Fuel line from gas tank question
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Fuel line from gas tank question
Got the truck started but it's not getting enough fuel from the tank to keep it running.
We've traced it back to that main fuel line from the tank. It GETS fuel, but not enough to keep it running without spraying carb cleaner to keep it going. It has some old gas in it but we've got most of it out. What gas comes out up to to the engine smells and looks good.
Short of dropping the tank and putting an all new line in..you guys have any thoughts or suggestions here?
Thanks.
We've traced it back to that main fuel line from the tank. It GETS fuel, but not enough to keep it running without spraying carb cleaner to keep it going. It has some old gas in it but we've got most of it out. What gas comes out up to to the engine smells and looks good.
Short of dropping the tank and putting an all new line in..you guys have any thoughts or suggestions here?
Thanks.
#2
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Has the line been kinked??
How can you be sure it is not the pump or the or the sock on the pump if it had bad gas for a while.
If you can remove the damaged section replace with a short section of fuel injection hose and the correct clamps.
If your going to drop the tank may as well doit right.
How can you be sure it is not the pump or the or the sock on the pump if it had bad gas for a while.
If you can remove the damaged section replace with a short section of fuel injection hose and the correct clamps.
If your going to drop the tank may as well doit right.
#3
Registered User
have you tried blowing compressed air through the line?
i would catch the gas from the other end of the line in a clean cup so you can check for rust/contaminents.
is it an electric pump like my 79 was, or is it a mechanical pump?
i would catch the gas from the other end of the line in a clean cup so you can check for rust/contaminents.
is it an electric pump like my 79 was, or is it a mechanical pump?
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
See my answers in red below. Thanks for this quick help.
Has the line been kinked??
Not that I know of.
How can you be sure it is not the pump or the or the sock on the pump if it had bad gas for a while.
The fuel pump up on the motor has been replaced. I don't know anything about the 'sock on the pump'. Is there another pump on the tank? Yea, it had bad gas from sitting but we thought we siphoned most of that out. Actually, in addition, we pulled the line to the carb and just cranked the engine and primed a lot of the old gas out. What's coming out now smells and looks normal. We have replaced with a little new gas with Staybuilt in it.
If you can remove the damaged section replace with a short section of fuel injection hose and the correct clamps.
Not sure how to locate a damaged section at this point without just dropping the tank and getting our eyes and hands on the whole line.
If your going to drop the tank may as well doit right.
true..I sure hope we can solve this without that though. I'm not setup for that. Since it's not even running to get it up on some ramps in the barn to get clearance to work underneath. I guess I could get a few guys and push it up on some ramps. LOL.
Not that I know of.
How can you be sure it is not the pump or the or the sock on the pump if it had bad gas for a while.
The fuel pump up on the motor has been replaced. I don't know anything about the 'sock on the pump'. Is there another pump on the tank? Yea, it had bad gas from sitting but we thought we siphoned most of that out. Actually, in addition, we pulled the line to the carb and just cranked the engine and primed a lot of the old gas out. What's coming out now smells and looks normal. We have replaced with a little new gas with Staybuilt in it.
If you can remove the damaged section replace with a short section of fuel injection hose and the correct clamps.
Not sure how to locate a damaged section at this point without just dropping the tank and getting our eyes and hands on the whole line.
If your going to drop the tank may as well doit right.
true..I sure hope we can solve this without that though. I'm not setup for that. Since it's not even running to get it up on some ramps in the barn to get clearance to work underneath. I guess I could get a few guys and push it up on some ramps. LOL.
have you tried blowing compressed air through the line?
Yes we did, back from the truck to the tank. We could see vapor coming out of the gas tank with the lid off. He said there was more resistance than should be.
i would catch the gas from the other end of the line in a clean cup so you can check for rust/contaminents.
Did that and it's actually pretty clear now. The fuel filter looks and smells like good gas now after doing what I talked about above. Filter is good when you blow through it, so no particles came out of the tank.
is it an electric pump like my 79 was, or is it a mechanical pump?
See, I'm not sure about these pumps. We replaced the pump on the motor and it worked great for a few minutes. Even idled itself down. Now, it'll crank and run but only with carb cleaner shot in it.
You can see in the carb window, if it's hooked up normally, just a little bit of gas in the bottom. Not 1/2 like it's supposed to be.
Yes we did, back from the truck to the tank. We could see vapor coming out of the gas tank with the lid off. He said there was more resistance than should be.
i would catch the gas from the other end of the line in a clean cup so you can check for rust/contaminents.
Did that and it's actually pretty clear now. The fuel filter looks and smells like good gas now after doing what I talked about above. Filter is good when you blow through it, so no particles came out of the tank.
is it an electric pump like my 79 was, or is it a mechanical pump?
