The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Wellll - The best laid plans.....

For those of you following the saga, here's an update. We've been very excited to get her on the road and home - she's got WORK to do and today we took her on the road for the very first time....

So.... Repair fuel pump and carb issues - check. Got "Matilda" (changed from "Bertha") running - yipee and check. Drive around a whole bunch in an old walnut orchard after getting her going, make sure everything seems solid to drive her home.... check. Pay registration, switch insurance over - check. Drive around in the orchard some more - check. Okay, all good time to drive home - about 4 miles.

Get her started and warmed up; no problems. Have the wife be the "pilot" car, okay.... Head out on the road - oh my.... From the way she steers and uses a very generous interpretation of the term "lane" - naming her "Waltzing Matilda" was prescient. I'm about 1/4 mile out and the truck is losing power - at this rate I'll never even make orbit. She coughs and sputters and limps along; I take it easy and get about another 1/4 mile and turn in to a parking lot. She sputters and dies. I get out and see a fluid trail - yikes! - precious bodily fluids! The wife pulled in before me and a quick check shows that I'm not getting any fuel. The truck starts right up after a whiff of ether, then dies. I don't see any gas in the fuel pump at all.

Called the FIL, he came with his brand new tow rope and we returned to the ranch. I wasn't able to determine the fluid leak at this point, but did discover some dribble down the inside of the right rear tire. Funny thing is, I held my foot on the brake for several minutes and it didn't drop - the pedal felt very solid. I'm hoping it's water from when we washed the truck a couple of days ago. Lordy!

So, looks like I'm off to price a fuel pump, look for a mystery leak, find out if it's brake fluid and price some steering components.

Funny thing is, just before the truck started losing power, I had waved to a fellow coming the other way driving an old ~'55 F 100. Darn those Fords!

John

Hi,John check the fuel filter frist after all this time it could be getting cloged up from old stuff breaking loose when you get her humming down the road.

Pete

excellent advice

Welcome to the hobby!
Ain't it fun??

I hope you removed all the old fuel and replaced it with new.

Before you start driving it check everything. The fuel system & brakes alway's need going over on an old truck/car. Check out all the lights, horn, wipers, & wireing. Change the lube in the trans. & diff. Completely lube all the zerk fittings in the chassis & if some don't take grease remove the fitting & dig out the crud. Lube all the hinges. There is plenty more so some other Bolters can step in ewith sugestions.

John, if you havent put a fuel filter in-line between the tank and the fuel pump yet, then it still could be a clogged fuel line between the gas tank and the fuel pump... You said on Saturday that you repaired the fuel pump. It's a pretty simple pump, and pretty easy to test with a short fuel hose from a full gas can... Seems like if the fuel pump ~was~ working after you serviced in on Saturday, it's more likely that the fuel line between the tank and the fuel pump is starving you... I dont remember seeing you mention replacing or cleaning the fuel lines any any of your threads...