Fuel delivery problem
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Junior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 79
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From: Mission Viejo, CA
Fuel delivery problem
Well... as some of you know from reading my original introduction post, I am having a fuel delivery problem with my 56 F100 (Straight Six). It has a Holley (Model 1904 IIRC) carb, stock everything. I replaced the fuel line from the pump to the carb, put a new fuel filter and fuel pressure gauge. At idle I am running at 5-7 PSI, which seems to be the correct flow. The truck idles perfectly and runs fine, until what seems, the bowl runs dry in the carb and it falls on its face. The only thing I can think of now is that I have a blockage in the tank. This is rather frustrating, as everything else in the fuel/spark/air systems are functioning perfectly. I will have to take the tank out and clean it, as well as replace the remaining fuel lines. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Chris
Thanks!
Chris
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,415
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
Have you tried disconnecting the fuel line from the inlet of the pump and blowing low pressure shop air into the line? It may clear the line..... or at least you should be able to tell if the line is restricted. Be sure and remove the gas cap and listen for the bubbles :-)
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,298
Likes: 1,059
From: NM
Take off your new line and see what's in it. If you find any rust, you've got your answer. Think of the surface area of your tank; you can be sure the entire surface has a coating of rust. All of that is getting knocked off by the sloshing of gas, it all falls to the bottom, and the low point of the system is the line to the pump.
With a new line in there, tho, I'd be inclined to think there is something floating around in the tank that's blocking the outlet -- leaves? Plastic? If there isn't much gas in the tank, pull the valve out of the bottom and fish around.
Eastwood sells a kit for treating your tank and coating it with a polymer. It involves a lot of acid, acetone, and other nasty looking chemicals, so unless you have a place where you can safely dump those, you probably want to take it to a radiator shop and have them do the job. But don't settle for just cleaning, these are bare steel tanks and they really need to be coated.
With a new line in there, tho, I'd be inclined to think there is something floating around in the tank that's blocking the outlet -- leaves? Plastic? If there isn't much gas in the tank, pull the valve out of the bottom and fish around.
Eastwood sells a kit for treating your tank and coating it with a polymer. It involves a lot of acid, acetone, and other nasty looking chemicals, so unless you have a place where you can safely dump those, you probably want to take it to a radiator shop and have them do the job. But don't settle for just cleaning, these are bare steel tanks and they really need to be coated.
New User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 19
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How about running the inlet pipe from the pump into a can of clean fuel, that way you will determine wether its your tank or the pipe from it before you go to all the trouble of removing them.
If it runs fine then it will take the tank/fuel line out of the equasion.
Paul.
If it runs fine then it will take the tank/fuel line out of the equasion.
Paul.
Elder User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 907
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From: Kansas City, Mo
Fuel blockage
Did you cut open old fuel filter to see if indeed it has rust etc causing blockage? Is the carb full of crud? Suggest doing the easy checks first. Previous entry about seprate fuel source also sounds good to me. Have a great day,chuck
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Massillon, Ohio
Dick is correct, with out a vented cap you will have problems. Don't ask how I know. I had a problem same as yours idled fine all day them died after running for a few minutes. Mine was two fold: one non vented gas cap, two fuel line too close to exhaust manifold and it was vapor locking
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2003
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From: Earth
Originally Posted by 4tl8ford
Make sure you have a vented gas cap on the tank
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Junior User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Mission Viejo, CA
Originally Posted by 4tl8ford
Make sure you have a vented gas cap on the tank
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,674
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From: Rowland Heights
Vented cap, vented cap. I went through this and took out the tank, got the eatwood stuff, It was the cap. If you never had the tank out it's a good experience, plus you can get some insulation done in the process. The tube on the stock tank is about 1/2 inch or less to the bottom of the tank. There is a drain plug in the middle of the tank to drain before taking it out. Once I had the tank out and the sending unit I didn't see anything rust or nothing that could plug the inlet so I didn't use the eastwood stuff. It's been running great since getting the vented cap.
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,014
Likes: 9,967
From: Rio Rancho, NM
I once spent an entire summer battling a fuel delivery problem in an old John Deere winrower. the danged thing would run great until you got down to about a 1/4 tank, then it would die (usually when you got to the far side of the field) it would run out of gas, you'd get down and tinker withthings and it would start back up and run for ahwile again.....over, and over, and over.
Long story short, it turned out to be a dead wasp in the fuel tank that was floating around on the top of the fuel. When the tank go tlow it would get sucked up into the fuel line, the suction would hold it there. When the engine died, the suctionf romt he fule pump went away, the wasp would float back out and you'd be able to pick up fuel again and drive for awhile before it got sucked back to the fuel line again.
You've had some great suggestions so far
Good luck
Bobby
Long story short, it turned out to be a dead wasp in the fuel tank that was floating around on the top of the fuel. When the tank go tlow it would get sucked up into the fuel line, the suction would hold it there. When the engine died, the suctionf romt he fule pump went away, the wasp would float back out and you'd be able to pick up fuel again and drive for awhile before it got sucked back to the fuel line again.
You've had some great suggestions so far
Good luck
Bobby