See, I'm not sure about these pumps. We replaced the pump on the motor and it worked great for a few minutes. Even idled itself down. Now, it'll crank and run but only with carb cleaner shot in it.
You can see in the carb window, if it's hooked up normally, just a little bit of gas in the bottom. Not 1/2 like it's supposed to be.
#5
Registered User
i think you need to pull the pump and check it for contaminants, or just try to run it on a gas bottle that you hang up and gravity feed to test the pump.
then you can pull the tank and flush all the trash out, look in the tank for water/trash on the bottomwith a flashlight, and test the fuel line. if your not getting a full flow with compressed air (use a rubber tip nozzle to get a good seal) through the line you know where the problem is.
are you running a fuel filter?
my 79 had an electric pump in the tank. the relief valve kept going out, ethanol i suspect, and i could drop the tank with a skid plate and change it in less than an hour.
then you can pull the tank and flush all the trash out, look in the tank for water/trash on the bottomwith a flashlight, and test the fuel line. if your not getting a full flow with compressed air (use a rubber tip nozzle to get a good seal) through the line you know where the problem is.
are you running a fuel filter?
my 79 had an electric pump in the tank. the relief valve kept going out, ethanol i suspect, and i could drop the tank with a skid plate and change it in less than an hour.
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
i think you need to pull the pump and check it for contaminants, or just try to run it on a gas bottle that you hang up and gravity feed to test the pump.
then you can pull the tank and flush all the trash out, look in the tank for water/trash on the bottomwith a flashlight, and test the fuel line. if your not getting a full flow with compressed air (use a rubber tip nozzle to get a good seal) through the line you know where the problem is.
are you running a fuel filter? Absolutely Yes
my 79 had an electric pump in the tank. the relief valve kept going out, ethanol i suspect, and i could drop the tank with a skid plate and change it in less than an hour.
then you can pull the tank and flush all the trash out, look in the tank for water/trash on the bottomwith a flashlight, and test the fuel line. if your not getting a full flow with compressed air (use a rubber tip nozzle to get a good seal) through the line you know where the problem is.
are you running a fuel filter? Absolutely Yes
my 79 had an electric pump in the tank. the relief valve kept going out, ethanol i suspect, and i could drop the tank with a skid plate and change it in less than an hour.
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#8
Registered User
looks to me like you have it figured out, just may not realize it yet.
you should have only one fuel pump, either a mechanical on the engine or an electric in the tank. your fuel pump is working as you have found out, so all you have left to do is the rest of my suggestions. pull the tank, check for water/trash, and blow out the fuel line and clean the screen inside the tank on the fuel pickup.
you should have only one fuel pump, either a mechanical on the engine or an electric in the tank. your fuel pump is working as you have found out, so all you have left to do is the rest of my suggestions. pull the tank, check for water/trash, and blow out the fuel line and clean the screen inside the tank on the fuel pickup.
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
looks to me like you have it figured out, just may not realize it yet.
you should have only one fuel pump, either a mechanical on the engine or an electric in the tank. your fuel pump is working as you have found out, so all you have left to do is the rest of my suggestions. pull the tank, check for water/trash, and blow out the fuel line and clean the screen inside the tank on the fuel pickup.
you should have only one fuel pump, either a mechanical on the engine or an electric in the tank. your fuel pump is working as you have found out, so all you have left to do is the rest of my suggestions. pull the tank, check for water/trash, and blow out the fuel line and clean the screen inside the tank on the fuel pickup.
What's the gig with that. That's totally something I've never done.
Bear in mind, it's in a barn, it ain't got no motor running to drive it up on ramps or anything to get clearance to work under it.
Hate to seem ignant, I just aint ever done that.
#10
Registered User
piece of cake. i can remember from about 15 years ago, you need a 3/8 ratchet and extension a 10, 12 and an 8 mm socket if it is the same as my 79. if you have a full tank of gas it will need to be siphoned to make it lighter.
start with the gas tank skid plate, then the filler hose clamp, and the gas tank itself. after you have it on the ground, on the top of the tank is the 8mm bolts with the cap, where the gas line is attached. not sure exacctly how the mechanical fuel pump gas tank setup is cause mine was an electrical fuel pump. you should have two lines coming from the tank one gas to the fuel pump and one to the vap can under the hood. there should be a bolt on cap with the fuel pickup hose on it and a bolt on cap for the fuel guage sending unit.
start with the gas tank skid plate, then the filler hose clamp, and the gas tank itself. after you have it on the ground, on the top of the tank is the 8mm bolts with the cap, where the gas line is attached. not sure exacctly how the mechanical fuel pump gas tank setup is cause mine was an electrical fuel pump. you should have two lines coming from the tank one gas to the fuel pump and one to the vap can under the hood. there should be a bolt on cap with the fuel pickup hose on it and a bolt on cap for the fuel guage sending unit.
