The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop fuel pump failure in the cold?

Has anyone else had a mechanical fuel pump fail in the cold, and/or after sitting for ~4months?
My 235 fires with starter fluid, but dies shortly... even after ~10 attempts.

I'm a bit surprised since I just put a new pump on ~3 years ago.

Your problem is likely that you installed a new pump. The quality of "new" replacements has been terrible for the last 5 years or so.

Your best bet is to try and find an original one and have it rebuilt (or rebuild it yourself).

Fib is right. Fuel pumps don't fail in the cold. Brand new pumps don't work at any temperature. If you have your old one and it's at least 30 years old, send it to Then & Now Automotive to have it rebuilt. They also sell kits to do it yourself if you choose.

www.then-now.com

Thanks!
I will check out the rebuild guys.

Are you certain that you have continuous flow coming from the fuel tank? Debris sloshing around in the bottom of an old tank, settling on the hole in the bottom of the tank has been the cause of many unnecessary purchases of fuel pumps and carburetor rebuilds.
The most frustrating ones are when the restriction of fuel flow from the tank is intermittent caused by shifting debris.

Aha, good call Carl.
I just pulled off the pump and it seems pretty ok.
Must be a problem upstream.

Here is the inside of a fuel pump that wouldn't pump after a few hundred miles. Can you tell from looking at it why it wouldn't work? Of course not. Short of a torn diaphragm or a missing or loose valve, opening up the fuel pump won't answer many questions.

The only way to test a fuel pump is to record the fuel pressure at the carburetor and the output.

The one with the silver top was brand new and wouldn't pump a drop straight out of the box. The problem with this Chinese garbage seems to be in the position and/or throw of the pump arm.

The silver topped one didn't pump a drop straight out of the box.

Yours looks like a reman of an original pump since it has the glass bowl but who knows? You can't really trust new parts to work properly anymore. I'd test the pump.

Call Then and Now... speak to Tom. Kit is about $50 and is an easy job. Tom will talk you through the process. That is... if you cannot find an upstream blockage like Carl suggests.

Ooops, it ended up being a problem with my custom fuel selector valve.
I didn't realize it had left tank, right tank and OFF positions

It runs great now!

Hahaha! I'm sure we've all been there.

My dad and I once sat for 4 hours waiting for a tow truck when my 1972 Monte Carlo "broke down". It took the rest of the weekend to diagnose the problem. Yep, it was out of gas.

I learned then to check the basics first. Can't get more basic than putting gas in the tank.

What truck is this with dual tanks? This is relevant to my interests.

Here's the old build pictures:
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...mighty-morphin-suburban.html#Post1349325

It's a 10 gallon marine tank that I added between frame and passenger foot well of my suburban:
https://www.hardin-marine.com/p-138...ith-sender-polished-stainless-steel.aspx


I ended up routing the return line to both tanks, and having a feed line from both tanks to a selector valve. The return line forks right between the tanks and sometimes acts as a siphon to equalize the levels. Additionally there is a 'vent' line between the two tanks intended to equalize any pressure differences.

Yep. Clearly a fuel delivery problem.
Good find, and good on you for fessing up instead of what I would have likely done. Just slunk away, never to be heard from again.

That is a cool setup. Thanks for the link.

Why is that valve in the line, anyway? Unless you have two tanks, remove it and put it on the shelf. Get a simple on-off valve if you feel you need one. Use the KISS concept. Keep it simple, $tupid... (no offense intended.)

He has TWO tanks! He added a 10 gallon.