it

don luster · Post by **don luster** » February 6, 2009, 7:54 am

If the rubber hoses for the flex part of the fuel lines could be cracked and the pump cannot lift the fuel from the tank. On my slick there is rubber lines at the bottom of the floor where the line goes through and at the fuel pump and the fuel filter. All are point to prevent fuel because the pump sucks air at these points. Don't assume that it will leak at these points. may or maynot. The gasket could have dried out, the diaphrame could have cracked. So check out the pump by working it by hand and see if it will pull a vacuum. If you have a hand vacuum pump attached it to the fuel line and see if it will pull fuel from the tank. Hope this helps if not let us know on the site and someone will find the problem. Don

"Whitey Ford" · Post by **"Whitey Ford"** » February 6, 2009, 8:13 am

Had the same problem. Search for some of my posts, anyway took the fuel pump off and actually used the syphpon gun, the tool used for sucking oil out the rear end, and sucked on the fuel line to the tank. After a couple of seconds the fuel came pouring out. Hooked it back up and started with no problem.
Good way to check where its coming from is put the hose that goes to your gas tank from your fuel pump in a wine bottle full of gas then try and start looking into the carb. If it does start then there is something at you tank area causing the gas not to come through.
If it doesnt start try switching your fuel pump and see what happens. They are somewhat cheap and easy to do. Change your filter while your there. If still nothing after that then start checking carb problems.

Jonas · Post by **Jonas** » February 6, 2009, 8:31 am

If you find it was the a clog in the tank. I would install a inline clear filter, it will let you see if you have rust in the tank. It's pretty common

Phil · Post by **Phil** » February 6, 2009, 8:38 am

Jonas wrote:If you find it was the a clog in the tank. I would install a inline clear filter, it will let you see if you have rust in the tank. It's pretty common

Just a point:
I added one of those clear filters.
They screw and unscrew on the ends.
When I assembled things after some carb work
I must have twisted the short length of rubber hose that led to the carb.
I started the car and as I was walking to the front my 3 year old
came running over. I scooped him up and reached over the fender
to tuck the filter under the plug wires. The top came off of
the filter and 3/8" full pressure fuel went spraying everywhere.

I got the car turned off but it was unbelievably fortunate I didn't set us on fire.

PS never hold a baby while working on a car.
No clue WTF I was thinking.

Maybe these guys will confirm but when the diaphram in the
mech pump goes gas can get past it and get in the oil.
Smell the oil and make sure there is no gas smell or viscosity loss

jwh f-100 · Post by **jwh f-100** » February 6, 2009, 8:56 am

qwertyd10n,

Did you pump the sh!t out of it... It is old, stuborn, cold blooded, and been sitting for a month.... If it fires for a few seconds pump it again.... Good luck!!

R Pope · Post by **R Pope** » February 6, 2009, 9:20 am

The gas might have gone rotten. If the truck sat long enough, the gas could have evaporated and clogged up the system.

Lowell · Post by **Lowell** » February 6, 2009, 10:29 am

Is your garage heated? Or maybe you got ice in the fuel line.

deviant1 · Post by **deviant1** » February 6, 2009, 10:46 am

You could have water in your gas, and after it settles in the carb bowl it's the first thing the accelerator pump it squirting.

Gnant · Post by **Gnant** » February 6, 2009, 11:28 am

Choke??? Even being in Arizona I have to have the choke full out in order to start it in the mornings.

BackyardRest · Post by **BackyardRest** » February 6, 2009, 12:01 pm

not sure what carb you have but if an old Ford 2v they are known for having the accelerator pump go bad. Did you look down in carb to see if its squirting? They are avail for under 5.00 at NAPA.

Sounds like a fuel issue of sorts. Lots of good advice and should be only a few minutes to actually determine the problem.

greenindian · Post by **greenindian** » February 6, 2009, 12:09 pm

Get some "Sea Foam" gas additive, I've always had great luck with this fuel stabilizer/additive. My truck sits most of the time in an unheated garage and never fails to fire up with one or two pumps of the accelerator and full choke if Sea Foam was in the tank prior to storage.

qwertyd10n · Post by **qwertyd10n** » February 6, 2009, 1:42 pm

The engine is a 352 and I'm not 100% sure what kind of carb it is, but I'm guessing a 2V. There is plenty of fuel in the tank and the gas isn't that old as I drove it back from Wisconsin at the end of November and filled it up at least once in December. The gas also smells, and unfortunately tastes, just fine.

The truck spends it's days in an insulated garage, but the heat is only on when I'm working out there... although because it's insulated, the temperature doesn't fluctuate that much.

I did look down the carb while actually the throttle linkage and didn't see any gas being squirted in... so that tells me I may have a problem with my fuel delivery - maybe fuel pump, line blockage, or accelerator pump issue.

There has been a lot of good suggestions posted here already, so I'll try to methodically eliminate them one by one, hopefully in order of simplest to most difficult.

And yes, I did pump the shit out of it... but the only time it would actually fire is when I poured some gas down the carb.

Now I need to go looking for instructions on how to check the fuel pump and replace the accelerator pump!

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » February 6, 2009, 2:22 pm

qwertyd10n wrote:
Now I need to go looking for instructions on how to check the fuel pump and replace the accelerator pump!

Unhook the outlet line from the fuel pump, put a short piece of hose on it, with the other end in an empty can...crank the engine. If nothing comes out, unhook the inlet line from the tank & see what happens. You should for sure have fuel flowing from the tank line.
If there's no flow from there, then something along that route is your problem.

If there's fuel getting TO your pump, but nothing getting OUT, that's either a bad pump, or the eccentric sleeve fell off the front of your timing gear...99% chance of it being a bad pump, though.

johnny · Post by **johnny** » February 7, 2009, 11:11 pm

KICK IT THEN CURSE AT IT USUALLY WORKS ,TELL IT YOU WISH IT WAS A CHEBBY
John

DCarr · Post by **DCarr** » February 8, 2009, 1:44 am

qwertyd10n · Post by **qwertyd10n** » February 9, 2009, 12:28 am

It was the fuel pump guys... starts like a charm now! Thanks for all the advice.

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » February 9, 2009, 12:58 pm

Good, I figured it wasn't the eccentric having fallen off.

blackagatha · Post by **blackagatha** » February 9, 2009, 7:10 pm

that's what I suspected. It's just a crappy rubber diaphragm that rattles in there. It's a wonder they last as well as they do.

And you guys shouldnt discount the possibility of a bad steel line either. I recall, I had just finished swapping in my 390 and had used the factory line, and it was parked in the front yard, and started spewing gas. Turns out there were some porosities or cracks or something. It wasnt rusted or worn looking. It just jeaked.

Help - truck won't start

Help - truck won't start

Re: Help - truck won't start