....that a fuel pump that has sat idle for 24 years will still be good? 1951 235 Chevy powerglide car that was driven to its resting spot in 1993, turned off and never started again. What is the best way to check the fuel tank for rust and rot? Just looking for some suggestions from those with more than my very limited experience.
The bet 5hing is pull the tank out throw a length of steel chain in it with warm soapy water and slosh it around. The chain will break awy all the rust scale. Do it till its clean. I would rekit the fuel pump or use an electric one. Also put a squirt of oil into each bore before you crank it over. Good looking car. Sent from my SM-T805Y using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My advice would be do not try and crank the car without pulling the tank and flushing it out. The pickup in the tank is probably rusted and you will send all of that dead fuel and rust into the pump. If it was any good it won't be after you send all those rust chunks through it. I bought a used tank out of a car that had been sitting and it had a 1 inch layer of black sludge on the bottom. I took the sending unit out and it fell apart. I flushed it out with radiator flush and then pressure washed it with soap and water. Then flushed it. Then poured 2 gallons of fresh gas and let it set for a few days and poured it out. Now it's fine stinks like old gas ,but works. Put a fuel filter inline just in case. you will need to rebuild the carb,probably. I would taken it to a radiator shop and had it dipped, but there are no radiator shops where I live. You have a 50/50 chance om the pump ,but it's probably dried up and the rubbers are bad. Buy a new tank and new pump. Rebuild the carb blow out the lines . That's the way most people do now days, just replace parts. Nice car.
If you are keen on getting it started in it's resting spot, get a fuel tank from a mower, etc, hook it up to the carb, and feed it by gravity. Those Chevy 6's dont take much to start them. You could also disconnect the wiring to the starter, hot wire the ignition, and spin it over on 12 volts.(dont forget to replace the 6volt coil with a 12 volt one.)
Scrap the tank a new one from Tanks is like $150-200 not worth trying to clean an old tank. For it to just plug up again. Also grab a new fuel pump from NAPA for $30.00 grab some new weather head fuel line. Sent from my XT1585 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The pump might work for a little while. It probably won't last long, if it does work. Probably won't work at all, though. At least look in the gas tank, before trying to use it. Sometimes you get lucky and it's fine, but usually not.
I wasn't going to try to pull gas from the tank into the carb. I'm going to rig up a line from the inlet of the fuel pump from a gas can to check the pump. I had thought I might buy a cheap filter to put between the fuel tank and fuel pump if the pump is working to check the tank for crap coming out. My goal is to spend the least amount of my money to get this car sold for the most amount of money for the seller. This is in exchange for a discounted price on the 51 bel air that was picked up with this car.
I wouldn't chance using the gas tank. Disconnect the fuel line and attach a motorboat gas tank or gas can at the fuel pump or to the carb. Gasohol came in beginning about 1980. There was a rash of fuel pump failures and carb failures because of it dissolving the rubber and plastic, then they started making fuel pumps and carb parts that were alcohol proof. If the car has not run since 1993 it may have a pre 1980 pump, in any case it is an old one. I would use it and not worry about it, when it fails is time enough to buy a new one. Unless you are putting the car to regular use right away, then a new pump would be a good precaution.
Don't even think about reusing that 24 year old gas tank. You will eliminate tons of future starting and fuel pump problems. The sending unit may be worth saving. To get it started, remove the plugs and squirt in some Marvel Mystery Oil and let it sit for a few days. Then put a wrench on the crankshaft dampener bolt and, with the plugs removed, try and turn engine over by hand. Also, check to see if there is oil in the engine. Then check the points to see if you have any spark. Reinstall plugs with correct gap. Then pour some fuel down the carb and see if it turns over and starts.. Chances are the carb will also need rebuilding.
Thanks for the suggestion. The engine is not locked up. I can turn it over by simply pulling on the fan blade. Stock 235 so there is no crankbolt. Not going to use the tank at this point.
You never know. A few years ago we had a farm auction selling off my Father's estate. Had a 44 Chevy truck in the barn, been there for more years then we could remember. My brother wanted to try and get it started knowing we'd get more for it running, I gave it a snow ball chance in he-- it would run. He got in it, a note on the dash my Dad had left, said "out of gas" and dated 1984. 30+ years, pulled the plugs, gave a squirt of oil in the cylinders, replaced them, poured some gas in and fired it up and took it for a drive! Of course I think the fact it had no gas in it to go bad was a big factor. I've started quite a few cars that had been sitting for years, some go easy, some not so much.
