To make a long story short, bought a 86 f150 with a 300 six, 1 bbl carter, np208 tcase, np435 tranny and a rough body. It ran good on the test drive, made the deal and started home...thats when it started to quit..itd run maybe half a mile and then stumble and die, it would fire but acted like no gas...peck on the old fuel pump and itd start right up..run another lil bit and quit..after doing this about 4 times and having to push it out of the road, called a wrecker...got it home put on a fuel pump and started up the holler..same thing. Okay so took off the filter, its clogged with some kinda powdery looking stuff..punch a hole in it and clean it out put it back on and it started up and got back to the house..so i take off the bed (bad brake lines, stuff on the body to fix anyways) and its got a new fuel tank..so i take off the tank and pour all the gas out and it looks like orange juice...theres also some kinda powdery stuff on the tank walls...i pressure washed it out and now after two days and 96 degree weather its dry and theres only a lil bit of powdery residue..anyways i take off the "new" carb and its got some kinda dirt in the bowl plus something that looks like dried paint flakes...so im looking for a replacement carb and i goto advance auto parts online and there are two carbs, one for canadian versions w/ leaded fuel and one for usa versions with unleaded..i swear my carb looks like the one picture of the canadian version and with it being the cheapest advance offers and the already scrupulous dealing with the previous owner and all the so called "new parts" im wondering whats up...also the truck was being sold because the previous owner and her husband are divorcing and he gave her the truck, so im kinda wondering about the stuff in the tank..anywho, im wondering what to do bout the carb, ive already put a new fuel pump on and cleaned the tank, now for the carb and a new fuel line. Any suggestions??? Also on a different topic, anyone ever hear of using copper tubing in place of stainless steel for brake lines?? just wondering if its possible...Thanks guys n gals...Jim

 

I would get steel lines instead of copper line I don't know if copper would be strong enough.Have you tried spraying carb cleaner in your gasline?

 

BTW Welcome to FTE.

 

Never, never use copper for fuel or brake lines. Unsafe!

 

and yeah i kinda figured copper would be too weak. I know this old truck is in some rough shape but its a good truck overall and i couldnt bear to see her just waste away. Restoring is no thing new to me, i did a 67 SS Chevelle i owned and although this is a lil different it seems alot easier. Im just wondering about this carb its a Carter made for motor craft and has 2035 2037 and looks like 705 SA stamped on it so i dont know if its the right one or not.

 

Like Piffery1 said, never use copper for fuel or brake lines, they will crack under normal vibration going down the road. I would try getting a carburetor tune up kit from the parts store and flushing all the lines and get a couple of fuel filters and a fresh set of plugs. It sounds like it set long enough all the fuel went bad or somebody added something to it to me.

 

I wasnt gonna use copper, it was just a stupid thought that dawned on me at Lowes while buying laminate flooring LOL. Anyways I was thinking it was something in the tank too Grandpa. BTW WVU rules...I live in WV.

 

Yeah it sounds like someone may have put sugar, granulated or powder, flour or something in your gas to me.

That's a classic dirty trick.

Rice is another, in gas and radiators....

If that's the case, get locking caps, and keep the truck locked to prevent it from happening again.

 

Weird....We never had leaded fuel in the 80's.

1979 unleaded hit and leaded was phased out within a year or 2.

"The Book" doesn't show a 4x4 application for 85-86

The 4x2 Manual trans needs the CA-3500 or CA-3504 service Carb.

It also says to get the tag info off the old one for a perfect match.