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
piece of cake. i can remember from about 15 years ago, you need a 3/8 ratchet and extension a 10, 12 and an 8 mm socket if it is the same as my 79. if you have a full tank of gas it will need to be siphoned to make it lighter.
start with the gas tank skid plate, then the filler hose clamp, and the gas tank itself. after you have it on the ground, on the top of the tank is the 8mm bolts with the cap, where the gas line is attached. not sure exacctly how the mechanical fuel pump gas tank setup is cause mine was an electrical fuel pump. you should have two lines coming from the tank one gas to the fuel pump and one to the vap can under the hood. there should be a bolt on cap with the fuel pickup hose on it and a bolt on cap for the fuel guage sending unit.
start with the gas tank skid plate, then the filler hose clamp, and the gas tank itself. after you have it on the ground, on the top of the tank is the 8mm bolts with the cap, where the gas line is attached. not sure exacctly how the mechanical fuel pump gas tank setup is cause mine was an electrical fuel pump. you should have two lines coming from the tank one gas to the fuel pump and one to the vap can under the hood. there should be a bolt on cap with the fuel pickup hose on it and a bolt on cap for the fuel guage sending unit.
I'll get with my mechanic buddy and I guess we have no other choice but to do that.
Again, getting it UP a little bit to have clearance underneath to work and drop it is a big deal right now. It doesn't have a lift kit added, just stock height. I mean we can crawl under it but I don't see that's enough elbow room to work and drop it...but I could be wrong.
Do you get it up on anything to drop the tank?
#12
Registered User
Thread Starter
piece of cake. i can remember from about 15 years ago, you need a 3/8 ratchet and extension a 10, 12 and an 8 mm socket if it is the same as my 79. if you have a full tank of gas it will need to be siphoned to make it lighter.
start with the gas tank skid plate, then the filler hose clamp, and the gas tank itself. after you have it on the ground, on the top of the tank is the 8mm bolts with the cap, where the gas line is attached. not sure exacctly how the mechanical fuel pump gas tank setup is cause mine was an electrical fuel pump. you should have two lines coming from the tank one gas to the fuel pump and one to the vap can under the hood. there should be a bolt on cap with the fuel pickup hose on it and a bolt on cap for the fuel guage sending unit.
start with the gas tank skid plate, then the filler hose clamp, and the gas tank itself. after you have it on the ground, on the top of the tank is the 8mm bolts with the cap, where the gas line is attached. not sure exacctly how the mechanical fuel pump gas tank setup is cause mine was an electrical fuel pump. you should have two lines coming from the tank one gas to the fuel pump and one to the vap can under the hood. there should be a bolt on cap with the fuel pickup hose on it and a bolt on cap for the fuel guage sending unit.
Mark
#14
Registered User
I didn't have to raise mine up to change the clutch, so I expect there should be room to drop the gas tank too. But maybe I have an aftermarket lift, I don't know how to tell. I like trucks with tall tires (mine are 32") for jobs like this.
#15
Registered User
Lots of good advice here already. Kind of obvious, but I'd replace all of your rubber fuel lines while you are at it.
Also (probably not related to your current problem), but make sure that the fuel return line is clear and the tank is venting properly.
Also (probably not related to your current problem), but make sure that the fuel return line is clear and the tank is venting properly.
#16
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iTrader: (1)
Before dropping the tank, I would replace the fuel filter again, it's easy and cheap, maybe some debris got in it after the first start ups and clogged it, same thing happened to a friend of mine, the fuel filter was new with an old tank and old gas, truck ran fine for about 30 mins then wouldn't idle and kept sputtering, we changed the fuel filter and it was fine for a little while, then same thing again, we ended up removing the tank and cleaned it good, changed fuel filter again and all is fine.
#18
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Thread Starter
Before dropping the tank, I would replace the fuel filter again, it's easy and cheap, maybe some debris got in it after the first start ups and clogged it, same thing happened to a friend of mine, the fuel filter was new with an old tank and old gas, truck ran fine for about 30 mins then wouldn't idle and kept sputtering, we changed the fuel filter and it was fine for a little while, then same thing again, we ended up removing the tank and cleaned it good, changed fuel filter again and all is fine.
Then, every other time since then, she'll die from no gas. We did empty and blow out the fuel filter. It's really running pretty clear out of it now. It did have old fuel in it, but it's clear now. It's just getting the volume of gas it needs to run.
Won't hurt to change it though.
Absolutely. Probably better to just do it. More of the history I reckon.
#20
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Thread Starter