Son ran out of gas and now it won't start????

Discussion in 'General Ranchero Help' started by Bossbob, Jan 24, 2017.

  1. Bossbob

    Bossbob In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    335
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    So, my son ran out of gas in the 72, when I went to rescue him we put about 5 gals of fresh fuel in it and it wouldn't run. We were able to get it to start but wouldn't keep an idle. Towed it home and haven't had much time to check it out yet.

    So far, we have verified spark at the plugs, installed a new fuel pump and filters thinking he could have sucked a bunch of crud from the tank. Now I'm thinking maybe he didn't run out of gas and something else was wrong. Nothing else has changed that I know of. My son tells me that he hasn't changed the timing, or anything else, and has only changed out the spark plugs a month ago. Firing order is correct. Could it be the carb has had it's last day?

    It's a 351c, 2bbl, motor, pretty much all stock. We had a similar problem a couple years ago, had the carb rebuilt and a full tune up. The shop said the carb was on it's last leg, but my thinking is, it's just a carb. An Autolite 2bbl, thought they last for ever.

    This is my son's car, he doesn't have much $$, I want to help him out money wise, but also want to teach him the importance of saving $$ for times such as this.

    Let me know what you think, thanks again.
     
  2. andrewok1

    andrewok1 In Maximum Overdrive GOLD MEMBER SILVER MEMBER

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    if it was running good , did you try a little gas by hand in the carb to see if you could get it to run by feeding it fuel,it could be float dirt in the bowl ,
     
  3. MaxInValrico

    MaxInValrico In Maximum Overdrive GOLD MEMBER

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    1,995
    Replace the fuel filter at the carb, that's about $4. If it's blocked, you'll think its out of gas. For another $5 put one inline if you don't already have one.
     
  4. andrewok1

    andrewok1 In Maximum Overdrive GOLD MEMBER SILVER MEMBER

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    I was thinking the same but he said that changed filter already
     
  5. andrewok1

    andrewok1 In Maximum Overdrive GOLD MEMBER SILVER MEMBER

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    is there a filter you are not aware of???????????
     
  6. aquartlow

    aquartlow In Maximum Overdrive

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    1)Maybe the "sock" filter on the fuel tank sending unit is clogged. 2) Faulty fuel pump diaphragm could be another culprit, check oil level and/or check for fuel in the oil. Good luck.
     
  7. Basstrix

    Basstrix In Maximum Overdrive BRONZE MEMBER

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    You have to establish if the carb has fuel or not and then whether it's flooding or not giving enough fuel to the engine. To fill the carb, take an empty and dry water bottle...drill a hole in the cap and push in the red tube from a wd 40 can...put a little gas in the water bottle and squirt it into the vent tube on the carb....before you go through the above, just pump the throttle a couple of times with a/f removed and observe whether or not the accelerator pump nozzles squirt fuel. If no, then do the above. If yes, then fuel's not your problem.
     
  8. ribald1

    ribald1 Banned PLATINUM MEMBER

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    Replacing things is NOT the proper way to diagnose and repair a vehicle.
    Always start with fuel and spark. Look down the carb and manually operate the throttle. See gas squirt, you have fuel, if not, you don't.
    Pull a spark plug wire off a plug, lay it by the exhaust manifold and crank the engine. See a spark, you have ignition, if not, you don't.
    The only other things you need for the engine to run are compression and proper timing.
     
    parts4me likes this.
  9. handy_andy_cv64

    handy_andy_cv64 In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

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    Compression is beholden to cam/crank timing. Since the factory cam gear was aluminum with nylon gears, it is possible that it jumped two teeth. One will still run but barely, two won't allow the engine to run.
     
  10. Brian Loula

    Brian Loula In Fourth Gear

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    Location:
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    Disconnect the fuel line (the rubber hose ) at the fuel pump. see if fuel line is clear going to pump,make sure you have a pan to catch any fuel that does come out. Then try running it off of a aux. gas can. I had a similar issue with my '73. Turned out my sock on the sender in the tank was toast & the inlet line on the sender was partially blocked. If your car still won't run/idle then definitely look into the carb for issues. Good Luck
     
  11. cbolt

    cbolt In Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

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    Same thing happened to me years ago, car sputtered and died as I rolled up to the fuel pumps. I wound up having to rebuild the carb to get it running again. I guess what I am saying is you sucked some kind of crud up into the carb/filter/float area and need to address it. Check for fuel flow with the line disconnected and pointed into a can or bucket as previously mentioned. Great place to start.
     
  12. Bossbob

    Bossbob In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    335
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    Thanks for all the reply's.

    I have an inline filter prior to the pump, and the stock filter at the carb. Both have been changed. I have spark at the spark plug.

