I can't get my truck to run!

[jayoldschool]

Back story: when I bought my truck, the original rusted out tank was thrown in the back of the bed. I got the owner to get it running by strapping a temp tank in the engine bay for the pump to pull from directly. I installed a brand new tank and sender. I has a few 20L cans poured in it, the dash gauge reads 1/2 full. Gauge is working, I just put in 20L, and the gauge went up.

I did have it running and moving on the temp can, and it did run, once, for a lap around the block, on the new tank.

I can get the truck to start by priming the carb directly with a little shot of gas. It will not stay running after the initial catch, however. I replaced the rubber line that goes from the hardline on the frame rail to the pump. No difference. After trying to start, I pulled that line off, it was full of fuel, so the pump is working, it's pulling fuel.

Moved on to the carb. Put a line wrench on, got the line off fine. Pulled the filter. Filter was the bronze one, but was backwards. Cone and spring towards the carb, not the line. I could blow air through it easily. In the bottom of the filter housing, there was a build up of black grainy stuff. Dirt? Old rubber? Not sure. Blew it out with brake cleaner. Put the filter back in, cone towards the line, but I now think I put the spring in on the wrong side, I put it in the cone. I'm thinking it should go behind, pushing the filter towards the line.

Just thinking out loud. Here are things that I am considering:
- replace any other rubber line (under cab, the other section that comes out of the pump)
- replace the pump (I have a NOS spare carter here somewhere)
- add a larger filter before the carb
- rebuild the carb, it's probably full of that black crap

I welcome any and all ideas. I'm sure I'm missing something. Old cars are usually easy to get started!

[slepysal]

You may want to rebuild the carb. You can also try using some Sea Foam. Pour some in the carb and see what happens ,pour the rest in the tank.

[Palf70Step]

Fuel Pump?

You could try running a line from the carb to a small can of gas and see if it will stay running.

AS mentioned, it may be the carb is gummed up and needs a good rebuild.

[Straydog]

Do you have a vented gas cap? Pretty sure you need a vented gas cap on those tanks. I would pull the coil wire off so it won't start then take the fuel line off at the carb and stick it in a clear bottle so you can see inside. Have somebody or yourself crank the engine over and see if its pumping fuel into the bottle. If its pumping a good amount of fuel then I would say its in the carb. If not pumping fuel crack the gas cap and try again, still nothing, ck and or replace fuel lines if needed and last still no fuel coming out of line at carb, replace pump.

[PGSigns]

I am willing to bet the fuel pump is bad.
Jimmy

[jayoldschool]

Original gas cap. I do have a locking one that I haven't put on yet. Most of my cranking today was with the cap off.

I'll do the line pump into a bottle when I get a chance to steal 30 seconds of my wife's time.

Then... replace pump/rebuild carb.

I might pop the dist cap and check timing and points, too. Wanted to do that after it was running, though...

Any ideas on that spring for the in-carb filter? Carb side or line side?

[Dans66Chevy]

The open end of the cone faces the line. The spring will go on the other side...

[jayoldschool]

Exactly what I thought, thanks.

[imjeff]

Fuel pump. It wasn't really needed because it sounds like you were basically gravity feeding the carb with the temp can.

[LT1 Burb]

I just had a similar thing happen with my 65 chevelle, took the brand new carb apart, lines etc. it was kicking my ass. John Aka NewFisher mentioned the condenser in the distributor and sure as $&@) that's what it was. I had forgotten all the old tuning problems because everything I owned was injected.

[Old Truck Man]

That sintered bronze filter is pretty good. A solid steel line between the fuel pump & carb is best & safest. Rubber lines and external filter under pressure are fire hazzards. The spring goes behind the filter and the cone towards the front. I like to convert to electronic ignition. Points have a difficult job with resistor spark plugs & todays gas. I would go ahead and get a carb kit and rework the carb. I once had a 61 with a bad gas tank. We installed a known good tank. Kept stopping up the bronze filter. After a time it quit pumping fuel. It turned out to be the metal line between the tank & fuel pump. It was choked solid with rust. We where along side the road. We found some bailing wire and poked it in the line and made it home. Replaced that gas line & no more trouble. Cut the old line apart and it was really clogged with rust & varnish. I like to install a wix metal filter between the tank & fuel pump. On a 60 thru 66 I put it at the back of the cab in the hose that connects the fuel line between the body and frame.