Here's the deal.
Just finished putting in a replacement 700R4...by myself...had to eat my wheaties, but I did it.
Engine has been moded from the block up, heads, cam shaft, headers and all new plugs, wires, dist.

Tried to start after finished with tranny. had not been started in 2 months. Would not start. It would crank but not start. Could not see any gas in carb. Hit it with carb cleaner 2 or 3 times and it finally started.
Took it out to check tranny. Ran in drive way for 20 min just fine. Drove around block 4 or 5 times maybe 2 miles total.
Shut off for 1 hr. Got back in and started. drove 2 blocks...died. Would not start, just cranked & cranked. Battery almost dead. got out and pushed it back towards to the house...needed more wheaties. Tried to start again and it did. Drove back to house.

Trying to figure out what to do.

Is there an electric fuel pump that could be dying?

The mechanical pump is new and the filter at the carb is brand new.

It seems to be fuel delivery not electrical.

I disconnected the hose at the carb and put it in a bottle and it sprayed nicely as I cranked.


What do I do from here?

 

You said the battery was almost dead? Fuel delivery isn't going to kill the battery. Have the charging system checked first before throwing money into guesses.

 

I think the battery was almost dead from cranking it trying to start it several times on the side of the road. But I will get it checked first before doing anything else.

 

Ok
Tested the charging system and everything tested good.
Battery is new and tested by Advance Auto and the alternator was rebuilt by me a couple of months ago and tests good by my fancy battery charger.

Tonight I tried to start it up and she started after 2 or 3 cranks and a shot of carb cleaner. Ran for about 1 min and suddenly died. Now she cranks but will not start.
I have a remote starter and I propped open the choke plates and while cranking I could not see gasoline.
If I hit it with carb cleaner it would catch temporarily and then die again.

How exactly does the fuel delivery sytem work on this thing.

I know there is a mechanical pump, because I removed it to put on a nice edelbrock...only to realize that I had a 3 hose system and the replacement was a 2 hose...i was confused so I put the old one back on.
Is there an electric pump also? could it be bad?

Any direction would be great.

 

Have you checked your fuel filter lately? Also, have you checked your fuel pressure? Definately sounds fuel related though.

 

The fuel filter in the carb is 2 months old...should be in good shape.
I just went out and cranked it up again and it started for about 20 seconds ... then died again...as soon as it did, I pulled the hose off the carb and put it in a can and cranked and nothing is coming out of the hose.

Would that be the mechanical pump?

 

How do I check the fuel pressure?

 

I think you just answered your own question. If you are cranking, and no gas is spewing, you need a new pump.

 

Mechanical?

Where can I find the 3 hose pump.
I did not see any in Jegs or Summit?

 

Autozone, checkers, pep boys, oriellys auto, any of the big chains. A stock replacement pump will support an engine past 400hp. No need to spend money you dont need too. More than likely it will be under 20. The last one that I bought ran me 12.99

 

thanks for the help...I am on my way

 

New mechanical fuel pump...still a no start.
There is still no fuel coming out at the carb.
I removed the hose at the carb and stuck it in a can...cranked and still no fuel coming.

What now?

I do not think it has an electric pump as there was no fuse in that fuse location.

 

I disconnected the fuel lines at the pump and blew air back down the lines. I could hear the gasoline bubbling in the tank. (Thought maybe the lines were clogged). Reattached and it started. COOL.
It ran for about 10 minutes and I adjusted the idle speed a little.
I shut it off and started it again and it fired right up! HOOTIE HOOO!
About 2 minuted later, i could tell something was wrong... it stumbled, coughed and died. Will not start again.

Pulled the gas line at the carb and no fuel was coming out as i cranked it.

This is a brand new pump.

Could something be overheating and causing it not to run?
or
Could it be in the gas tank itself?

I've got Hooker 2055 dropping into a 3 inch flowmaster all the way back. It is very hot in the engine bay.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Doesnt really sound like vapor lock, because you said before it was doing it cold. Maybe you have something in your gastank, clogging up the pickup? Maybe the sock is mucked up?

 

True.

I guess I need to drop the tank.

So, Even if there is no fuel pump in the tank, there is a pick up tube of some sort with a filter on it?

Sounds logical.

 

Dude before you go into the pita of dropping the tank try putting some dry gas in your tank. My car set for over two months ehrn i was doing a tranny swap and it was a royal bitch to start. i somehow got water in my tank and then i put drygas in had to persuede it to start with the ol carb cleaner but after i got it to fire i was in the clear. hopefully that helps ya.

