The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Fuel problems, once again.

Well, to some of your advice, I installed my tank the other day, after being convinced that the only stuff left in it was only a small amount that would be filtered out, and today I added some fuel treatment just to make sure that everything was safe to use. Unfortunately, I started my engine only to have it be starved of fuel. Apparently the worse thing(or one of them) has happened and the line is completely blocked. I don't know if somehow the sending unit sucked up some sludge that I didn't know was there or what but there's no fuel to my engine.

Jared:
Start with your carb line and loosen it to see if fuel is passing through then work back to the tank. Or start with the rubber hose between the tank and frame. If you loosen it gas should pour down via gravity. If it doesn't start pulling hoses and blowing through them. Eventually You'll find the stoppage.

Just to point this out: Who are you talking to? I'm JORDAN. Anywho, I found the blockage, it's the sending unit like I hoped/thought. I disconnected the metal fuel line from the rubber flex hose and reattached the hose that I had running into a gas tank prior, pored some gas down it with a funnel, then blew into the hose and looked at the filter infront of the carb and it was fuel of gas, not previously was it. So it has to be the sending unit, which needs replaced anyway. At this point I'm ready to just buy a new tank too.

Calm Down Jordan, Calm down. One little set back doesn't call for the Calvary to come charging in. Sleep on it, things will be better tomorrow and new ideas will avail.

jdl,

If you're ever in Calvary and see the cavalry, run like heck!


Stuart

OK? Alvin, what do you mean "one little setback doesn't call for the Calvary to com charging in"?

I think what he's trying to say is don't over react. This is a simple problem, you know it's the sending unit so buy a new sending unit. What is buying a new gas tank going to accomplish if it's not the problem?

To the best of my knowledge there's a fabric bag-like filter on the fuel pickup part of the sending unit so if you replace the sending unit and you have another fuel starvation problem, you can pull the sending unit and if that filter is plugged up THEN you might want to throw in the towel and buy a new tank.

Yes, it's frustrating but EVERYONE fixing up one of these old trucks goes through the same thing EVERY day. You have to expect setbacks and problems as part of the process and view them as opportunities to diagnose and remedy the problem. If you don't adopt that mindset you're just going to rob yourself of the fun of this hobby.

Hope that makes sense.

Remember if you replace the sending unit you may clog the new one if you don't get the tank cleaned out.

I had this same problem on my '55 first series. The sending unit is all steel tubing. Mine looked like a piece of round stock when I removed it. I used carb cleaner and a coat hanger wire to clean it out, then used compressed air. I removed the gas tank, and it had literally 5 gallons of sand a sludge in it. Then I took it and had it boiled out at a radiator shop. I put a 5/16 in line fuel filter in the fuel line before the fuel pump. Which is a good idea on any vehicle you are just starting to get running. That way, if I starved for fuel, I removed the filter, tapped out the junk in the inlet, put in back in and drove away!

Well, I actually did clean out my tank as best my abilities allowed. and nothing loose was left inside the tank. It really shouldn't have plugged. Anyway, hopefully I can get a new sending unit sometime, and a filter for the end.(it was plugged before I got the tank out and cleaned it, but I unplugged it, plus the float disintegrated and the band that the line that goes from it to the fuel gauge broke) Right now my ammeter seems to have fried, so I will have to figure that out before my tank problem.

That's not correct.
THIS is what a new sending unit looks like. It has a filter that prevents stuff from being sucked into the unit. If he puts a new sending unit in and this filter gets plugged up then he can simply clean this filter and still has the option of replacing the tank.

If the filter doesn't get plugged up he knows his tank is clean and saves the cost of another tank.

From what I've been able to gather from this thread is that he's cleaned the lines from the carb back to the pick-up and discovered the pickup was clogged. Since he never cleaned the PU out to start with, one must assume it most likely was clogged from the beginning.

There I go assuming but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Well, actually, the sending unit pickup WAS clogged in the beginning, but I took a tire leak plugging tool(comes in the kit that you plug the leak with a piece of tar covered rubber, it looks like a round file) and unclogged it and blew through the sending unit and it was clear.

In that case you didn't get the tank clean enough. Either have it professionally cleaned at a radiator shop or get a new tank.

If you take it to a radiator shop they will give you a professional opinion as to it's condition before you authorize it's cleaning.