I made an embarrassing mistake, and now I need you kind folks to help me figure out what's wrong.

I was out for a drive on the 3rd (yeah, I'm only just now getting around to fixing this) and saw I was low on fuel. I had one more stop to make, which was a short distance from a gas station, so I thought I'd just fill up afterwards. Well, I ran out of gas a block from the station. A kind fella towed me up there so I could fill up, but the car just wouldn't start even with a full tank. It would crank till the battery was dead but didn't want to fire. We eventually got it running after spraying about half a can of starting fluid down the carb, and I was able to get home. Everything seemed to be fine. A few days later, on Wednesday night, I took the car out again and had no issues. Went to get it out again on Friday the 8th and it wouldn't start at all.

I've futzed with the throttle linkage and it doesn't seem like it's getting any fuel.

OKay, so, clogged lines or a bad pump. This should be easy to check.

I disconnected the tank hardline rubber hose where it connects to an inline fuel filter* and had flow. Then, I disconnected the hose from the filter to the pump, and had flow. So that seems to be fine. All that's left is either a bad pump, or a clogged filter in the carb. Unfortunately, I don't have a wrench big enough to pull the hardline from the carb to see if the pump itself is still working.

Am I on the right track here? Any ideas or suggestions? I'd like to get running soon; car show season is about start.


*Ive seen it suggested before to remove this kind of inline filter, as it is unnecessary due to the filter inside the carb inlet. I do plan to remove it.

 

Buy the wrench.

 

You should be able to see if the carb has fuel if the accelerator pump squirts fuel into the carb. Do you have spark?

 

"I disconnected the tank hardline rubber hose where it connects to an inline fuel filter and had flow. Then, I disconnected the hose from the filter to the pump, and had flow"

If you have a 1976, based on your profile, that statement doesn't make sense unless someone has modified something. There should not be any fuel filter between the tank and the stock mechanical pump. Unless you are using a pressure gauge observing flow doesn't mean much. Once you have a non interrupted line from tank to pump measure the fuel pressure coming out of the pump. Anything above 5 psi should be enough for a stock engine to run.

 

How did you make the determination that it doesn't seem like it's getting fuel? The statement about messing with the throttle linkage doesn't tell us much. Pump and lines are likely the last things I would check. Have you opened the throttle blades to see if you get a pump shot (maybe that's what you meant by messing with the linkage)?

 

I plan to. Doesn't hurt to ask for technical advice anyway though. :P
Not seeing any fuel squirt when I run the throttle. Sounds like when you squeeze an empty squirt bottle. Haven't verified spark yet.
PO put a fuel filter in between the inlet hardline on the frame and the pump. I'll see what I can do about checking fuel pressure.
Yes, I opened the throttle blades and ran the linkage. Not seeing any fuel squirt. Sounds like when you squeeze an empty squirt bottle. Not smelling any fuel either.

 

The only filter you should have between the tank and the pump is the sock inside the tank. No OEM puts a fuel filter on the suction side of a mechanical pump.

 

Had a similar problem once after replacing entire fuel delivery system. Finally resolved it by using a vacuum pump to draw fuel into the fuel pump. Attached vac pump to line from pump to carb.

 

I'm aware of that. As I said in the OP I intend to remove it while fixing this issue.
I had not considered trying a vacuum pump. Definitely worth a shot before replacing the pump. Thanks!

 

Use a flare nut wrench on your filter and a 1" or a little bigger I forget as back up disconnect filter crank engine with line in a container

 

FWIW the only time I ever ran a car completely out of gas, I ended up having to replace the fuel pump.

 

Well, that was easier than expected. Cheap too!

I disconnected the hardline from the carb, turned the key and got a good jet of fuel into a catch can, so the pump is fine. I figured since I had the line off I'd go ahead and check the in-carb filter, so I removed the fitting and this odd little plastic part and a spring are inside the fitting, just sitting there. I figured it somehow worked its way out and was jamming something up, preventing fuel flow. Honestly, it looks like a check valve on the end of the filter, and there's really only one way that makes sense for all the parts to go together. So, I put the spring and little plastic thing back in the end of the filter, put everything back together and it fired right up!

After 3 weeks of nice weather and not being able to drive it, I went for a very long victory lap. Just in time too, it would seem: forecast says rain all week now.

 

Lucky you, glad to hear such a good ending to this story. I had a weird fuel issue. It would do all kinds of odd things. Turned out my bladder collapsed inside and crap was in fuel lines...Would run then not ..then stutter.. Filled up with 6 gallons of fuel...drove me nuts. New fuel system tank pump...100 percent except lines. cleaned blew out and inspected lines and found to be in good shape. Running like a purring kitten now. lotta bucks though.

 

That is the rollover valve. GM probably calls it something else, but it is there to stop fuel running out if you roll the car. A lot of guys who work on these carbs throw them away because they can be problematic, as you have discovered.

 

You can install a filter without the valve. Below is a link to the NAPA part

http://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/FIL3048/FIL3048

 

Wow, tough luck. Im definitely glad that wasnt my issue.
Good to know. Thanks guys.