So im trying to get my 55 fairlane with a 272 running. It sat 5 or so years before i got it. Its got no fuel. Ive replaced the pump. Lines are clear. Im stumped. Is there a way to install the pump incorrectly? It seems like its pretty much bolt it on and its ready to go. For something so simple its got ne perpled, anything i should know about this that maybe i did wrong?
You could have the inlet and outlet reversed. Feel for pulses on the outlet while someone cranks it over. After 5 years the screen in the tank could be plugged. With the gas cap off, blow some air back through the line. Or you could use a vacuum pump to pull fuel from the tank to prime the pump.
If it sat because of fuel problems , check the pump cam on the cam. It is separate piece and may have come loose.
I blew air back through the line and its clear, and my first thought was i had maybe mixed up the inlet/outlet but its correct. It was a running car when it got parked, it needed brake work and the man didnt have the money to fix it, I pestered him for 5 years till he finally sold it too me.
Don't be surprised if the gas tank has about 1 1/2 inch of varnish/tar/rust mix. A rotten gas tank can cost many hundreds of dollars in lines, fuel pumps, carburetors and tow bills. It may be possible to blow air through that gunk but it seals immediately back up. Too, fuel pumps can be bad right out of the box.
You can see if fuel runs out of the line that goes back to the tank. That will tell you if the tank and fuel line are working. You can put a one gallon gas can under the front of the car, with a short piece of fuel line on the pump inlet, and see if it draws fuel and runs. That will tell you if the pump is working.
I'm guessing with the large bowl on the pump it may take a good while to get it to prime? maybe we didn't let it get full yet? I do have fuel coming from that line squirrel. Im wondering if i just got a dud pump off the get go. Working it by hand, it seems like it should draw more vacuum than what it does.
The car has 35k miles on it and was very well maintained until the previous owner got it and let it sit. I found a stack of receipts in the trunk where the man who bought it new had really taken care of it. Thats what kills me, is I know how great the car ran when the man I got it from bought it, and now its just a beautiful yard ornament till I get it sorted. As for the pump cam. What do I need to look for on that having issues?
loosen the pump mounting bolts, and crank the engine while you watch the pump. If it wiggles, then the cam is probably working ok.
is the float or needle & seat stuck? I helped an old girlfriends dad out one with a T bird that wouldn't start or run without carb cleaner sprayed in the carb. when I went to replace the pump I thought was bad I had a ton of pressure on the outlet line. they never bothered to tell me they replaced the carb. the float was so stuck it wasn't letting any fuel or air in the carb.
Suspend a small tank from the hood. and gravity feed the carb from it to start the engine. place a hose from the fuel pump outlet to a 5 gallon can. and catch the crappy gas that will come out if it starts pumping fuel. then remove and dissemble the fuel pump to clean the crud you have in the check valves. and then remove the gas tank. remove the sender unit and look inside the tank. You might be able to flush and clean it. or most likely a brand new tank is the best route.
Just pour some down the carb crank it. It should run and die. Do it again. Then play with remote tanks and electric fuel pumps and such. I find a 2 liter soda bottle the best catcher. They can be clear, so you see crud level and the hose can fit in real good so it won t splash. After "It runs'" is established, go from there.
My 57 Fairlane was very well kept, and I was having the same problem. At first I thought it was a fuel pump problem, so I changed it. It was good for a little bit, then started to fall flat on its facen after a few minutes of cruising. I rebuilt the carb, and it still did it. I put another carb on, and it still did it. I checked the cap/rotor, and timing, and it still did it. Lastly I took the tank out, and cracked it open. I pulled out over a cup of half broken down tank liner from the clogged pickup. I never added the liner, and all things point to the tank being original. It almost looked like same thikness, and color of a popped popcorn kernel skin. Here is a picture of it, and my little dude wire brushing it out. That is not rust, but the lining. still stuck to the tank.
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