Fuel Line Routing

[Skip]

Tried to fire up the 39 today. Finally ran out of have-to-do-before-I run-it stuff. I am wondering if the fuel line routing is preventing the gas form getting to the carb.

Essentially stock 305 Chevrolet small block with a mechanical two line fuel pump. Performer intake with a Carter AFB Competition Series carb. The tank is tucked up against the rear cross member of the S10 frame. Fuel line is run along inside of right frame rail, and up through a hole in the frame at the firewall. Then up over the upper A-arm, and down to the fuel pump. Essentially, the line climbs up about maybe 8 inches before dropping down to the fuel pump. Would this be too much for the stock fuel pump to handle?

I am thinking maybe the pump has just gone bad after sitting dry for a couple years. (Also wondering if the pick-up tube in the tank is there. And an assortment of other possibilities.)

I don't see any leaks.

For the record, it fires in about one turn when I squirt gas down the carb. Sounds good, too. For a couple seconds... Loud is good. Right?

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

The pump shouldn't have a problem pulling "uphill". (It has to pull up through the pickup tube to start with.)

Everything else being equal, I'd suspect the pump is shot, like you said...

.

 

[Skip]

Thanks, Doc.

A new pump is cheap. I'll get one tomorrow.

I think I did this build bassackwards. Should have done the running part while there weren't any body parts in the way. Likely would have sped up the rest of the work, too.

Live and learn.

 

[sneakysnake]

While you have the pump off, back blow the line make sure it's clear.

 

[Skip]

Put the new pump on yesterday afternoon. I now officially hate Chevy engines! Whoever engineered that stupid push-rod idea needs to be... Anyway, after a couple of YouTube videos, I ended up making a tool to hold that stupid rod up out of the way. It took longer to get the rod out of the way than to install the pump. Next time will be easier.

I ran out of time, and didn't get to fire it up yesterday. Will try it later today. Now I want to pretty up the fuel line from the pump to the carb.

 

[Skip]

While you have the pump off, back blow the line make sure it's clear.

Good advice. Thanks. I did that before I installed the lines, so they should be good.

 

[Bamamav]

Trick to installing a fuel pump on a Chevy engine> There is a bolt you can take out and put in a longer one that will hold the pushrod up out of the way while you change the pump.

I know, you wish somebody had of told you sooner, but I figured you knew about it.

 

[smallfoot]

There's tricks to them simple chevys too...

 

[Skip]

Trick to installing a fuel pump on a Chevy engine> There is a bolt you can take out and put in a longer one that will hold the pushrod up out of the way while you change the pump.

I know, you wish somebody had of told you sooner, but I figured you knew about it.

I figured it out with a little help from YouTube. I kind of knew there had to be an easier way. I took a 3/8 1-1/2 inch bolt and ground the first 3/4s of an inch of threads off of it, rounded the end, and made a nifty little tool. That way, there is no longer an inch of threading to get the bolt in. Just a couple of turns. Worked great.

Of course the rod was already down where it is a pain to get at. I had Permatex all over my hands up to my elbows by the time I finally got it together.

Interestingly, the 350 core engine in the corner has a bold plugging the hole, but the running 305 didn't. Go figure...

Thanks, Gang. Appreciate the help and the support. [cl

 

[sneakysnake]

Hack saw blade comes in handy too for pushing it back out of the way.

 

[Skip]

Hack saw blade comes in handy too for pushing it back out of the way.

I tried that trick, but I couldn't get it under the rod. The guy in the video made it look easy. Finally was able to get the right grip on it to move it up with a pair of 90-degree bent needle nose pliers. After that, tightening the new bolt tool did the trick. Next time, I'll know to put the bolt tool in BEFORE removing the pump. There is another Chevy engine project in the works. Gotta' do something with that dual-quad tunnel ram. Right?

 

[smallfoot]

So ya got the fuel pump in...did ya crank the chevy???

 

[Skip]

So ya got the fuel pump in...did ya crank the chevy???

Cranked it till the battery started getting weak. Still not pulling fuel.

There should be plenty of gas in the tank. Assuming there is nothing wrong with the pickup tube, I am kind of stumped.

Back at it tomorrow. Have to go do other stuff this afternoon/evening.

I really don't want to drop the tank, but it may come to that. It looks really clean inside, but I can't see the pickup tube from the filler neck. I have another tank that I know is good, it is just smaller, and doesn't fit under the truck. May use it if all else fails. It would have to be in the bed, which I was trying to avoid. But at least it will gravity feed.

I back blew the line, but I couldn't tell if bubbles happened at the other end or the truck.

Grrrrr [S

 

[sneakysnake]

If you have a hole in the line it will suck air and not pull the fuel out of the tank.Pull a suction on it see if you can fuel to the pump manually.

 

[Old Iron]

If you do what sneaky suggested and no leak, unhook the fuel line to the pump, pressurize the fuel tank with air to get the fuel to the pump then hook the hose back up to the pump.

 

[Skip]

If you do what sneaky suggested and no leak, unhook the fuel line to the pump, pressurize the fuel tank with air to get the fuel to the pump then hook the hose back up to the pump.

Got to this test, and the tank oil-canned when I pressurized it. So, I pulled the line off at the tank, and it still did it. Now I know where to look for the blockage.

The tank is out of an '70s MGB. Nice flat top, and it fit perfectly where I wanted it under the back of the truck where the spare tire used to live. Even has a drain bung. Hope I can sort out the issue. Maybe that is why I got it so cheap. [ddd[ddd

Dropping the tank after a late lunch.


Just spent some time on an MGB site. Common issue it seems. Clogged or lost pick-up tube filter screen. Very little access to fix it.

I have other tanks if this is an expensive fix.

 

[Skip]

Well, the worst case came to pass. The MGB tank is not an easy fix.

Going back to the fuel cell that I started out with. The rest of my AN fittings are supposed to show up tomorrow at the parts house. They will cost me more than the cell did.

I'll make a sexy little box to hide it out of bed wood scraps.

 

[Old Iron]

The sump goes on the back but, as a daily driver it really doesn't matter tho.

 

[Skip]

The sump goes on the back but, as a daily driver it really doesn't matter tho.

Yup. But as you say, with this one it doesn't matter. No hard launches expected from this little beast. Crusin' with my elbow sticking out the window is more like it.

My original plan was to put the cell in the front if the bed with a box around it. I am going back to that idea. I have this thing about trucks. They should be able to haul something even if it isn't much. Having the cell in the back would be in the way, and it messes with my sense of esthetics.

There are ways to make the MGB tank functional again, but I'll save that for another day.

 

[Bamamav]

Put the cell on one side at the front of the bed, the battery on the other side, with a firewall between them. Then build a wooden box and disguise it as a toolbox to cover both. Seen it done that way many times, I always like the neat look of it.