I think I know the answer to this but have to ask anyway -
If you put your finger over the suction inlet and crank the engine, you should feel a suction, right?
I feel nothing and no fuel comes out. Gas tank is full, car has been sitting for 6 months, and it ran perfectly when last parked. I am guessing the diaphragm dried out and cracked, thanks to the crappy ethenol.
Just need some confirmations before changing it.
Thanks!

Edit -old one was an airtex, installed 10 years ago.
Is Carter or spectra any better than airtex? Airtex was the cheapest...

 

Possible the connection came loose at the gas tank?

I'd change the pump anyway, it's cheap insurance that you dont get stuck somewhere along the road.

 

Only a couple of other possible causes that I can think of. Clogged at the tank pickup. broken fuel line or pin holes causing the pump to only suck air

 

I disconnected the inlets at the pump, put my fingers over them right at the pump, cranked the engine, and felt no suction. Should I?

 

To be honest I've never tried that, If I had fuel to the pump and nothing coming out, I replace them.

 

Yes it should pull a vacumn on the inlet to the pump.

 

Well I pulled the pump off this evening. took all of 10 minutes, included gathering the tools.
The lever moves up and down but the pump plunger does not. Looks like a keeper came off or something. Glad it happened while sitting in the driveway and not on the road!

It was a Carter, bought in 2000. I have the receipt and will claim the lifetime warranty on it tomorrow. Parts store ordered one and should be there now.
Cheap and easy - I love old cars!!

EDIT - it was not the keeper - i was not pulling the lever hard enough. The diaphragm had ruptured.

 

It always makes you stop and think when it happens in the driveway. I know you have traveled a lot in your car. Might think about a spare and the tools to change it.

 

Unfortunately, Murphy was an optimist. Carrying a spare part and tools to install it will only guarantee that a DIFFERENT part will be the one that strands you on the road...

 

Hmmm, maybe we should tow a car just like the one we are driving and then .... Oh, what am I thinking.

 

This is why I don't carry ANY spare parts, OR a spare tire.

 

Well, i got the pump replaced for free at Oreillys - love that lifetime warranty!
Easy as can be, too, even for a 13 year old part. Very friendly folds at the store i went to.

Lifetime warranty is gone now and everything is just a year. I suspect modern part quality might be to blame. Only time will tell though.

The old one had a ruptured diaphragm, and as a result no suction. Earlier I was not pulling the lever hard enough to pull the plunger. I suspect our crappy fuel did this. As the car sat, fuel leaked back into the tank and the diaphragm dried out too many times.
I found that while covering the inlet on the new pump, I could not even pull the lever all the way down. It sucked hard!
In thinking about that, i do not recommend trying to check for suction at the pump with your fingers!

Pump was installed in half an hour and car runs great now. I love how old cars are so easy to work on for the most part.

I have the premier level of AAA, so if anything happens to any of my cars, I will just have it towed back to the house. So far I never had to use it, but it is good piece of mind. Breakdowns only happen at the most inconvenient times i have found....