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This time I was with my daughters, not my wife. My wife had to come and get the girls in her Toyota while I waited for the tow truck.
Actually, there's a park 200 yards S of this senior community that I pulled into. I checked the engine idling and tried to continue home. The car died as I pulled off the road into the driveway of the senior community. Last time I think I had to push the car 50 yards into the driveway
It's either a fuel pump, or the HEI module again. If it's the HEI module I'm not going to get another, I'll just go back to my points distributor. I actually put a new Summit HEI module and coil in it at the beginning of the summer. The old HEI module that is known BAD sits on my desk at work with a small collection of treasures.
I suspect that it might be a fuel pump because it seems that the fuel pump hardly moves any fuel looking through the filter with the engine idling. Spirited acceleration (opening the secondaries just a bit) causes a stumble as if the fuel bowl of the carburetor runs dry and the fuel pump can't keep up.
Then again, after having the Oldsmobile towed home, it started right up and I was able to pull it into the shop. The fuel filter was; of course, full when I pulled into the shop.
If it's the HEI module I have to get spark plug wires to stab the old points distributor. Plus I need to get a resistor wire and rewire the distributor and coil. I don't think I have a radio capacitor for the coil either.
If it's the fuel pump I'm going to an electric unless somebody knows of a mechanical that isn't imported junk. Maybe from Fusick? I checked Summit and the Holley Red fuel pump is $199 and built in the US (as of 3 years ago). If I call Summit and it's still made in the US I'd be willing to buy it.
BTW, A++ to Wes from Elite towing. He's a master at his craft. He used 2 boards when loading the Olds on his flatbed so the exhaust tips wouldn't scrape. He also used a jacket to insulate the bottom of the front bumper and cross member from the tow cable that he used to winch my Olds onto the flatbed.
I installed a Carter "musclecar" fuel pump in my '69 about a year ago and so far have no complaints. However, check your outlet pressure with any new pump you install. I'd be cautious with a 'no name' Fusick pump. I trust Fusick but there's no telling who's making these pumps, or where.
The local auto parts store had a fuel pressure tester kit to rent at $180, but it was for later model cars with fuel injection. The gauge was 0-140 psi. It seems that the ones available on Amazon or at Horrible Freight are the same.
Last edited by Olds64; Nov 13, 2025 at 06:44 AM.
Reason: Housekeeping
This is very similar to what happened with my Cutlass a couple months ago. I had spark and it would only run on starter fluid. It turned out that the fuel pump was dead but more importantly the sock in the tank was torn to shreds. I pulled the line off at the pump, placed it in a bottle and cranked it over to see if fuel was coming out from the pump and I had nothing. About 40 bucks later she ran like new again. I bought a cheap siphon pump from Harbor Freight to drain the tank and had it back together in no time. Best of luck to you!
I don't know how much the gauge will like gas shoved in it. Pull a vacuum to suck it out.
A clean, laborious solution would be a new carb to fuel pump metal line, cut in half some place with a plastic tee and fuel line hose and clamps between tee, both chunks of the metal line, and the third leg to the gauge.
Try this first. Siphon out the tank, fill some gas cans. Take the supply line off the pump from the tank and run it off hose off the gas can. You could have a dead sock or a crapped up vent.
First solution might be driving with the gas cap off.
It's cheaper than the $250 AutoMeter fuel pressure gauge from Summit Racing, has an electric sender and is better quality than the super cheap imports you can get at the international shopping website. Updates to come.
The local auto parts store had a fuel pressure tester kit to rent at $180, but it was for later model cars with fuel injection. The gauge was 0-140 psi. It seems that the ones available on Amazon or at Horrible Freight are the same.
What I've used is a HF vac/pressure gauge and just dead head to out of fuel pump and crank the engine, that's all.
The kit came with several adaptor fittings.
This is overkill but should work. My recommendation would be a simple 3/8 rubber line to run from the pump outlet to carb inlet with a simple gauge plumbed in-line. You only need to start the engine once to monitor the outlet pressure. Cheap gauges can be purchased through Summit for $20-ish bucks. Once you verify your outlet pressure, swap back to your hard line.
The bigger issue you may have, assuming you change the pump, is the outlet pressure being too high. By that I mean 7-10psi. If that's the case, you'll have to regulate it down closer to 6. 7 is borderline but if you see 7.5+, expect problems.
Again, it could be many things in the fuel system besides the pump.
What he said. I'm wondering about your gas line/hoses. After reading your posting, Is it possible that you have a bad hose that is allowing air into the system? That would explain how your gas filter barely had any fuel in it, yet when you get home it's full and you are able to drive the car into the garage.
I had a fuel suction problem on my old truck 2 years ago. It quit on me this summer and I "tunnel visioned" on it must be a fuel issue. Found out later that is was a bad coil- sometimes a ignition issue can seem like a fuel issue cuz it take more voltage/power to fire plugs under a load than sitting idling. I agree most failures I have seen on HEI's back in the day were complete but still.... I love the pertronics I put in my Olds, but I know there is lots of others who have had lots of issues with them.
Since the car started fine after towing it home I think I'm going back to the points distributor. A no hot start condition is a classic sign of a failed HEI module. I had installed a module and coil I got from Summit at the beginning of the summer. Apparently, the only way you can run HEI nowadays is to use NOS parts.
It's either a fuel pump, or the HEI module again. If it's the HEI module I'm not going to get another, I'll just go back to my points distributor. I actually put a new Summit HEI module and coil in it at the beginning of the summer.
The doubt when using this part is a nightmare. Funny thing is for all the knocks on malaise era. I don't recall the hei being an issue when the cars were new. The aftermarket for it must be complete crap.
Originally Posted by Olds64
If it's the fuel pump I'm going to an electric unless somebody knows of a mechanical that isn't imported junk.
My long time time mechanic told me when I first got the 69. Put in an electric fuel pump your issues will be gone... And he's up there, made his bones on our cars.
But stubborn me believes 64-72 tech is good enough. So I deal with it ...
Sorry this happened Olds64, frustrating to say the least. Best of luck resolving the issue.
I’d rather have a 40 year old used Delco module than a new parts store replacement. The only aftermarket I’d consider is one from Napa.
Ignition module failure is easy to check. Put a test light on the tach terminal. Turn on the ignition. The light should come on. If not, either the ignition has no power, or the coil is open. Crank the engine, the light should flicker. If not, either the module has failed, or the pickup coil is defective.
If the car is running lean you can check your spark plugs, you can find pictures of what lean plugs look like. Since your fuel pressure is good it's likely not the pump. Either the filter is clogged (thimble filters will do that sometimes) or there's a carb issue causing it to not deliver fuel.
There's also other things in your distributor that can cause issues too like the ignition coil. First thing is check the color of the spark, from what I remember if it's weak it will have a yellow color. If it's good it will have a blue or purple color. Different voltages ionize the air differently. Use a screw driver and plug it into a plug wire, then crank it and hold it near to metal, about 1/4", it's easier with two people. Weak ignitions will cause the issue you're describing.
I think u are on the right track, Jesse. When my truck had issues it would run and quit, again and again- that made it easy, I hooked up timing light and sure enuff, when it quit I lost the flash- worked great for that.
