fuel delivery problem

[Frank R]

Went to start my car today after work and she wouldn't start. Poured a little gas in the carb, fired up then promptly died. To make a long story short I aint gettin any fuel. I disconnected the fuel line at the carb turned the car over for about 30 seconds and didn't get a drop. Although this isn't a normal practice for me, I took the end of the fuel line and easily sucked gas to the end of the fuel line (gad I hate that taste) quickly turned the car over and once again not a drop. My question is ....when I disconnected the fuel line from the carb and cranked it over shouldn't gas flow out of it pretty healthily and if so is my fuel pump shot? This is a completely rebuilt 440 with about 1.5 hours on the motor the fuel pump is a Carter unit. Frank R

[amxauto-x]

first thought is your fuel pump is shot.

Second is the push rod is too worn.

Third is the spring on the arm is broke or slipped off the lever in the pump.

[Mister Fiberglass]

try using some starting fluid or car cleaner to keep the motor going and have someone hold the fuel line away from the car.

fuel should come out freely. If not there is something plugged OR the pump is shot.

Are you sure that the pump rod is IN ??

[Frank R]

Well it seems like things are pointing at the fuel pump I did installed a brand new pump rod. Please keep the comments coming I still would like to know if gas should pump through to the carb when the egine is cranked I always thought that was an easy way to check if the pump was shot..

[Mister Fiberglass]

IF the whole system is dry....the only way to fill it IS to run the motor or get an electric pump in the mix.

[Frank R]

Well it can't be dry because I can see fuel in the fuel filter and I can suck gas up to the carb pretty easily. I have been driving the car around the neighbor hood for the last couple of weeks since first fire and cam break in. The car did die on me saturday but I thought it was vapor locked, I let it cool for about 15 minutes, poured some gas into the carb, started it, drove it home. This is the first time I have tried to start it since then and now she won't run at all.

[6 packin]

Is your fuel filter seem to be clean, with no rust color or sediments? In not sure on your pump, but some offered by Carter are rebuildable, doe it have screws around the base of it? You might be able to rebuild it for a fraction of the cost of a new pump. I think it your pump, try priming it a few times and see if you can get it working. You say you can pull gas through it with little effort, is this before or after the filter? I guess this would me that its properly venting the tank and has plenty of gas in it?

[Frank R]

Pump, Filter, and all fuel lines are brand new, and I can pull gas up through the line after the filter. I believe the pump is the rebuildable type I think I remember screws going all around it but not sure. But I still have a question unanswered yet... when you disconnect the fuel line at the carb and crank the motor shouldn't gas stream out? Thanks, Frank R

[Mister Fiberglass]

to your Q ....YES.

START your engine using either that fluid or cleaner.....what happens then?

[Frank R]

I'll give it a shot when I get home today....

[creative1]

yes it should squirt gas every time the cam lobe depresses the arm on the fuel pump. it wont be a stream, but you should get a good, healthy squirt every revolution of the camshaft. no foam, no bubbles, no dribble. gas should squirt several feet. since you had been driving the car just b4 it shot craps, the fuel pump or its operating linkage would be a prime suspect. it is possible that the bolts that hold it to the block came loose, thus allowing the entire pump to move, rather than just the arm. i would hope that a new fuel pump had a life expectancy of more than a couple of weeks...

[Frank R]

Yeah, you would think it would last longer! Ok well thanks for the reply I was just second guessing myself on the fuel pulsing out of the end of the line. So at least I know it has to be fuel pump related, hopefully just a defective diaphragm. The rod is new and I am assumuing the eccentric cam the moves the rod has to be OK. I am not real sure how to check the rod but we'll see....

[amxauto-x]

Originally posted by Frank R
Yeah, you would think it would last longer! Ok well thanks for the reply I was just second guessing myself on the fuel pulsing out of the end of the line. So at least I know it has to be fuel pump related, hopefully just a defective diaphragm. The rod is new and I am assumuing the eccentric cam the moves the rod has to be OK. I am not real sure how to check the rod but we'll see....

One thing you can try; take off the pump, put a hacksaw blade under the rod and push the rod back up the hole. Have someone crank the engine over while holding the rod up with the blade. It should move up and down a decent amount. I have no idea how far it moves.

Make sure the vehical is in park and the emergancy brakes are on so it doesn't move and roll over you.

I turn the motor over myself with a remote starter switch while laying underneath.
Make sure the arm on the pump is acually under the rod. I had that problem on my 400 this past winter. Look to see if the pump is flat against the block. If it is crooked, maybe the arm is off.

[ehostler]

As far as taht goes, you could just disconnect the fuel line from the carb and run it into a catch container, and then crank the engine. If a lot of fuel comes out, you know that the pump is fine.

[amxauto-x]

My question is ....when I disconnected the fuel line from the carb and cranked it over shouldn't gas flow out of it pretty healthily and if so is my fuel pump shot? This is a completely rebuilt 440 with about 1.5 hours on the motor the fuel pump is a Carter unit. Frank R

He already tried that, didn't work.

[ehostler]

DUH... That'll teach me to read everything, instead of just skimming and reading the last post...

[Geezer]

Just posted about the Carter quality or lack of this past day or so.
Put a new $80.00 mech unit on a SBC.. Lasted a whole few minutes and the engine quit. went thru the same T/S you've done.. the pull rod in the pump had snapped off.. no diaphram movement.... So much for $80.00 pumps!

[rustycowl]

Try cranking with your finger over the fuel pump inlet, you should feel a substantial vacuum. If it is weak, the problem lies within the pump, or cam eccentric, given that the pushrod is new. I have a similar problem(worn eccentric in my case) in my '76 p/up but it has over 150K on the clock.

[Luther]

Just a thought. Do you have one of those porus bronze fuel filters in the carburator inlet connection on the bowl?

[amxauto-x]

Originally posted by Luther
Just a thought. Do you have one of those porus bronze fuel filters in the carburator inlet connection on the bowl?

The pump isn't pumping is the problem, isn't any fuel getting to the carb to be stopped by any plugged up bronze filter in the bowl inlet.

when you disconnect the fuel line at the carb and crank the motor shouldn't gas stream out?

[Frank R]

Well I chucked the carter fuel pump and opted for the Holley hooked everything up all the way to the carb but stuck the line in a container. Primed the engine and fired it over and low and behold the container was about a quarter full. Hooked the line to the carb primed again and she lit right up. Are Carter products known to be questionable? Just for the sake of conversation I bought that Holley fuel pump in 1980, It has been sitting in the original box on the shelf for 23 years. I was worried about the diaphragm being dried out but I guess I was worried for nothing. Anyway thanks for the help and all the advice. Frank R

[dwc43]

I've never had a prob with Carter pumps. Got them on ever car and truck in the lot here. Even the race cars have mechanicals and the last drag car I put up has twin electric ones on it.

[amxauto-x]

1980, It has been sitting in the original box on the shelf for 23 years. I was worried about the diaphragm being dried out but I guess I was worried for nothing. Anyway thanks for the help and all the advice. Frank R [/B]

I don't think it should be a problem. It's never been used?

[ehostler]

There are many here that have tried the Carter mechanicle pumps and have found that after the engine warms up there is a significant drop in pressure. Now I'm reading about a couple of different people that have had DOA carters. I think that I would stay away from them.

[amxauto-x]

Mine's been working just fine now for 6 years. 5 3/4 lbs at 2000 rpm and 6 1/4 lbs at idle.

[dwc43]

I get between six and seven. Maybe this is just on the newer pmps having tropuble. Mine are a little old, but work fine. Besides they are rebuildable.