48ply1stcar Posted March 17, 2015 Report Posted March 17, 2015 I tried starting my car today and it was'nt getting any gas. I was running a hose from a gas can to the fuel pump and disconnected the fuel line from the filter bowl. No gas pumping. I moved the hose above the pump and filled the hose with gas. When I pressed the starter button gas was pumped through the fuel line to the filter. Therefore, PUMP no SUCK. I haven't disassembled the pump yet hoping it only needs a cleaning. Has anyone else run into this situation. Once I have gas I'll look for spark. Harold Quote
TodFitch Posted March 17, 2015 Report Posted March 17, 2015 Is the float bowl properly sealed against the pump body? Quote
48ply1stcar Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Posted March 17, 2015 No bowl, newer NAPA pump. Quote
Darbone85737 Posted March 18, 2015 Report Posted March 18, 2015 Don't know if this helps but I had a "no pump" situation when I put the new engine in my car. No gas getting to the pump from the tank. I wound up putting a little air pressure into the tank from the filler tube. It filled the bowl in the pump. Then I took the spark plugs out of the head, disconnected the fuel line at the carb (put a container underneath the line) and cranked the starter. It took a little while but the pump did start working. Quote
Don Coatney Posted March 18, 2015 Report Posted March 18, 2015 Where is the filter bowl located? Can you post a photo? Quote
48ply1stcar Posted March 18, 2015 Author Report Posted March 18, 2015 Installed a P23 engine in 1968. Always had the filter next to the carb. Thought I bought the fuel pump from NAPA in 95. I have cleaned the pump before, it had bits of rubber from a bad hose. When I opened the fuel pump this time it looked fine. Maybe the hose to the gas can wasn't sealed well enough. When put it together I'll check for suction before and after I reinstall. Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted March 18, 2015 Report Posted March 18, 2015 Are the check valves functioning properly? Quote
48ply1stcar Posted March 18, 2015 Author Report Posted March 18, 2015 Not sure. I try to test them when it's back together. I shouldn't be able to suck air from the intake, or blow into the output?????? Quote
Don Coatney Posted March 18, 2015 Report Posted March 18, 2015 Before you install the pump you should be able to block off the suction port with your finger and activate the lever. Should feel the suction when you do this and do the same on the discharge port. Once installed if you have even a very slight leak in the line between the pump and the tank it will not work. Via the path of least resistance it will suck air before it sucks gas. 1 Quote
Dave72dt Posted March 19, 2015 Report Posted March 19, 2015 You may have had one of those bits of rubber stuck in one of the check valves. Blowing through it may have dislodged it. If a check valve is held open it won't work. Problem is, if that's what has happened, you've now moved it into the carb where it can hold the float open or plug up jets, etc. Quote
48ply1stcar Posted March 19, 2015 Author Report Posted March 19, 2015 Today Reassembled and re-installed. Still no suck. After reassembly I sucked and blew each side. Apparently, neither I nor the pump were satisfied. I looked for re-build kits and new pumps (I don't think I need a new pump), I looks like that all Plymouth engines take the same pump. Pump feels like it's working before I install. I'm just trying to get gas in end of the line, haven't even started to worry about the filter and carb. Quote
desoto1939 Posted March 19, 2015 Report Posted March 19, 2015 did you try what Don had suggested. hold you thumb and another finger over the intake and outlet holes onthe pump and then move the arm. This then moves the diaphram and will create the suction on the inlet hole. You will then feelthe sucking on your finger tip and then the pushing of the air out the on the outlet hoel. If this is not happening then the diaphram might be bad of there is another clog in the pump. Rich HArtung Quote
Geekay Posted March 19, 2015 Report Posted March 19, 2015 It does sound like an air leak. I had a similar problem. I put some gasket sealer on both sides of the diaphragm edge where it sits between the two halves of the pump before I bolted the sides together again. Also the cork gasket in the bowl had a crack so replaced this. Once I did these it pumped. Quote
mlozier76 Posted March 19, 2015 Report Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) This may sound silly, but did you have your fuel supply higher than the pump? If so, it may not have been able to develop enough vacuum to begin the suck before it encountered an air bubble. Edited March 19, 2015 by mlozier76 Quote
48ply1stcar Posted March 26, 2015 Author Report Posted March 26, 2015 Lessons learned so far. My pump looks just like the Aitex pump, except that it has a metal cover instead of a bowl. The last time cleaned out the the bottom of the pump I put an inline filter in the fuel line before the pump. Because I had cleaned it before and I couldn't fine a rebuild kit I sealed the bottom were the bowl would with the permatex for fuel pumps. I did not remove the check valve because of not having a replacement. Still no suck. Even if I am able to fix the pump, I'll probably add an electric pump. After cussing and discussing with another car guy, I came to the conclusion that it may have been that way before and that the height of the fuel in the tank created enough pressure to feed gas to the pump. I still haven't started the car. I'll be using a 12 volt pump from the gas while I'm working on the engine. Quote
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