Thread: Not getting gas??

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Hey guys. I finally got my 400 going in the 77! I redid the wiring and got it to turn over fine now and itll fire right up IF I put gas in the carb but it dies right after that. I pulled the fuel line off the carb and its not getting any gas. I know that the fuel pump is good because it was on my 350 and it ran fine. I pulled the line off the fuel pump and it was dry also? There is no gas getting to the pump itself. Anyone have any ideas? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks guys, Josh

What kind of fuel pump?
Electric or Mech.?
Do you have the in and out lines right?
How long was it off the car when switching it and was there still fuel in it?
Are you sure that fuel pump will work with this motor.
Was the pump button that pumps the arm installed in this motor?
Got any gas in the tank? I know some stupid questions, but hey ya never know right.
Lots of pumps won't pump water either so if there is water in the bottom of the tank it might not pump it out. Try taking off the line that come from the tank and see if any gas comes out, before it gets to the pump.
Good Luck!!! Kurt

There is a 1/8 tank in it. I took the line off that comes from the tank and nothing came out. Its a mechanical pump. Its the same pump for a 350 and a 400 i believe. What button are you talking about? There was the pump itself, the rod, and thats it. Am I missing something for the pump itself? Thanks, Josh

I wish I knew what it looked like, because it's been a long time since I have work on a chevy. See on the ford we have a arm that comes out from the pump and goes inside the engine to a little off set metal ring on the front of the cam. and that is what pumps it. I would say take the pump off and hold the rod, and have some one turn the engine over to see if the rod is moving. I don't know maybe that rod is a differant length
for this motor? Kurt

A pin hole or crack in the fuel line or of any type of leak anywhere before the fuel pump, it will stop the fuel from coming from the tank.

Pat

FIrst of all, I would want to be sure that pump is really working. Pull off the intake line at the pump, have someone crank it while you put your finger over the hole and see if it is sucking. You will feel some suction on your finger if it is. If it is, then you need to backtrack. Remove the gas cap and put some compressed air into the line that goes from the pump to the tank (not a lot of pressure, maybe 30 lbs) and have someone listen to see if they hear gurgling back there. Air should flow pretty easily through that line. ( I don't think that model car has an inline filter BEFORE the pump).

I had a similar problem on one car one time and when I put the air to the line it momentarily wouldn't flow, then all of a sudden I heard something blow off of the line and air went through. Turned out that sock on the end of the line was blocked and once it blew off it allowed air to pass through. I just left that sock floating around in the tank and it never caused any problems.

There is no magic to this system.......you have a tank (that needs some sort of vent so as gas is displaced air will be able to enter), a fuel line, and a pump. If everything is clear and the pump works, gas has to flow.

Don

I just had another thought. You said you put the fuel pump from a 350 on the 400. Maybe the two are just different enough that it won't work. Could be a difference in the configuration of the arm or whatever, but check that out. Sbc should be sbc, but sometimes they make slight differences in parts from model to model............your finger test should tell you that though.

I would check to be sure that you have the fuel line hooked up to the correct line from the tank and not the vent line.

Also check to be sure the pickup tube on the fuel tank did not come off in the tank.

Well gas in tank?? pinched gas line between tank and pump? and even new pumps go bad. you can put gas in a contanier and run a hose from it to the pump and see if pump is good. I'd use a LONG hose just in case.

I had the same problem on a 454 Chevy in my truck; it would run as long as I had gas in the carburetor then it would die. I put a new pump on it, same thing I even put gas in the line to prime it. I went on to other projects and thought it must be rust in the tank that stopped the flow.

Now I have the same problem in a 302 Ford engine in a 54 Merc that was sitting for along time so I thought it must have had rust in the tank. This time I did the gas container sitting higher then the engine with a long rubber gas line to the pump, still no gas coming through. I'm going to get a new pump this morning and hope that solves that problem.

Richard

It sounds like your pump may have lost its prime. This happened to me, and I corrected it by putting some pressure in my fuel tank with an air hose. After I did that, it started right up.

Well We got er. The pump was actually cracked where the line to the carb screws in. Got a new pump and it fired right up. Now it dies if im not giving it gas......Probly because im running a holley 2 barrel rite now lol. Gonna be getting a edelbrock 650 soon . Thanks for the help u guys! I apreciate it. Josh

Ya Pat and guys Thats why I said to disconnect the line before the pump to see if gas would come out. I know my old Chevelle, my Ranchero, and the Vette will all leak gas.
His is not, from what he said. I am thinking, tank is plugged or out of gas or not enough gas in the tank.
Kurt

you might want to check your oil for gas in it. had a pump on my 350 go the same way and did not know it until my oil pressure started acting up. caught it in time and changed the oil before it did any damage.

Originally Posted by Jsmith

There is a 1/8 tank in it. I took the line off that comes from the tank and nothing came out. Its a mechanical pump. Its the same pump for a 350 and a 400 i believe. What button are you talking about? There was the pump itself, the rod, and thats it. Am I missing something for the pump itself? Thanks, Josh

No you got it all, but everything has run back to the tank and it takes a bit to get it pumped up. And it takes a perfectly air tight line from pump to tank. She cant be suckin one nano of air. For sh1ts and giggles why dont you take your pump off and connect a short section of hose to the inlet, the other end in a jar or tin can of gas and pump by hand to see how good it squirts. I know it was working, but a double check will put your mind at ease. Then make sure its bolted back up with plunger above pump arm. They can be tricky to hold up there while putting pump in place. If you cant find a leak source or your trying to just get it running just take a piece of hose and run it to a jerry can of gas. Dont need to be an actual gas tank

Thats a good trick or tip sooper that I had forgotten about.
I used it many years ago to get a bob cat running.
The guy that had the bob cat needed it to muck out the stalls where he
put his 200 head of dairy cows through.
We found a air leak that was causing the problem.
Sucking air in the line before the pump.
Kurt