1956 F100
Jag suspension (front & back)
351c - C4

So I've been saving my pennies since I had to replace the rear end in the purple people eater this spring.

I have a couple of ideas & parts are cheap but other parts are worth paying a professional for.

To replace the rear end I had to cut the back end of the exhaust off as it passed through the uncaged Jag rear.

So for 6 months the exhause just dumped under the bed of the truck - Yuck.

So I took it in yesterday to have the new pipes fitted - they now dump out right in front of the rear wheels in a dual tip (on each side) formation.

IT LOOKS AND SOUNDS SO GOOD!

Since I was having a pro bend the new pipes I thought it a good time to have him fit a shiny new set of spark plugs into the pipes so I can run a flame thrower!

The flame thrower set up itself is not difficult at all - really only took me maybe an hour to do the whole thing start to finish once I had the parts.

I'm rambling -

I get the truck home & drive it off the trailer & park it in the driveway. While pulling up to my spot it dies. I restart & it dies again - no fuel to the carb - damn fuel pump is out!!!!

So here I am on Christmas day ready to tear open my present & watch flames blow & I cant start the darn truck.


It is always something with this old iron.

I will post pics & maybe a video if I can get her running again.

I know its the fuel pump - because a shot of gas down the carb & it starts right up.


By the way - are there any tricks to installing a mechanical fuel pump in a 351c?

 

I know you "know" the fuel pump is the problem, but double check any rubber hoses you have on the feed side of the pump, especially if your shiney new pipes heated up any of them...any cracks in the line on the feed side that can allow air in will keep the pump from pulling fuel.
Yes I have replaced a fuel pump only to find a similar issue in the past. You are probably right but no need to toss money unless you are sure.

Maybe the truck is trying to keep you from setting your lawn on fire!

Oh and I know jack about Ford engines, so I am no help with the fuel pump replacement

 

Lets just suppose you have a rear, under the bed fuel tank. And lets suppose the person who worked in that area disturbed the fuel line or the electrical to the fuel pump.

 

Assuming you already have a mechanical pump that you'll be replacing, it's pretty much as simple as two bolts and two fuel lines. In and out. Easy-peasy.

 

Thanks guys.

I have a barrel tank in the bed.
I just ran all new lines from the tank to the pump & on to the carb.

I installed a new mechanical pump (in the dark).

The carb now gets gas but just barely.

The clear fuel filter shows clean.

I rinsed out the tank b4 installing.

I'm starting to wonder if the cam lobe that drives the pump is the issue.

Oh - the flame thrower isn't powering up either (crap). Probably a bad ground somewhere. I tested the entire system b4 installing

 

Fords don't use a cam lobe to operate the fuel pump. That's a chebby thing. There's an eccentric bolted to the front of the camshaft that moves the fuel pump arm. There's really no way to get that wrong. You can test the pump manually to make sure it's working properly.

 

Is your barrel tank vented? If air cannot get into the tank either by a vented cap or vent line the pump will try and collapse the tank and will not be able to pull fuel.
I would put a rollover style vent on it if you do not have one.

 

Did you run steel tubing fuel line from the tank to the mechanical pump (except for a short flex line from the hard line to the engine and to connect the filter)? A rubber tube line the length of the chassis may be kinking and/or collapsing from the pump suction. I have never liked a tank above the fuel pump or with a bottom pickup.

 

It's the carb.

I used new hard line from the tank to the pump with short rubber lines from the tank to the fuel filter & again from the hard line to the pump.


I pulled the line from the carb & had my son crank it over. Gas squirted out of the line real nice.

I reconnected & no fuel in the carb.

I poured gas down the throat & it started tight up.

I must have gotten some debris pushed into the carb blocking a jet.

CRAP

I hate trying to clean & rebuild carbs. In all my years I've never gotten it right.

 

maybe just a stuck float, give the float bowl a love tap

 

That was cool.

Couple love taps & she popped right to life. But won't stay running.

I'm pulling it out & taking it to someone who knows what they are doing.

 

Sounds like a float/needle valve issue.

 

I found a"new" carb on CL.

Says it has 50 miles on it but needed something off road.

I definitely don't need off road.

It's about as cheap as paying for a rebuild.

This way I should be back on the road today & still have the old one to practice rebuilding. Or I could sell it & recoup some of the cost.

Either way it's a good deal & time is money to me as I get very little wrench time & even less drive time.

I'll let you know it I get screwed.

 

Concentrate on the making sure the float valve is working correctly.

 

I found the issue - I've got some junk in my gas tank partially plugging the outlet.


When I let it sit for a couple hours the fuel in the filter is visible. It starts & runs for a few seconds - then dies.


I jump out & look & the fuel filter is empty.


The filter is right at the outlet of the barrel tank.


I suspect a blob of silicone dripped in there when I sealed up the fuel sending unit.


Now I drain the tank (again) and get to cleaning it out again.


At least it is cheap!