 

one more thing you also might want to check your timing mine was off and that really helped get rid of the spuratic dieing issue.

 

Let me know if you get if fixed, I'm having a very similar problem.

 

Thats all well and good, but when he disconnects his fuel line, and caranks it, nothing comes out. Not even water.

 

talked to the guys at advance auto and they said the new pump could be bad.... I guess I need to take it off and swap it. PITA
I do not see much other choice however.

 

Next Chapter...
I decided to bypass the gas tank altogether to determine if the fuel pump was the problem.
I removed the hose going from the hard line to the mechanical pump and plugged the hard line...then stuck the hose into a gas can with about 2 gal. I then started her up!
Hootie Hooooo (angels singing, harps playing etc.):lala:
ran for 4 or 5 minutes. Shut her off. started right back up! Did that 4 or 5 times running like a dream.

Sooooooo....I guess that means either plugged lines or bad tank.
Once again I blew the lines with air and it is definitely getting clear thru to the tank.

What should I do:
1) Replace the hardlines with other hardlines
2) Replace the hardline with braided rubber
3) Replace the tank
4) Combination of all 3

Never done any of the 3 but I am willing to try with some guidance.

 

Take the tank down, and while it is down, blow with an air compressor through the gas lines. Then clean out the tank. If you are seriously planning on keeping the car, maybe take it to get dipped, and re coated on the outside. Then replace the pick up sock. When you hook it back up, I think all your problems will be gone.

 

How long should it take me to drop the tank?
I am not looking forward to this.
any tips for dropping the tank?

 

disconnect everything but the rear shocks. Drop the rear all the way down, as far as it will go. Then be ready to cuss and swear it all the way out and back in.

 

I couldn't have done it without unbolting the rear shocks!!! It took me about 6 hours with no breaks, except for some cursing here and there, just to get it out. It only took 2 hours to put it back in!!! I could drop out pretty quick now that I know exactly how to do it. Getting the filler neck to line up and fit with plastic piece when I put it back in was a real pain in the ****! Keep in mind that I did this by myself, if someone had helped it would have been alot easier!!! Good luck with it!!!

 

When I did it, I left the rear shocks bolted up, but a lot of people say that they have problems doing so. I agree with you though, the hardest part of all is getting it back up into place, and getting the neck lined up on its way up. PITA!

 

Thanks...I think.
Should I buy a new tank? If so...where?
Someone mentioned dipping and coating the old tank?!?
Where would I get something like that done?

BTW...I looked and there are 2 wires going into the top of the tank...1 black, 1 white. It looks like possibly a 3rd wire was clipped but not sure.

Does this mean no electric pump in the tank?

 

If it looks like one of the wires is already clipped, then someone must have already removed the pump or it is pumping through a non-functioning pump. I wouldn't go buy a new tank until I had seen the inside of the one you have. Mine was the original in an '87 model and it looked brand new on the inside. When I got it all back together, I still had the stalling problem. I finally traced it down to a bad ECM. :shrug: If you decide to drop the tank, make sure you are in a good mood!!!

 

If one wire is already clipped, then someone has at the very least disabled the in tank pump. If I were a betting man, I would almost bet that the in tank pump has messed up, and now you cant draw any gas through it at all, that happens quite often. Many people just leave the pump and say "it runs just fine" and then get mad a year later when they have to drop the tank. Someone may have removed it too, and now the pickup sock is plugged, you never know. Either way, its time for the tank to come out.

 

Man...Y'all are just chock full of good news

Guess I will need to free up a week end and have at it.

Do I NEED an in tank pump?

Should I just remove it and replace the pick up sock?

I am cc Carbed.

 

No you do not need an intank pump. IMO the mechanical pump is far superior to the electric for a carb setup.

 

sounds good to me and my wallet!

 

Well it has been awhile, but I finally jerked the tank out today. Whew what a job!
That was the most frustrating job I have done in a while.

Any way...No intank pump. Just a pick up sock.

I replaced it and am in the process of reinstalling the tank. I have already spent a solid 8 hours and the tank is up in the cavity but I was to tired to hold it up any more trying to get the strap bolts restarted.
I have new shocks and springs to put in before I button it all up. I hope to finish it tomorrow. I'll update after I finish installing.

 

Was the pickup sock clogged?

 

appeared to be... hard to tell.

