The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Will I Ever Stop Pushing It Home? Fuel Filters?

I have 54 3100 p/u w/ a 235 using a 1bb rochester. The truck is completely stock with the exception of a NAPA oil filter add-on.

I started having fuel delivery problems. The truck is timed with new points, new wires, new plugs, new cap and rotor, set valves, great compression. I began taking it out on the road and I'd only make it a few blocks and it would die, no fuel in the lines. I noticed fuel in my oil and poor fuel flow. I quickly got a $26 fuel pump from partsamerica.com. After installing it, I changed the oil and let it idle for a period of two hours. No problems at all. I even went out every now and then and rev'd it up to test for fuel flow no probs. After approx two hours. I checked the oil again, perfect, same level clean. Took it on the road made it half mile and she screamed for fuel. Completely died. My 6v system had little life left in it to replenish the lines. Pushed it home again.

I've noticed that the 235 fuel filters are typically a glass bowl in front of the carb and a screen on the fuel pickup. Mine has neither, and rather two smaller inline plastic filters, one in front of the carb and one before the pump. Could these filters be causing the poor fuel delivery. Is the filter before the pump possibly collapsing? Also, I've noticed they typically have steel lines direct to the carb and to the pump. I have rubber napa fuel lines, collapsing? Any ideas?

Two areas I've had problems with are - rubber hoses deteriorating (outside looks good)and blocking fuel flow, and crap in the tank. Your situation sounds identical to both rigs I had these problems on. The hoses are an easy fix. The tank problem won't be, but by blowing compressed air thru the the supply line behind the fp you should get an idea by what comes out of the tank neck. Have a buddy stand by with a rag over the neck and look at the rag.... usually it'll be cruddy. These are the two easier problems to find.

Sounds to me like there's crap cloging the fuel line in the tank, or your rubber fuel line is too old.

The little fuel hose is $10 at your Friendly Local Rubber Supplier, and the crap problem can be fixed by pulling the tank and washing it out really good. (gravel makes a good abrasive for knocking rusty crap loose)

maybe you might consider by passing the gas tank, run fuel line into a gas container for awhile and see if it stalls or stops. if not,, then you can probably be pretty sure it is the gas tank..

I'd also suggest that the filter before the pump is a bad idea [only takes a very small amount of sediment in there to stop delivery], and is prolly why the diaphragm split in the pump letting fuel into the crankcase

Bill

I had a low-mile '54 Buick I turned into a daily driver, and ran into this problem. There were a few issues:
The insides of the fuel lines had developed surface rust from sitting dry for 10 years. When the fuel ran thru it, the rust particles dislodged and would flow with the fuel. The rust was as fine as talcum powder. It'd gum up the line, the filter, the carb and the fuel pump. I replaced the lines and it solved the problem.
Second problem: fuel pump was slowly dying. The truck would run for a while, and then the pump wouldn't keep up and it would die.
Third problem: the fuel tank pick-up tube was almost closed off with varnish. I couldn't believe it. It was about 85-90 percent shut. Cleaned it with muratic acid, and it worked.
All of those problems were happening at the same time, so tracking them down was a pain. When it was all done, the carb had trash in it, which also killed the engine and would keep it from running. So I replaced the 2bbl with a factory 4bbl, and the thing ran find from that point on.
-Brad

I vote for trash or water in fuel tank. I am having similar problem with my 50 Chevy pickup I woke up after a 27 year nap. Getting everything cleaned out of that tank is a pain. Good luck.

My similar problem with 235 was TO MUCH FUEL PRESSURE causing flooding. Solved with a cheapo fuel pressure regulator from NAPA, a chrome deal that goes in line between fuel pump and carb, set at 3.5 lbs. Now I have the glass filter, in line before the pump. Word is that these new fuel pumps put out way to much pressure.

i blew air from the pump back to the line that went into the tank.luckey for me their was a rubber conection,well i blew it out into a container ,,rusty! also if there are any conections in the line from the tank and one is letting air in even a small amount will cause poor suction...try running some Lucas upper cylinder and injector additive,,,works great for cleaning up varnished carb....just a suggestion after you clean up the tank etc.

When I cleaned out my tank, I removed it and shook it around for awhile with some chain in it. This dislodged most of the big stuff. Then I installed a new glass filter under the truck just in line out of the tank. I could then see what gunk was still it the tank. There was a bunch. After about 4 tank fulls of gas and 4 filter changes, it runs fairly clear. I clean the filter about every oil change now. This, in addition to another glass filter at the carb, seems to work great. Try and keep the tank full and rust wont get much worse.

i have a 61 witha 235 that did the same thing.i traced it to the filter on the sending unit.

If you have a serious crud problem and can't or don't want to remove the tank,you can install a spin on oil filter with 3/8's hose bibs to the frame near your fuel line from the tank,and there IS a gas filter available through Carquest that fits in place of the PH8A oil filter.It'll flow enough volume you'll probably never plug it up.You'll still have the screen on your pick up tube to contend with,unless you blew it off when you unplugged the fuel line with 100 psi of air.
Speed

[Frank50 wrote: Getting everything cleaned out of that tank is a pain. ]

One time I put gravel in a motorcycle tank and spun it in our clothes dryer (surrounded by pillows) for a half an hour. It made a lot of racket, but it worked wonders for knocking the rust loose. It would be GREAT if you could find some kind of a rotisseri(sp?) to do that to your truck tank.

the chain sounds good.that way you can be sure you get it all back out.

You can also get big farm implement type plastic see through disposable fuel filters to put in the rubber bit of your gas line. They hold more filth and are cheap and easy to replace. Just always have a spare in your glove box with a screw driver and some plastic gloves.