Bear with me here. I'm totally new to flathead. The s36 eton i just bought has a freshly rebuilt 24 stud 37 model engine. I've heard it run but can't get it to run consistently. Logic says fuel,fire and air and it should run. The handful of times I've been able to get it running it's been off ether and or fuel through the carb so start with fuel. Added a couple of gallons of gas, new lines front to rear. Doesn't appear to be pumping. 1) fuel pump. It's got a new bon drake fuel pump on it. How stiff should the diaphragm be? Should I be able to pump it manually relatively easily or is it super stiff? (Mine is super stiff) 2) the tech at dennis carpenter's suggested replacing the pump rod before trying an electric pump. How do you get the rod out? Has a push in retainer like a freeze plug holding it in. I just don't want to mess something up. Moving on to spark. When I can get it to run off ether it will do it once, maybe twice then won't fire again. Almost like it's flooded. What am I missing here? Sorry for the weird formatting cross posted on the ford barn and the copy/paste did this. Pic of the retainer and the phaeton just for eye candy Sent from my SM-G973U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Wow what a wonderful car, look forward to hearing you have it running ,please don't use any snake oil methods if ya can't get it to run with a bit of petrol down the carb , find out why yr carb isn't squirting petrol it can only be supply , blockage or a huge air leak somwere .
Yes,,,,,ether (starting fluid ), is a mean dude . Please don’t use it for something like this . Did this engine run before you bought it ? The fuel pump rod itself may be too short,,,there were different lengths . Is the rod actually moving,,,,you might need someone to look for you while you spin the engine over . The cam lobe could be worn and not raising the rod enough . Tommy
Yes the rod is moving. It was supposedly yard driven last summer. I've heard it run from priming (starter fluid and gas) in the carb. There's definitely a fuel pump issue. Just not sure if there's something else to look at too. Sent from my SM-G973U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
You should be able to easily lift out the fuel pump push rod. If you can't do that, then something is wrong. The push rod may be hanging up in the bushing in the block. By the way, if the heads have 24 studs, it is not a '37 engine.
You might be ordering parts for a wrong engine as IIRC a 1937 was still a 21 stud engine. Here are steps I take to isolate a fuel supply problem: disconnect line from fuel tank into fuel pump and pressurize tank with an air gun (be careful not to overdo it). If gas flows out of tank line hook it back up to pump. Next disconnect line from pump to carb, fill carb bowl with gas and fire up engine--a full bowl should run for a minute or so which is plenty of time to check flow from the open line. If you have a flow from the pump then move on to the carb. We made a gas tank from a small freon can with a regulator and air line which lets us supply carbs from 2# up or fuel injectors with 70# or more but probably not worth it for a one off use.
So I've been told re engine year. I haven't looked at the numbers to verify year. The seller said his dad used a 37 engine because the original was missing. As it was an estate sale it may not later. Note the first pic. There's some sort of retainer cap in the hole. Something like a freeze plug with a hole but not exactly. Here's the engine bay Sent from my SM-G973U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thanks coilover. I like the idea of using the pressure to push fuel to the front of the car. The only engine specific part I've ordered is the fuel pump push rod. Mostly ordered cosmetic smalls and wiring harness stuff stuff. She sits right now presumably like she came back from the engine builder in Michigan 3 years ago Sent from my SM-G973U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Okay...basic's is what I do with most fuel issues where a pump is a subject gremlin. I can usually put a small tank like a lawnmower tank up on the fender to run down to the fuel pump to see if that will get things going. You would have to put it up on the cowl or higher since your fuel pump is higher on the engine. The other thing I like to do is OPEN up that carb - pour a little gas in it - AND see if it does INDEED pump gas into the engine - thus keeping it going with out the starter fluid (which I use ALL the time ) this is where we need to be first. Able to fill the fuel bowl and see if it will pump gas into the motor. If not we should clean the carb with some carb cleaner you get in a spray can. If the carb does spray fuel from the bowl - you go backwards to the pump to see why its not pumping to the carb. Maybe just a carb kit is needed or open up the fuel passages in the carb - then maybe look at the pump....then the gas tank but I think you covered that.
That,s the oilfill baffle/splash-shield pipe thingamajig . Looks like it,s a little stuk with gasket goo. It should just lift out. Then the pump rod comes out. Heres a pic of one from Ebay that actually sold for $12.50 plus shipping. Proves that every little flathead part has a value these days .
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