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Hi! I was finally able to get out to my cutlass for the first time since November-‘replaced the points like you all suggested with a new set, and the engine started right up! Great! For some background, here’s a short list of what I’ve done. Removed the engine, and trans, cleaned and painted. Replaced fuel pump with a mechanical one as original. Replaced timing chain and both gears following procedures outlined in my past threads (did not remove the distributor). Replaced points, cap, rotor, and coil, all with Blue Streak parts. I used NOS AC Delco NOS plugs (45S I believe), as well as NOS AC Delco wires, both probably from the 1980's (double checked the firing order from the chassis service manual). I also replaced the water pump with an AC Delco unit, installed a rebuilt QuadraJet carb from Everyday Performance and several other parts. The manifold and heads were not taken off.
Heres the problem: As I mentioned in one of my other posts, are used a gas can modified into a mini gas tank instead of filling my gas tank in case there was an issue. So basically I have the supply line from the gas can going directly into the fuel pump. I was able to start the car by putting some fuel into the carburetor. But the problem was, it did not appear as if the fuel pump was taking in any gasoline from the gas can. As soon as the gas would run out of the carburetor from what I poured in, it would stall. When I remove the hose from the gas can to the fuel pump, I would hear a big suction of air although I’m not sure if that vacuum was produced in the can or in the pump. As I mentioned, I replaced the fuel pump with a new AC Delco mechanical pump several years ago, although it’s been sitting for these past few years without the engine running. Does it sound like the fuel pump might be bad? Is there a way to test this? There definitely was no fuel being pulled out of the gas can As it was hooked up to the fuel pump. Thank you! Chris
Does your gas can / mini tank have an open vent so the pressure equalizes? The suction sound you mentioned leads me to think not, and there is a vacuum being generated in the gas can / mini tank that prevents the pump from pulling fuel out.
Hello gentlemen! To answer your questions: I’ve tried the gas can/mini tank both sitting on the core support and on the ground. And I have another hose attached to the gas can that should act as a vent- my friend built this for his car which has a fuel return line (hence the extra hose). I don’t have a return line so I’m using it as a vent. I’ve also tried loosening the cap on the gas can to no avail.
Ok. Could the float be stuck given that this was a rebuilt carb? I did put gas in it in November when I tried to start it so maybe some residue from that time? So basically if the fuel leaks out of the main carb line when I loosen it with the car running then it’s likely the float stuck and if no gas leaks then it’s likely a bad fuel pump? Anyone have a good link to cleaning or freeing up a stuck float on a Quadra jet? I’m not that knowledgeable about Quadra jet carbs. Thank you!
And if I’m using the marine type gas can with a pump bulb then I’d be completely bypassing the fuel pump to determine if the issue is in the pump or the carb?
Disconnect the metal fuel line and crank the engine with the line discharging into a container. See how fast the fuel pump will fill a quart. If you get good flow then its the float valve not allowing fuel into the carb.
Anyone have a good link to cleaning or freeing up a stuck float on a Quadra jet? I’m not that knowledgeable about Quadra jet carbs. Thank you!
I would just spray some carb cleaner into the vent tube to fill the float bowl with the cleaner and let it sit for a while to dissolve any gum, varnish, etc.
Ok. Should I have the gas can sitting on top of the fire support or on the ground?
It just needs to be a bit higher than the fuel pump in order to gravity feed fuel. If you've ever removed the hose from the fuel line to the pump, you'd see fuel spurt out, you just duplicating this.
And should I ditch the gas can and just fill up my tank or is that premature? I have all new lines and new tank.
If this is so, stop messing with any auxiliary tank setup and put 5 gallons in your tank.
Crack the fuel line at the carburetor and have someone crank the engine to see if it weeps fuel and don’t catch yourself on fire!
Crank it long enough to pull fuel from the tank to the carburetor but no more than 15 to 20 seconds should do it.
You could also helps things along and fill the carburetor up through the vent as fun71 suggests..
OK, I may as well just try it from the tank. Before I fill the tank though, how do I know how far in the bolts to mount the tank should go. The tank is new, and I’ve got it mounted so that about half an inch of the bolt is coming through the other end by the frame. I took it down just to make sure that this wasn’t up So high that it would crush the sending unit lines. So I know I can go at least a half inch poking through the frame side, but I’m not sure that that’s enough. I have attached a picture from the assembly manual, but it doesn’t tell me how far in.Although now when I look carefully, I see a blurry footnote that says “fully driven seated and not stripped”. However, since I can’t see exactly what the footnote is referring to, I’m not sure if it means the bolts at the front of the gas tank. Thank you!
Well it seems that I can’t go any further in with the bolts at the front of the tank than 1/2” because the fuel tank sensing unit metal supply line is already touching the underbody. I’m not sure if I installed the tank incorrectly or if anyone else can feel on top of their tank to see how far their front bolts are protruding through the bolt hole and how far from the underbody the line for the fuel sending unit is. Thank you!
Last edited by Oldssupreme; June 24th, 2020 at 07:02 PM.
Ok. So am I to assume that the bolts protruding 1/2” through the frame tabs is all I need to keep the tank secure? Can I trouble anyone to check this on their cutlass? Thank you!
The bolts sticking through 1/2” is fine but what to need to be looking at is how the straps tighten to the front of the tank. You don’t want to pinch the tank and you also do not want a gap between the strap to tank. You’re “fitting” everything together.
Ok. I see what you’re talking about. There is about a good 1/3” to 1/2” gap between the strap and the bottom of the tank near the front of the tank. See photo. Does the tank have that much play that I can make that gap flush? If so and I can drop the front of the tank down to meet the straps then that will get me a little
gap between the sensing unit and the underbody which i think would be good.
Could I trouble anyone to send a few close-up photographs of the gas tank at the back and the front of the tank where the straps, bolts, and tank all meet? I’m not quite sure I’m getting this angle correct. Thank you so much!
Ok. So here’s the latest. I didn’t crack the line at the carb while the engine was running but here’s what I’ve done: I was able to get the car running by filling some in through the carb vent tube but I just can't keep it running with a gas feed. I tried putting the fuel hose from the pump directly in another gas can (on the ground, on the core support, and ok a shelf about 5 ‘ high) and still nothing. However when i have my homemade gas can with a clear inline fuel filter, as soon as I start the car the fuel in the clear fuel filter from the homemade gas can “tank” disappears in literally a second. So I think the fuel pump is obviously working. I removed the fuel line to the carb and it is clear as was the fuel filter in the base of the carb. I don't get it. I sprayed carb cleaner down into the vent tube in case the float was stuck as was suggested. I know I need to use the real gas tank- I just wanted to try to isolate this issue before I add another variable. The car runs quite smoothly until the gas from the carb runs out. Thank you for all your help!
So i replaced the fuel filter at the carb and problem solved. I used an ac Delco replacement. The one that was in the rebuilt carb had a noticeably smaller diameter and makes me wonder if that was disrupting the flow of fuel. It was small enough where it would actually rattle inside the housing of the fuel inlet whereas the new one is nice and snug. I’ll be filling the tank with a few gallons of gasoline and testing the new lines and tank and sending unit out. Any suggestions for properly priming the new empty fuel lines and hoses? Thank you!
Chris
Ok so filling the carb with fuel will supply the engine with fuel and in the meantime the fuel pump will pump up from the tank? What will I experience when the air in the new lines pumps into the carb while the car is running before the fuel from the tank is delivered?
June 22nd, 2020, 07:48 PM