 

Mine wasn't stalling, but low fuel pressure was causing it to fall on its' face at higher rpm's. It would try to stall if I kept my foot in it sometimes. I installed a little cheapo electric fuel pump back by the tank and it solved that problem. The new mechanical fuel pump that I had installed just wasn't enough. I don't know if I have clogged fuel lines or what, but it runs like new now.

If you still have problems with it after you get it back together, you might wanna try replacing the rubber lines if you haven't already.

Now that mine is fixed, I like to just look at it. I'm afraid something else will tear up if I drive it too much!

 

yea I replaced all the rubber from the mechanical to the carb, the lines from the mechanical to the hard lines in the front and then the 6 inches from the tank to the hard lines in the back.
I got the tank back up in but it was getting cold. I just need to put the heat shields back in and then the exhaust.

I hope it fires up and get me on the road.

 

Ok
Tank is back in and I blew the lines out before I hooked everything up.
Fired it up and she started up with only a little persuasion.
I let it idle for 10 min and checked the timing and tweaked the idle to about 700rpm. sat pretty nicely.
Put it in gear to back into the drive way and she started to die.
I tried to feather the gas and she died and had a very difficult time restarting.
The only way to start her again was to floor the accelerator and she would start but die as soon as I let her below 1500rpm.

New rebuilt carb from autozone but it could be bad.
Could it be the carb or maybe a vacuum leak?

Help me out here.

 

Could it be the choke?

 

What pump did you buy & where did you get it?
I need to check the fuel pressure ...but it seems to not have enough.

I have watched the choke and it seems to be working properly.

 

I got it at Autozone. It was around $30 and I think it is a Purolator. Mine used to stall when I would back out of a parking space after it had been shut off for about 15 minutes. It doesn't do that with the little electric pump helping out. I poured alot of money into it trying to fix my fuel delivery problem. If only I had bought that little electric pump first!

 

How did you wire up that little sucker?
I am doing that next no matter what.

 

I ran one of the bigger fuel filters before it and then I tapped into the wiring that went to the old pump that was inside the tank. I found the relay on the driver side of the firewall and ran it to a ground so it would come on with the ignition. If you have that relay on the firewall, let me know and I'll tell you which wires are which to save you some time. If not, then you could always use a Radio Shack 12v relay and run a wire to the rear of the car to power the pump, but that would be a real PITA. It could probably be run without a relay, but I've had too many melted wires and fried toggle switches in the past to risk it.

 

and
Installed the fuel pump but still having a difficult time running.
It will barely start if the accelerator is almost floored, but die as soon as the I let off. It will not even idle at this point.
I checked the choke and it is getting 12volts and pulls it shut.

Where do I go from here?

By the way...this is a new rebuilt CC Carb purchased from AutoZone.

 

Could it be a problem with the rod inside the engine that pushes on the mechanical pump? That's all I can think of. You have one of those mysterious problems like I always seem to get.

Now that you have that electric pump back there, does it get gas to the carb now? Just for kicks, I think I would bypass the mechanical with some rubber hose and just try it with the electric pump pushing the gas. Did you wire the pump to come on with the ignition or do you have it hooked up to an oil pressure switch?

 

fuel delivery seems fine.
I hooked it up to a switched 12 volt supply.
Disconnected the hose at the carb and gas flows freely.
I am thinking vacuum leak or bad carb.

 

I also seem to be running rich.
When it dies gas sprays up thru the choke plate and 2 little holes just in front of the carb plate.
When it does start there is lots of white smoke and strong fuel odor.
I am gonna replace the fiber spacer between the carb and the manifold. I found a little gas leak that seems to be coming from there...so I would imagine that means the spacer is bad.

Could that cause a vacuum leak?
When I feather the accel. it stays running now...barely.
I also adjusted the choke back it seemed to have alot of tension on it.

 

I had one go bad on an old '77 Malibu and it gave me fits. It was causing a major vacuum leak. I found it by accident when I was messin' around with something else. I put my finger on it and it starting running fine. When I was putting a new one on I dropped a piece of the old gasket down in the intake. After many curse words, my wife came out with the vacuum cleaner and sucked out the piece of old gasket.

 

Replaced carb...again.
New gasket under carb.
New ECM...switched PROM chip from old one.
Replaced all vacuum and emission hoses on top of engine.

Fired up right away ran for 5-10 min. (lots of smelly exhaust) put in gear to back out of drive and she died...will not restart.
Will crank but acts like it is flooded.

Side Note.......... an extra o2 plug on Cat. fell out and very black soot shot out of brand new Cat.

What should I check next?

 

You know you're getting air and fuel now, how's the fire part of the equation? Sounds like it has a weak spark.