Hey guys, went out to fire up the 74 454 and no luck. It's been sitting for 4 months. About a year ago I dropped the tank to replace the rear bumper cover. I drained the tank and there was very little rust so I re-used it. Same with the sender. I replaced the rear fuel lines. No problem on start up afterwards and ran fine for the next few times I fired it up. Anyway, today, no start with 2 gallons of gas in the tank and gas gauge reading about a needle width above E. Checked the carb and noticed it was dry so I then removed the fuel line from the carb. DRY. So I figure it must be the fuel pump. I initially thought it might be some crap left over in the tank that is clogging up the line but it would take a LOT of crap I would think to clog it and the tank was clean when I re-installed it. So my questions are: is there and easy way to tell if the fuel pump is shot ? & how do you go about replacing the fuel pump on a big block ? I have heard it requires some voo-doo that a small block doesn't. I've had a replacement pump for years but have never installed it due to what I read about the process. THe fuel pump is original and the car has 68k on it. The car has never acted up or stuttered the way previous cars I have owned did when their fuel pumps were going.

Thanks for your help!! Am all bummed. Got the whole car about ready to rumble and pffft, no start!

 

I'd be looking at the filter first. When you disturb the system some residue finds its way downstream.

Then check the fuel pump output by running into a suitable container. Two man job which must be thought out in advance.

 

here is what i would do if it were me

to check fuel pump go get some starting spray and spray one 2 second small squart into top of carb and then crank it and see if it fires.
if it does replace fuel pump

if it doesnt pull one spark plug and check to see if you have fire at the plug if you dont you have an ignition problem.

 

Make sure that the pump is getting fuel to the inlet side. (pull the hose at the pump)
If it's getting fuel in and none is being pumped out then the pump is bad.

 

If you have the Q-J, they have casting plugs that can leak. First pour gas into the carb. & try it.

The first time I did a fuel pump on a Corvette w/ A/C, looked the situation over & pulled the right front tire & used long extensions. Have posted that tip many times.

 

Pulling the fuel pump on a big block Vette is no fun, especially if it has an air compressor on the car. These pumps usually will leak or pump weakly before they totally quit. This pump might be air locked. Pull the line that goes to the carb and have your wife crank it while you hold it in a container. Ground your coil wire. It should come out in defined spurts. If no gas comes out, put your thumb over the tube. You should feel it sucking. If it's sucking the pump is probably good, it just needs primed. If you pull the gas feed line that goes into the pump (the bigger one) you might get a little gas coming out of it and think the pump is getting fuel. This is not good enough. What I did is used a suction gun and siphoned the gas at the feed line and got the gas flowing good and then shoved the line onto the pump. I could hear the pump filling up with gas. The car fired right up.

 

Not to thread hijack.....but I think I have a similar problem....only...


I have gaps in power, when I get on it at WOT. It'll scream up to about 3,500, then it goes like....BWAAAA......BWA.....BWAAAAAAAA.. ......BWA....You know, like, it's going, then it stops for a 1/4 second, then goes again, then stops....




Fuel line filter, then check the fuel pump?

 

Thanks everyone, hopefully will get it worked out this weekend or next.