Sits a week, won't start

Charlie ny said:
cc,

the same as a lawn sprinkler. Couple the lawn sprinkler effect with what ever pressure
your elec pump is putting out and there is your situation.
Lectric pumps........I never use 'em.
Charlie ny
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The only old vehicle I had with electric fuel pump replacement was a 53 IH with the six cylinder and Holley carb. Pump worked fine. You could hear it slow down as the pressure came up in the bowl and the float valve closed. When I heard that I knew it would start as long as there was ignition. The pump eventually wore out and I replaced it with an original style push rod pump. That works ok too but this truck was converted to 12 volts so it spins way faster than the original six volt system would. I'd assume that helps pump fuel faster. .
 
One of the most reliable cars for starting is the Model A because theres always fuel by gravty to the carb ,We worked on a chev fleat master and when the tank was full you get some gravity to the pump down on the side but if the leval was low you don't get it so much .because the car is parked up for long periodes we fitted a Electrice primer pump and that's used until you hear a noise change then the car starts right up ,very happy owner ..Some of us can fix our own pumps so wouldn't need one but more often than not these cars are parked up because they don't start ,I run a filter before the carb so you always have some fuel there ,Ted
 
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FlatheadTed said:
One of the most reliable cars for starting is the Model A because theres always fuel by gravty to the carb ,We worked on a chev fleat master and when the tank was full you get some gravity to the pump down on the side but if the leval was low you don't get it so much .because the car is parked up for long periodes we fitted a Electrice primer pump and that's used until you theres a noise change then the car starts right up ,very happy owner ..Some of us can fix our own pumps so wouldn't need one but more often than not these cars are parked up because they don't start ,I run a filer before the carb so you always have some fuel there ,Ted
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Your statement about the Model A reminded me about a flathead I have that is in really poor shape but no matter how long it sits, it starts immediately. I run it with no coolant because it all ends up in the pan in about thirty seconds. Must have a horribly split pan rail, but boy does it fire right up. It is in a shed awaiting a suitable donor engine. This tonner pickup had sat under a maple tree on the Olympic Penninsula for over a quarter century and was stuck pretty bad. When I freed it up I wasn't gonna gonna run that rancid varnish in the tank so rigged this gravity system.
 

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Fuel Pump with a Hand Primer:

Here is something worth thinking about - a fuel pump with a 'primer lever' on the side. These came on the French Flatheads. I bought one recently and may try it on my 42 Merc engine. My 32 sits for a week plus - all the time -- then I have to crank the crap out of it to get fuel into the carbs. It is hard on the starter as the engine tries to run, sometimes kicks back a bit, etc.. If this fuel pump works, it should solve the issue (hopefully it will handle today's gas over time.

http://www.socalsac.com/Fuel-Pump-p/sflat001014.htm
 
Bored&Stroked said:
Fuel Pump with a Hand Primer:

Here is something worth thinking about - a fuel pump with a 'primer lever' on the side. These came on the French Flatheads. I bought one recently and may try it on my 42 Merc engine. My 32 sits for a week plus - all the time -- then I have to crank the crap out of it to get fuel into the carbs. It is hard on the starter as the engine tries to run, sometimes kicks back a bit, etc.. If this fuel pump works, it should solve the issue (hopefully it will handle today's gas over time.

http://www.socalsac.com/Fuel-Pump-p/sflat001014.htm
Click to expand...

That looks interesting. Let us know how it works out.
 
Bored&Stroked said:
Fuel Pump with a Hand Primer:

Here is something worth thinking about - a fuel pump with a 'primer lever' on the side. These came on the French Flatheads. I bought one recently and may try it on my 42 Merc engine. My 32 sits for a week plus - all the time -- then I have to crank the crap out of it to get fuel into the carbs. It is hard on the starter as the engine tries to run, sometimes kicks back a bit, etc.. If this fuel pump works, it should solve the issue (hopefully it will handle today's gas over time.

http://www.socalsac.com/Fuel-Pump-p/sflat001014.htm
Click to expand...

Now that's a good find. Works on both 6 and 12 volt, positive or negative ground, AC or DC. I'd want to operate mine from inside the cab with a pull string!
 
Bored&Stroked said:
Fuel Pump with a Hand Primer:

Here is something worth thinking about - a fuel pump with a 'primer lever' on the side. These came on the French Flatheads. (hopefully it will handle today's gas over time.
Click to expand...
That is the same type pump I have on the Massey tractor with Perkins diesel. It is gravity flow to the pump but it needs the primer lever to aid in priming the diesel injection pump and filters after a filter change. I don't see why it would not work on a gas engine if you could find one to match up to the engine and push rod. This one has been pumping diesel fuel for more years than I know and it never quits.
 
I run these pumps but I seldom use the primer function ,One car I can leave for at least three weeks and it starts with out hand priming on a couple of turns ,Ted
 

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I think it is a 'new gas' thing. My Packard, my friend's Packard (3 of em), even the J-Duesenberg, let em sit 3-4 days the carbs need to be primed. The Duesy was delivered in 29 with a 3 stage electric so no big deal but the Packards had to have electric pumps in them to prime up. Even a buddy's 63 Vette. It sits for more than 3 days, carb is empty. Drain back? On that many different cars? 2 34 Packard 8s, a J-Duesy, a 47 Packard Clipper and a 63 Vette (with a 69 350 in it and a Q-jet carb). I do this stuff every day, service and restoration plus my own, and being in 'corn gas' country I'm convinced that much of it evaporates very quickly. We're E-10 and even E-15 in some stations. If I hadn't just been through 3 of the carbs in this report I might think a mechanical gremlin but...?
 
Yes the gas here now loses it volatile additive they leach out and seem to contaminate any new fuel that's mixed with it ,also soot's the plugs .The 34 we worked on had sat for a year, had spark but we had to pour at least two cups full of gas down the throat and wound it over fast with 12 volt direct for half a hr it finial fired with the throttle fully open .Ted
 
Dayuum Ted, sounds harsh! It's worse in the last 8-10 years than it was before. Used to be a matter of weeks, months, some would need a prime. Now it's days. And we're spoiled by injection on our daily driver's habits. Oh well, the "juice" of owning oldies. Still wouldn't give it up for nothing.
 
To true Highlander its a lot of fun ,If any one wants a pump rebuild Charley NY is the best guy for the job ,Ted
 
It felt like anything but fun when my rolling dead panel ended up in a mud hole. But after I got the pump primed, cough, gag, spit, and then it started right up, life was indeed good again. It runs so sweet and quiet and smooooth, I just can't get enough flathead. This is the one I overhauled two years ago with the homemade teflon buttons centering the wrist pins. So far, so good!
 
I have a fuel line fitting in my stash that is brass and has 1/4 or 1/8 pipe thread on one end and a hose barb on the other. It has a spring loaded ball valve in the threaded end. The ball is very hard to unseat so it has a stiff spring. Maybe that's what's wrong.... On the plus side I came across a 6v electric fuel pump today in a napa box when I was buying some flathead parts from a collector. It is a large and heavy unit, maybe the size of a typical '70s car spin on oil filter. I glanced into the unopened box and said "I'll take it". Details when all is unloaded tomorrow.
 
I stopped using corn gas and most of the issues mention seized to be. I cant remember the guys info but he offers a check valve flex line the helps keep the fuel inline.

seems if it sits for months a little prime would be usual. wouldn't it.
 
I think that a air leak in into the fuel line between the fuel pump and the tank is the cause of your problem, allowing gravity to let the fuel seek the lowest level. Not a highly technical answer, just 45 years of flathead Ford V8's. Any rebuttals for the tech experts?
 
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