My 1957 fuel injection beat me
 

My 57 runs about ten seconds then shuts off . If I leave it alone for 10 or 15 minutes it will do it again it's getting spark and fuel tried everything that I know of which isn't much .. Does anyone know who works on them near Pittsburgh. I'm 1 hour east . I looked on line and see a place called corvette specialists . Thanks Zano

john degregory fuel injection


I suggest you contact John DeGregory in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, extremely knowledgeable and thoroughly honest. John's phone number is (724) 832-3786.

Bill

That's the man to go to in your area.

57 fuelie
 

I talked to john super nice guy backed up over a year and only looks at injection doesn't look at it on the car he referred me to a guy down by Philly but I was hoping to find someone closer

If he suggested George Shaffner he did mine excellent.

George Shaffner that's him if he's not to busy it's about 5 hrs away think it would be better than trying Corvette specialists ? There only little over an hour away

ask John if he would recommend Corvette Specialists

Bill

Good idea I will. Thanks Zano

Wasn't Shaffner on Star Trek?
 

My guess is that John recommended George Schreffler in Harrisburg, PA, but I don't consider that near Philly.

That was a couple weeks ago I talked to john maybe he did say Harrisburg memory isn't what it use to be. Anyway the number he gave me was 717-439-6407 would that happen to be the George from Harrisburg that's only 140 miles away.

Why not just call the number and ask him where he's located??:thumbs:

That's his cell phone number.

I think william was the guy from star trek George from Philly must be his brother . Lol . I'll call George from Harrisburg Monday . Thank you. Zano

Ten seconds sounds about how much fuel would be available in the fuel meter bowl when full. Have you checked fuel delivery up to the fuel meter after the engine dies. Are you running points or electronic ignition (Pertronix)?

You might be able to narrow the problem down to either fuel or spark by adding gas to the plenum immediately after the engine dies. Refer to the included photos for reference. Remember to not have a flame source (cigarettes) or spark (ignition on) when working with gas. Adding gas via the air-meter is doable but a bit challenging. Other than the air-meter there is a port where adding some fuel is the easiest. The plenum vacuum port by the throttle bell crank. Your distributor vacuum advance maybe attached to this port. I have never liked starting fluid (AKA Either) so I'm not recommending using it.

If you have a smooth plenum top injector where the fuel meter rubber vent tube is at the top of the fuel meter you could use that port. The early rib top injectors had this tube on the side of the fuel meter so in that case using this port would be difficult. Injectors with a smooth top had the vent connected via a rubber hose about 2 inches long attached to a metal nipple in the middle of the plenum and to the fuel meter via 3/16 curved metal elbow located on top of the fuel meter . You should be able to slip that hose off, then on. If the rubber hose is hard suggest you not try this port as the hose maybe brittle. The factory hose was fairly stiff.

If you have a syringe available, rapidly inject 5 CCs of gas at chosen port and reseal port connection. One teaspoon is about 5 CCs. If the engine tries to start I would say fuel delivery is the problem, if it does not try to start then ignition. Don't get carried away by adding more than 5 CCs at a time, you do not want to hydro-lock an engine cylinder.

If the engine tries to start you can then try adding 15-20 CCs of fuel to the fuel meter bowl (not the plenum). It has been a long time since I worked on an early rib top injector. I have the later model injectors that I maintain. Having stated that, on a rib top injector I think you can remove two screws attaching the trapezoid cover plate on top of the fuel meter to expose the bowl vent hole enough to add fuel. There will be a brass screen covering this hole but I think you should be able to get gas past it. All other injectors use the vent tube located on top of the fuel meter. If the engine briefly runs after adding fuel, then check your fuel delivery to the fuel meter. Fuel filter blockage (low probability at idle state), defective fuel pump, collapsing rubber fuel line at pump (not likely), pinched fuel line, blocked fuel strainer sock in tank, vacuum in tank (that would be weird)


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nice explanation...

the short version of the above... if there is fuel in the pump bowl AND the engine runs for 'x' time, then the fuel pump drive cable must be turning enough to squirt the injectors.

if so, then I don't see how injecting fuel directly into the plenum adds any information EXCEPT for an ignition failure after 'x' time. the fact that it will restart seems to belie that.

it seems 'something' is interrupting fuel flow

Bill

install a piece of see thru fuel line between the engine fuel pump and the FI pump and see if the line is still full when the engine shuts down. if it is the FI is the problem and if no fuel in the line it is the fuel delivery system. you could also install a "T" with a fuel pressure gauge in the line

Weelllll, not always.

'57 FI units have a starting mechanism which is independent of the normal fuel supply/regulation mechanism.

Engines with '57 FI units can start and run for a few seconds even if the cable is broken or the main internal mechanism is FUBAR.

Jim

thanks, I kinda sorta forgot... it used the engine fuel pump to 'prime' the system...

so, the drive cable could possibly not be 'driving'... or, if it is, the metering valve is not working...

thanks

Bill

He got me on the same thing a week or two ago.:D