Ramcharger won't start

[Youknowme]

I have a problem starting my Ramcharger (with a 318). It will crank, and the spark plugs are firing, but it just won't start up. It has, however, started 4 times since this started, but then died right away. And Friday, while I was driving it home, for a few seconds it slowed down when I gave it gas. I don't have a fuel pressure gauge to test the pump (mechanical, not electrical).
Thanks,

Stephen Crouch
youknowme@geocities.com

[Drag340]

Does the throttle pump squirt fuel when you crack the throttle?

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Mike
340" Front engine digger


[This message has been edited by Drag340 (edited June 11, 2000).]

[Youknowme]

OK; I disconnected the fuel line from the carb, no fuel. from the top of the filter, no fuel. from the pressure side of the pump, no fuel. from the suction side of the pump, a little fuel pours out. So I figure it's a bad fuel pump and I replace it. No difference. I thought maybe the timing chain broke, but the valves are opening and closing. My dad remembers a thing they had when he worked at Shell in the 60's that looked like a gas cap with a little hand pump on it. You pumped it up and the fuel would come out of the line if the fuel line wasn't clogged. I have no idea of how to find that nowadays. Anyone know another way to tell if the line is clogged? Thanks.

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Stephen Crouch
youknowme@geocities.com

[This message has been edited by Youknowme (edited June 11, 2000).]

[ehostler]

It would definately sound as if your fill pickup, in the tank, is clogged. When you disconnect the fuel line(to the tank) from the pump, you should have more than just a little fuel coming out of it.

Your gas tank could also be vacuum locking on you. If you take the gas cap off, does everything seem to run alright?

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Ed - MoPower

'96 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT CC 360 4X4
'68 Charger 383-4

[Youknowme]

There wasn't a vacuum in the tank. How hard is it to clear the fuel pickup? My service manual doesn't show it, so I have no idea how to do it. I guess I'll need to drain the tank (no easy task with about 30 gallons in there) and take it off, but where do I go from there? Thanks.

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Stephen Crouch
youknowme@geocities.com

[Old hippie]

First, remove the fuel line from the suction side of the pump and put a little shot of air to it, no more than 5 or 10 Lbs. Then see if you get some fuel when you hook it back up and crank the engine over. If you get fuel then you can just about figure the inlet sock is collapsed. To repair this you will have to drop the tank. On top of the tank there should be this little round deal with 2 or 3 lines out of it. Take a blunt drift or a flat screwdriver and a hammer and tap the tangs untill they align with the slots and then remove the pickup assembly. On the end of one of the tubes there should be the remains of a screen or sock type deal. This is likely collapsed and plugging up the inlet. You can remove and replace the sock or just remove it alltogether. Reassemble the tank and pickup with a new O ring (o ring has to be for this aplication due to the exposure to the fuel vapors). Oh, one last thing and its the most obvious......have you changed the fuel filter lately?


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The Old Hippie Hisself
Ohippier@aol.com

[Youknowme]

I replaced it in October. But it would still come out of the pressure side of the pump, even with a bad filter, right?

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Stephen Crouch
youknowme@geocities.com

[Old hippie]

That would depend on how much crud got into the filter. I have seen them so plugged that fuel literally dripped out of the pressure port of the fuel pump. There should be a spec in the manual for how much volumn there should be in a given time at the outlet side of the pump. Try the air trick and see if the vehicle will run first.

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The Old Hippie Hisself
Ohippier@aol.com