    I pulled the top of the carb off, and there is fuel in the bowl. Looking into the carb, and giving it some throttle the gas squirts all be it, not very strong, so maybe the Accelerator pump is week??? But wouldn't that just cause a hesitation on take off, but still allow it to run.

    I have tried feeding it gas to get it to start, sometimes it will, most times it wont. I rebuilt this engine probably 30k miles ago, and can almost swear I put a steel timing gear in it so I don't think the timing could have jumped. I have a couple spare 4bbl Holley's in the garage I can buy one of the 4-2 bbl adapter carb spacers and see if it will run.

    Any pros or cons on the adapter/spacer for a 2-4bbl?

    Other than that, this weekend is supposed to be nice out, maybe I can clean out the carb and put another kit in it, although when I took the top off of the carb, it looked pretty clean.
     
  13. Sophie948

    Sophie948 In Overdrive

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    591
    What Ribald said, and...

    I rather suspect that it's gunk in the carb: Since the vehicle was run 'til it ran out of gas, that means that the dregs of the gas tank may have been pumped into the carb. And if the carb is an Edelbrock, they're especially prone to gunking up - and fortunately especially easy to clean/rebuild.

    But do some basic troubleshooting first: Gas, spark, compression.
     
  14. 5.0 Chero

    5.0 Chero Bahumbug Staff Member

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    Easy to tell if chain jumped and it sounds like it did. Line up the timing marks and see what dist tower the rotor is pointing too 1 or 6 and you are good any other and it has jumped
     
  15. Basstrix

    Basstrix In Maximum Overdrive BRONZE MEMBER

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    I wouldn't waste money or time putting a 4v carb on it with an adapter... Troubleshoot and find what's wrong.

    You've established you have spark and fuel. Check the plugs for signs of a flooded engine...maybe that's all that happened. Look at the plugs...smell them for gas....then before you put them back, crank the engine for 3-4 20 second intervals to blow out any residual fuel (in case it was flooded), then replace the plugs, give it a couple of pumps on the accelerator, again watching for squirt, make sure the choke is closing as it should for whatever temperature it is outside.
     
  16. handy_andy_cv64

    handy_andy_cv64 In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

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    If it has a 2100 or 2150, it's also possible the engine lean backfired as it ran out of gas and blew out the power valve. Have you attempted a clear flood start? Basstrix has a good idea, as wet plugs won't fire. To do a clear flood, Pt your foot on the accel pedal and push it to the floor. Keep it pushed down. Crank the engine with the throttle wide open, and do not crank more than 30 seconds at a time, 20 if the cables and starter are all original. Also, did you pour gas down the carb throat in an attempt to start it?
     
  17. ribald1

    ribald1 Banned PLATINUM MEMBER

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    A 4 bbl does not improve performance unless the 2bbl is improperly sized. A 4bbl runs most of the time as a 2bbl, even when the throttle is wide open, unless the 4bbl is undersized.
     
  18. Bossbob

    Bossbob In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    335
    Location:
    So. Cal.
    ---UPDATE ---
    So, today I popped off the top of the carb and it was dry, re-gapped the spark plugs, and inspected the carb. The carb is clean, it's getting fuel, checked the power valve it was good, but replaced it anyway, the float is set correctly. The engine starts and runs momentarily like, 20 seconds or so and dies, it also dies as soon as I try to throttle it. Don't really know what to think. Timing looks good for the short amount of time I can keep it running. Being that it runs momentarily, I have to believe the ignition system is good.

    What am I missing???
     
  19. Jeff B

    Jeff B In Maximum Overdrive BRONZE MEMBER

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    Have you pulled the line off the fuel pump on the IN side and found that it flows? I had the sock on the fuel pickup in the tank on mine collapse and it would restrict fuel causing stalling and cutting out. I pulled that line off, removed the gas cap and blew air into the line and pushed the junk in the line back to the tank and possibly blowing the sock off of the pickup.
    I then got a large inline filter and installed it on the IN side of the pump. The stalling has stopped and this gave me time to pull the tank and clean it and install a new sock. If it will start and run for a second it can indicate a clog or a toasted fuel pump.
     
  20. burninbush

    burninbush In Maximum Overdrive

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    It has already been said before ... but the last time I had a problem like that the problem was that tin-can filter that screws into the bottom of the fuel bowl. 20 seconds of fuel is about how much a single squirt of the fuel pump can force through it (when it's nearly plugged). Stop the car to check it and lo, you have fuel in the carb again, for another 20 seconds of running.

    Emptying the tank will send some amount of garbage to the fuel line. Wouldn't take more than a minute to change it. You could test it -- unscrew the filter and see how much flow you have when it's siphoning fuel from a can sitting nearby.
     

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