1940 LaSalle Fuel Starved

jwaldrich

jwaldrich

Senior Member
1940 322 CI was running sweet when all of a sudden it coughed and died. I've determined that it wasn't getting any fuel so I purchased and installed a rebuilt fuel pump and "no joy".

Poured gas in the carb and she fired right up and dies when the gas is gone.

Disconnected the output line on the new pump, cranked it and no gas getting through the new fuel pump. Car has roughly half a tank so not out of gas.

Bought and installed an electric fuel pump (inline) bypassing the mechanical one. STILL no joy. It isn't getting gas to the carb.

Blew lp air into tank and fuel sprays out of the feel line from the tank. Blew back the other way as well to ensure no blockage.

Ideas?
 
I had a flex line between the fuel pump and metal line come apart inside one time and you could blow back to the tank but not the other way.


Bob
 
What kind of electric pump did you buy. I've had the same problem and found the line going into the pump must be lower than the pump. I then put alittle air into the tank to prime the pump. I made a lupe that is about 5" below the pump.Works fine now.
 
jimTN said:
you are getting air in the line somewhere between the pump and the gas in your tank.
Click to expand...

Ol' Ron said:
What kind of electric pump did you buy. I've had the same problem and found the line going into the pump must be lower than the pump. I then put a little air into the tank to prime the pump. I made a lupe that is about 5" below the pump.Works fine now.
Click to expand...

I wondered about the elevation of the pump. The line feeding the pump was below the pump. I finally got it to "trickle" but not enough to run the car.

I mounted the pump on the fender well so it was stable. Not quite as high as the tire is tall.
 
jwaldrich said:
I wondered about the elevation of the pump. The line feeding the pump was below the pump. I finally got it to "trickle" but not enough to run the car.

I mounted the pump on the fender well so it was stable. Not quite as high as the tire is tall.
Click to expand...


Mine works well mounted to the rear cross member.
 
Might want to also replace your fuel line after the tank clean or replacement. Nothing like a fresh line. It's not too expensive if you do it yourself.
 
Plumb a line to the pump from a can of gas. If you get a flow of gas from the pump, then problem is between pump and tank. I hope. Good luck. Mike
 
I was told that with a leaky diaphragm, the laSalle pumps could dump fuel into the crank case. I'm not sure this is the case, but since the bottom half of the pump is a vacuum booster for windshield wipers it is probable that there is no fuel drain to prevent such fuel dump. Frankly, I never inspected my 37 laSalle fuel pump for a drain.

In any event, I installed two Facet low pressure electric fuel pumps, filter and pressure gauge on the frame rail in the engine bay. They are in series with one being a back up.
No problems drawing fuel, no carburetor flooding and easy filter access.
 
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