I believe my fuel pump is bad, possibly...

[Wilbur]

I have a 1965 Ford inline six 200 ci with the smaller peanut three speed manual trans behind it.

The car has not been started for possibly two years but ran last time I started it.

Today it would fire up and run fine for five to ten seconds if I poured a very small amount of gas into the carb, but no fuel was being pumped to the carb while the motor ran. I started the motor about ten to fifteen times like this and let it run until the small amount of fuel ran out. Still, no fuel going to the carb. The filter on the carb is clear, the fuel lines from the gas tank are clear, no obstructions.

The clear inline fuel filter between the mechanical pump on the block and the filter on the carb "appears" clear but I did not remove it and blow through it to see if there were no obstructions, but it is a transparent body for the filter and I see no rust, no sediment, nothing that could be obstructing fuel flow.

I removed the fuel line near the gas tank and felt for "suction" while the motor ran for the five or so seconds using the fuel poured into the carb, there was very weak suction.

So here is my question, does anyone believe that maybe if I removed the fuel pump and fiddled with it or lubed it, that it would begin to work properly again?

I will replace it if I must but no sense in wasted effort if it does not need to be replaced.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas?

As usual, I thank you all for taking the time to provide your input! Thank you!

[ew1usnr]

Good morning, Wilbur.


So here is my question, does anyone believe that maybe if I removed the fuel pump and fiddled with it or lubed it, that it would begin to work properly again?

I would say .... no.

The fuel pump only has an arm that moves up and down and a rubber diaphragm and two flap valves. About the only thing that could go wrong would be for one of the rubber pieces to crack.

It is possible to rebuild a fuel pump.
See: http://www.binderplanet.com/forums/showwiki.php?title=Rebuilding+a+Mechanical+Fuel+Pu mp

But, it would be a surprise if your car had an original fuel pump on it and a new one only costs $35. When mine quit I replaced it with one of these:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/_/N-8vcz2?itemIdentifier=193300_806779_0

“Airtex mechanical fuel pumps are the only mechanical fuel pumps manufactured in the USA. Advanced polymer pump diaphragms help ensure consistent performance in multiple fuel blends. Coverage for classic, performance and non-fuel injected vehicles.”

[doghows]

Wilbur, take the fuel line off at the carburetor and put it into a jar or bucket. Pour fuel into the carb and start it like you were doing. See if there is fuel being pumped into the jar. If not bad fuel pump but if there is fuel being pumped you probably have a stuck float in the carb or the small seat valve is stuck not allowing fuel into the carb.
Give that shot because a new fuel pump won't fix that. [thumb]

[Luva65wagon]

So many carb cores I bought - for a certain other project - had hammer blows to the tops of them because floats stuck in the closed position and needed a good persuasion hit to free them up. Many were so warped they were useless. So do exactly as Steve said to see if that test works. If the pump works, DONT USE A HAMMER TO FREE THE FLOAT. :D Get a kit and rebuild the carburetor, our use something soft-faced if you have to hit it.

Also the other side of this is to pull the line going to the tank from the pump (suction side) and attach a short hose going into a gas can. If it pumps, check from engine to tank - inch-by-inch - for failures. You can have a rotted hard fuel line or hoses to the tank.

[doghows]

Good thought with the gas can. If the pickup tube is plugged or broke off the pump can't pump what the pump don't get!?! :D

[Luva65wagon]

Good thought with the gas can. If the pickup tube is plugged or broke off the pump can't pump what the pump don't get!?! :D

Or... It can't suck fuel if it is sucking air too.

[pbrown]

Dumb question but is there fuel in the tank?

[Luva65wagon]

Dumb question but is there fuel in the tank?

I guess, technically, that would be sucking air too...

:o

[doghows]

Don't be trying to cover your answer now. :ROTFLMAO:

[Wilbur]

Hello everyone, I've been freakishly busy so had little time to work on the car nor respond to all your suggestions.

This is how the car issue played out, I had an idea that maybe I should fill all fuel lines with fuel, sort of "prime the pump", and maybe that's what was needed.

I did that and the car ran and continued running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THEN QUIT.

At least it ran for some minutes, but I believe it was due to all the fuel in the eight feet of line, that's all there is, eight feet cuz the tank is a temporary tank and we don't have far to move the fuel.

Anyway, I continued priming the pump, so to day, disconnecting and filling all lines, from the carb to the filter and then from the pump to the tank, and I finally got the car to run consistently and it ran for twenty minutes.

I checked that plastic inline fuel filter, it was unobstructed but I bought a new one anyway, but I don't see how that could have been the problem given that the old one was unobstructed.

Needless to say, it seems that priming the pump did the trick, and AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE!!!

I never should have let the car sit for a year or a year and a half.

It's actually been run and driven very little in the past ten or so years, and as we all know, that's a very bad thing to do to a car.

Again, my sincere THANKS to all of your for taking the time to contribute your knowledge, I truly appreciate it and hope to one day meet some or all of you at a get together. :)