I have a 1970 350/350. I had the car running a couple weeks ago, but it had a significant "bump" (at idle) every 15 seconds or so (not always the same). I thought maybe it was missing...so I've changed all the plugs and wires. I go to start it up today and it won't start. We don't see any fuel squirting into the carb...and when I look at the fuel filter (clear housing with element inside), the housing is only 3/4 full. So I thought maybe I just need to turn it over a few more times to get fuel up to the carb...but the housing is still only 3/4 full.

What could be going on? Did my fuel pump just die for no reason? Was that what was causing the "bump" last time it ran...maybe it was hitting short periods of no fuel?

yes, I made sure I had fuel in the tank...it's about 1/4 full. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated!

UPDATE -
I just went and disconnected the fuel line after the fuel filter and we turned the engine over and got lots of fuel out...so it seems like the pump is working fine. I still don't know how the filter housing could look only 3/4 full, but whatever. I also pulled the sight plug out of the primary bowl (Holley carb) and there is fuel up to the bottom of the sight plug, just like it should be.

Am I correct that if I look down the carburetor, when I'm turning it over (or even if I just manually pull the throttle cable), I should see gas squirting out of the squirter? I still see no gas there. How could this be? I just rebuilt the carb over the winter...I had the car running a couple weeks ago! Any advice would be appreciated!

 

UPDATE

Just for poops and laughs...I hooked up a timing light to a couple of the plug wires and it blinks...indicating I'm getting spark.

 

I would check the brass looking filter inside the carb. I had a piece of silicone that was blocking fuel .

If you have fuel in bowls your accelerator pump should squirt unless it has a tear in it in the pump which is easy to do. Are you sure you have the pump adjusted correctly?

 

UPDATE

I took the metal fuel line off that goes between the filter and the two inlets in the carb (Holley). I could not blow through that line...I then used a compressor and blew air through it...then I was able to blow through it...weird. Put that back on.

Now I am definitely getting fuel to the secondary squirter, but not out the primary. It doesn't look like the lever on the accelerator pump is moving much.

I took the carb off and opened up the accelerator pump...everything looks fine. I put it back together and actuated the linkage and the lever seems to move normally.


I put the carb back on and it fired right up for 2 seconds...and now it won't start again. I looked, and again I'm not getting fuel out of the primary squirter (don't know if I was when it ran for 2 seconds or not). Now when I manually actuate the linkage, it again looks like the accelerator pump lever is not moving much.

Should the car start without the primary accelerator pump working?

 

The primary squirter needs to work for the car to properly start. You may have trash in the bowls now. You may have got a bad tank of gas. You should be able to push the lever down with your finger and get a stream of gas. If you can't you may have trash blocking the channel inside the bowl .

 

Thank you - I can push the secondary lever down with my finger, but I can't push the primary side down with my finger. I even took the carb off again, took the primary bowl off...and blew air in/through the check ball...I can see that the ball is able to move freely. I put it all back together, and now the same thing...no fuel out the primary squirter and I can't push the lever down with my finger (pushing on the top screw/spring assembly that goes down to push on the pump lever).

ugggg!

 

Are you sure the bowl gasket is on correctly. If it's not it will block the hole fuel is sop pose to go thru. Make sure it's on correctly. The primary only has a couple of parts. Diaphragm , squirter, passages, ball bearing and gas. If all is correct you may have a bad diaphragm. They can rupture but usually you will see a drip.

 

Thanks for the note - I understand what you are saying...but if it was on incorrectly, then why did it run mostly ok 2 weeks ago? If that was the problem, then I wouldn't have gotten fuel through the primary squirter 2 weeks ago, no?

 

I would look at the diaphragm, it seems like its not doing its job. If not the diaphragm there is definitely an obstruction somewhere, probably close to the squirter.

 

What is the fuel path for the primary squirter? I'm thinking of taking it apart again and soaking in chem dip. Would it just be the bowl assembly, or do I need to do the metering block as well? Not sure what else to do.

 

FIXED IT!

Needle was stuck.

thanks for the help along the way!

 

Glad you found it.