Date: Sat, 04 Jul 1998
Hello Glenn:
I bought a '67 1800S last week and was told by the owner that it was his 2nd car and that he didn't drive it too much. I tried to start it and she just turned over ...no fire. So I changed the plugs, points, condenser, rotor, distributor cap, and cleaned the fuel filter. I also drained and cleaned out the gas tank. But I noticed the fuel filter was "bone dry". I think she sat so long that the fuel dryed in the lines? Or maybe the fuel pump is bad? Do you think I could have a vapor lock?
When I tried to start her it just turned without fire again...and I noticed the fuel filter didn't fill with fuel...should I prime her somehow? Or is there perhaps someway to see if the fuel pump is bad? I was wondering if I disconnected the lines on the "out" side of the pump to check for presure being pushed thru the line from the pump (while cranking) if that would be an indication of a properly working pump?
Best, Dan
Dan - Sounds like you have either a blocked fuel line or a bad fuel pump. To check the fuel pump, replace the output pipe or hose with one that you can route to a container. Then crank the engine a few times for ten seconds, leaving ten seconds between cranks to let the starter cool. If there is no gas in the container after this, check the fuel supply pipe. Disconnect the feed hose from the fuel pump and use a suction pump (such as a Mighty-Vac hand-operated brake bleeder) to see if you can pull fuel from the gas tank.
If you can't pull gas through the supply pipe, the blockage is probably in one of the rubber hoses used to connect the metal pipe to the pump and/or gas tank. Remove these and replace them with new hose. If you can blow through the old hoses, then obviously the blockage is in the metal pipe or inside the gas tank. Reverse the flow on the Mighty-Vac and try to blow the blockage out of the pipe.
If the fuel supply line is o.k., and you still don't get fuel from the fuel pump, the pump will have to be replaced. Be sure you use the plastic spacer block between the new pump and the engine block. You'll need two gaskets. There is a story about this on my web page.
If the supply line and the pump are both working, as shown by fuel in the test container, the blockage must be in the line going from the fuel pump to the carburetors. Major suspects here are the fuel filter and the needle-and-seat assemblies in the carburetor float bowls. I would replace the fuel filter in any case. If the needle-and-seat assemblies are stuck, I highly recommend replacing them with Grose-Jets, available from IPD. (Follow the instructions carefully if you install Grose-Jets.) -Glenn.