I've been getting some help from you guys as I attempt to get my recently purchased 52 F1 fired up and running. To refresh / has not been cranked in a dozen years / previous owner long since dead / everything basically stock except the small block chevy under the hood. I need some guidance on getting this thing started. It has an electric fuel pump and I have no experience with these. I can tell it's not getting any fuel so how do I go about troubleshooting this thing? Here's where I stand so far...

1) I changed all the rubber fuel lines and replaced the filter fore and aft of the electric fuel pump.

2) I changed the oil, oil filter, and air filter.

3) The top radiator hose was missing so we had to get one as close as possible and modify to fit. So far, pleased with the result but time will tell. Flushed the radiator and somewhat surprised to see the amount of acorns and slop I was able to bubble out of the top. It had a cap but since the hose was missing I guess the critters used the back door. I think I got that thing pretty clean.

4) Installed a new battery, found a key that would work, located the kill switch, hauled out the fire extinguisher. Ready to roll or so I thought.

5) Motor turns over pretty good but I don't see any evidence of fuel moving thru the line. The filter between the pump and the carb is the see thru variety and I don't see any gas in the filter canister. When I turn the ignition key I can hear the electric fuel pump clicking (I think that means it's working) but am not sure if it's working properly.

6) Initially I dropped a fuel line into a gas can and tried it that way with no success. When that didn't work I put 2 gallons of gas in the tank, hooked up the rest of the line, and tried that as well. Same result - no luck.

7) After no luck on #6, I poured some fuel from the can directly into the carb thinking it might fire with some gas in the bowl. No luck. Not sure if I got enough in there or if I'm just not getting a spark.

That's where the weekend ended and where i find myself this evening. I think this thing is ready to fire and come to life. Any suggestions you can give me on next steps would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

 

Well first off you have to find out if you have spark, if nothing else take a spark plug out, put the wire back on it and ground the plug, crank it and see if the plug is firing, if not then your not firing, you have to have spark and fuel to run. On the electric pump if you are not hearing the pump running (NOT JUST CLICKING), take the fuel line off between the pump and the engine, turn the key on and you should have fuel pressure in a stream. Again, you have to have fuel and spark, let us know whats going on after you try this, good luck, Garry

 

electric fuel pumps shouldn't 'click'.. they should vibrate or hum..

without fiddling with the fuel pump, go buy some starter fluid, and spray that
in the carb, a little at a time, til you get it to fire.. it will only run for a few seconds on the starter fluid.

this lets you solve the plugs, etc.. issues first..as Homade said, u gotta have fuel, air and spark.

sounds like u need a new fuel pump too.. as its carbed, autozone and others have them pretty cheap.. $20ish..

Sam

 

Hey Sam, I had an electric fuel pump on a three wheeler once. It was a 12v pump for a car/truck. I inherited it from my Dad sometime earlier in life. Anyway, it did click only, weird I know, but it worked that way. Almost seemed like it was an electrically driven diaphragm pump. Doesn't matter really because it was some cheapy junk. even though it did work for the three wheeler.
In fact I say it was for an automobile, but that's just what Dad told me. He could have been wrong.
I had a holley elec pump on a '68 bronco and it never missed a beat.

 

Some variants of early electric fuel pumps were pulse type and they did click until they built pressure. Fact is, if they had pressure built they were silent. Now if it is a modern pump, chances are it is rotary.

 

Thanks! Thats what it did, when it built pressure it would stop clicking/pulsing.
I remember that now that you mention it. In fact, the fuel pump on my '84 Honda Sabre V65 has a similar pump. It clicks...kind of annoying...but it does the job I guess.

 

sounds like u need a new fuel pump too.. as its carbed, autozone and others have them pretty cheap.. $20ish..

Since I gotta make a run to the parts store I may as well pick up another pump while I'm there. Not sure I'll have to use it but it will save me another trip if I get to that point. Twenty bucks buys a standard electric fuel pump? Are there major differences or basically all the same? Again, electric fuel pump is new concept to me.

 

I've got a holley electric pump on the green truck..

Sam

here is part of the info I found on the pump I picked up last summer..

Mr. Gasket 12S Electric Fuel Pump - Car/Truck/SUV Parts

Gasket Micro Electric Fuel Pumps eliminates vapor lock and flooding. Micro electric fuel pump works well as a fuel transfer pump and makes a great stand-alone or booster pump. It comes with a self-priming pump with simple two-wire design. Micro electric fuel pumps works on 12 volt negative ground systems only. It also includes fittings and mounting hardware along with easy to follow DIY instructions. Pumps require approximately one amp average draw at maximum delivery. It is a universal design for most domestic 4, 6, and 8 cylinder carburetor applications. Model # 12S Features: Works well as a fuel transfer pump Eliminates vapor lock and flooding Comes with a self-priming pump Works on 12 volt negative Includes fittings and mounting hardware

 

The electric pump is at least 12 years old. I don't know what qualifies as early. It's possible I was not letting it "click" long enough to build pressure. Not being familiar with them I was hesitant to let it continue clicking without seeing progress. Since it's been sitting so long and the lines are dry, how long should I let the pump run?

 

if u replaced the lines, you should get output almost immediately..

Sam

 

Can you smell the inside of the tank? Something thats been sitting 12 years, has got to be nasty inside that tank. I would first find out if you have spark, before pulling any contaminated gunk into the carb. Dumping gas down the carb, I do that, but only a small amount at first. If it fires on a small amount,then signs are to proceed. The amount of fuel to dump is a guessing game, but if you dump too much then it's flooded...
I would be finding out if it has spark first. I know that was mentioned but I think thats pretty important. If you keep dumping fuel in and there is no spark, your wasting your time and gas.
In fact I would be inspecting points/condensor, rotor, wires, all that tune up stuff.
Does it have points or electronic ignition? Just some thoughts..

I wouldn't try to use the tank or fuel lines until you know they are clean.

 

Last night's progress (or lack thereof):

1) I switched on the ignition and let the pump 'click' away for 2 minutes. No evidence of fuel in the line so it's probably not working.

2) I hit the starter button and let it turn and could not detect any spark from either the plug wire or from the ignition coil.

3) Trip to the local Autozone and bought an electric fuel pump for $46 (inflation I guess). Also bought an ignition coil in case I need one and a set of sparkplugs.

Tonight I plan to swap out the coil and replace the electric fuel pump. I'll test the pump by running some rubber fuel hose from a gas can to the pump and check for discharge on the outbound side of the pump. Last time I had the gas can on the floor and it sounds like it needs to be closer to level with the pump or maybe even higher.

I'll swap out the coil and see if that helps with spark. If not I'll look closer at the distributor.

 

do you have a test light? does one side of the coil get 12v?
does one side of the points get power? can u see a spark if u manually open the points with power on?
I would suspect the points are frozen open.. maybe the condensor has gone bad. before the coil.

Sam

 

I replaced the pump and boy did I get some output! I see what you mean about it not taking that long to draw fuel thru the lines if it's working properly. I had the thing on for just a few seconds and had fuel gushing onto the floor. So it was a bad pump and $46 well spent. I'll finish connecting the lines and turn my attention tomorrow night to the lack of spark issue. Had to stop for the night as the whole house reeks of gas and the Mrs. ain't too happy.

 

LOL yeah that doesnt go over too well! I am glad mine is not attached to the house!