Don't forget to address the fuel line that runs from the tank to the fuel pump, the metal one, and replace the rubber flex hoses. On the 51 Chevrolet Business Coupe, we cleaned the metal fuel line out by using an old speedometer drive cable connected to an electric drill. The metal line was almost completely plugged at the first bend from the tank, but the spinning speedometer cable drill knocked it loose, and cleaned it out; we then plugged the tank end of the line at the tank end, filled it with the Purple Jug Cleaner, let it set, then flushed it out with water, and blew it dry with air. The cable is flexible enough to navigate the bends, and tough enough to do the job. It works really well, try it guys. We replaced the old tank with a new one (new galvanized metal tank, not the poly one); the old tank was really a mess, full of all kinds of crud, rust, and varnished gasoline, from sitting for over 30 years! Like squirrel said, if the fuel pump does work, it won't last long; especially true with the alcohol in gasoline now. You're going to be busy, but having fun doing it. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
If you can see white thread in the diaphragm, it won't last, even if the pump is an unused replacement.
What was said earlier - get a small plastic type lawn mower tank - the one that easily comes off - edgers are a great source - hang it from the firewall/hood hinges for the moment - and let gravity gas feed that fuel pump....it will help an old pump....get some carb cleaner and be sure the inlet to the carb and carb needle are free....should be good to go !
Oh.....it wasn't mentioned - I always change the oil out before start up - what comes out the drain hole will tell you allot - and just nicer on an old engine that hasn't run to have some fresh oil in it......!!!!
I think a lot of people missed this key info, they are giving advice as if this was your own car that you intended on fixing up and driving, and they are just helping you out with your project. If I were a potential "buyer" of this car, I would be happy to hear and see the engine run from an IV bag or a red gas can to at least have an idea of what I was getting into, if I were likely or not looking at a $3000 engine rebuild. I would want to be told that I should expect to clean or replace fuel tank, lines and the fuel pump in the near future, this was just to get an idea of how healthy the motor is, just a test. Knowing it's been sitting and neglected for decades, I would already expect to be changing all the rubber lines and hoses, rebuild all the brake cylinders and master, flush or rebuild the radiator, probably water pump, tires, anything else that would fail with sitting. What I wouldn't appreciate is someone bandaging the car up just enough to run from it's own fuel tank (knowing crud and rust would soon clog the filter/pump), and telling me that I'm buying a running/driving car. I would "assume" someone has already replaced a lot of the things that degraded. That would suck for me as a "buyer". If I didn't know a lot about cars and that happened, I would feel taken advantage of. Fuck Caveat emptor. (Unless you are a dealer, in which case that's the mantra, isn't it?) The "seller" should either really sort this all out and spend some time and money to get this car operable if they really want to get top dollar for it, or just be honest and sell it for what it is: a "ran when parked", "you never know what your gonna get" "roll the dice" project car, and price it accordingly.
I would prefer to buy the car knowing it was not locked up and would rather fire it myself. How much for the car as is ,where is?
Clunker that is a class an clunker I totally agree with what you are saying. I'm beginning to consider going down the path of buying this car myself, doing what I strongly believe are the minor, normal repairs for a find like this and then flipping it. The car is incredibly clean cosmetically and mechanically from what I can visually inspect for having been basically left to sit and rot for 24 years. Decisions to be made on my part.
I bought a 49 chevy 2 door years ago it sat for over 35 years , hooked up the gasline to a small tank filed the point put a battery in it started right up ran perfect
Yeah, that car looks super clean. It's in great shape. I think the current owner (guessing that they aren't "car folk") should sell it as is at a realistic price (low). If you bought it from them you could make it roadworthy, get a proper title etc, then sell it as a running driving registered car at a much higher price. Plus you'll have fun doing it to boot. These old cars are always gonna need tlc, but most people buying a field car will want to get it going themselves. A person who wants to kick around in an old car, comb their hair into a pompadour, pick up their Betty Page for a date in a cool old ride and maybe learn to change the spark plugs or put air in the tires would love an original paint 4 door like that, (heck I would too, and I don't really have enough hair left to comb into a pompadour, and my wife used to be able to pass for Betty Page, but not after 15 years of putting up with my shit, and 10 years with our two little monsters of children.....)
It's a widow situation with a sad situation of step-children that have been estranged for 25 years swooping in to scoop up anything and everything in the deceased's named. I'm trying to help the widow get the most that she can as she was left with basically nothing. The titles are open titles with no one's name on them. They were signed by the sellers in 1993 but never transferred so that wont be an issue.
Cool of you to help out. Right on. The other thing you don't want to happen is for something to "break" when you are trying to get the car running trying to help her out. (very possible), Then it would put both you and her in a bad position. It would be better for the new buyer to light the thing on fire or break the cam shaft, on their dime. If you were interested in buying it, you could show some pics like this to give her an idea what field cars go for, it would be in her best interest to have a clean sale with no chance of someone coming back after saying "hey, this car was running a week ago, now it isn't. I want my money back...." Food for thought.
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