Hello FTE Friends,

This last week I have felt so that I actually did a little trouble shooting on the truck. I don't know if you recall my issue I'd been having - both health wise and truck wise...
Since this is a truck forum I will stick to my truck issue - wink.
1st, I want to thank you all for your patience with me and my lack of knowhow... Special thanks to Mike (POS-500) for his efforts via PM's.

So, I'd start my truck and after running it for a while (5, 10 minutes) it would simply die on me as is starving for fuel... After removing and blowing out all the fuel lines, well not all- wait for it ... and replacing 3 perfectly good fuel pumps, thank goodness I didn't purchase $125 fuel pumps... and almost driving Summit Tech support crazy because, in my tiny chemo brain, I thought that perhaps I got a lemon of a carb from them... I began to think this thru with my wife - she has YET to let me down.

So the story goes, we're sitting in the garage marveling at the wonderful previous weekend we spent in Hermosa Beach, CA (our old stomping grounds) - nothing like the beach to take away the crap off your mind friends - when I begin rambling about the truck. Baby, I say to her, when we broke the engine in (annealed the cam) the truck NEVER stalled/starved for fuel. What could be the problem? She says, well I remember that it was loud (it had no mufflers). Yeah, but that has nothing to do with it. She says good, 'cause it was loud and I was not about to ride in That Thing like that! hahaha
Then we suddenly looked at each other and just like that, at the same time, we remembered that we fed the truck fuel via a 2 gallon plastic gas tank I use for the lawn mower. Clean new fuel of course.

So, I put all the lines back on and experimented by dropping the end of the line - the one that connects to the fuel tank - into the 2 gallon gas can, fired it up and shasam! It remained running smoothly. So smoothly I said to Yesenia, my wife, get in, you've never ridden in it yet and I'm taking you out - to the gas station, but I'm taking you out.
All giddy she jumps in, looks around for seatbelts, I say; don't even go there... and off we go. I wish I would’ve thought of grabbing the video camera, you would have enjoyed seeing her face!
Folks, for the 1st time in its restored life with us, the truck drove with no worries. I didn't have to pull over to let it "cool down" once it left me stranded in my cul de sac. We made it to the gas station, filled the can back up and drove perhaps a total of 3 miles round trip. No problems. Woohooo...

So you’re wondering if I had the tank cleaned, but of course I did. But what didn't get cleaned was the PICKUP TUBE inside the freakin tank! I removed my sender, after returning from the gas station, and noticed the tank itself was squeaky clean) thanks Visalia Radiators. But the pickup tube was caked solid with 25 or more years of debris. I stuck a coat hanger thru it and it would not budge. So I dropped a bit a fuel inside the pickup tube and then tapped it again with the coat hanger and whoosh, all the debris slid down into the fuel tank. My poor baby was starving for fuel indeed. To ensure I don't have to go thru this again, I removed the fuel tank and took it back to the shop mentioned above and requested they remove the pickup tube and replace it with a new one to prevent the "sucking thru a broken straw” syndrome...

The shop owner is re-boiling the fuel tank and replacing the pickup tube for me and hopefully it will be ready today. And because I'm so excited that this will “once and for all" fix the starving fuel issue and regardless that I'm wearing my chemo pump and I'm not supposed to do anything strenuous, I'm going to finish this task hopefully today!

Look out for a video coming to a YouTube channel near you.
Thank you for reading my long winded post.
Oh, here's a photo of my 4th chemo session - and please keep the prayers coming.

Sincerely,
Paul
PS. Sam, I’m working on not apologizing, how did I do?

 

FABULOUS NEWS!!!!!.. and see you were right in your perception.. starving for fuel!!..

and thanks for telling us the wonderful story of sitting in the garage with your wonderful wife.. neat

Sam

 

Fantastic news! First of all that of you are feeling like working on the truck. And of course, that you and your wife figured out the problem.

 

This is WONDERFUL news all the way around! What a great story. Thanks for sharing your therapy session.

 

That is AWESOME!!! Isn't is always something simple.
Yes, you need video soon.
Continuing to pray for you. Keep on Truckin

 

Wonderful, that is really good to hear. Enjoy, enjoy.

 

Looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel.....glad to see your feeling good enough to get out into the garage!
Keep fighting and you'll be cruising in no time
w

 

That is excellent news!! I'm glad that you were able to troubleshoot that problem. Is there anything else that you need a hand with to really be road ready? I looked at the map and you are a short 3 hour drive away. I could come down on for a day trip on a Saturday in September. The next two weekends are booked, but after labor day, my weekends are looking good!

Funny you should mention the seat belts. I drove mine around town the other day...I now have 6 miles on the new odometer. My wife didn't want to go for a ride until I install seatbelts. That was my project last Saturday, so now I have seatbelts.

Maybe this weekend I can take her for a little cruise in my unfished project!

Dan

 

Quazy, that is a great story - and you have a great wife! Must be nice to drive it, and even better when you get it back together. Good luck, and keep up the great spirits! Half the battle is keeping positive. With your wife at your side and your truck you will do great! And kudos to all the people that have helped you along the way...

 

That's great news you found the problem and greater news you felt good enough to do it! Keep going brother!

 

Good on you Paul!! Here's to more "therapy" sessions.

Let's see, driving in your truck is therapy. Going to the beach is therapy. Two words: Pismo Beach!

 

That is awesome! Makes me want to go out and start up my truck.

 

ive been following your progress as of late and i must say im really happy you decided to keep the truck and turn it into a tool of your own and keep moving foward!

 

Good for you! Sometimes the small victories are the most satisfying.

 

Paul

YAAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOO!

Well done! This old truck therapy stuff works.

Best,

DW