fuel delivery problem

[ray krick]

My normally thirsty 360 keeps getting a periodic laps in fuel delivery from the new fuel pump I installed a month ago. I added an extra filter(see thru) so I could see what was going on. The flow just stops, once the carb bowl goes dry the engine sputters, sometimes the flow picks up again and fills the jar sometimes it just chokes. A couple cranks usually gives it enough splashes of fuel to fire it up again. I pulled the tank a few weeks ago thinking the strainer(sock) was plugged and it does not have one and I'm having trouble finding one. I disconnected the fuel delivery line from the tank and hooked a manual hand pump to see the draw and it seemed like a good flow, lots of crud though. Any thoughts? I thought a fuel pump either worked or it didn't.

[Stolen76]

your right about the works or doesn't on the pump.
I would suspect trash in the pickup tube, or something floating around in the tank like one of those little disks they use to seal up fuel additive containers.

[Lindel]

Ray, depending on the age of your rig, and if it's completely stock or not, there could be a "secondary" fuel filter mounted directly on the carburetor. If there is, it'll look like a brass canister, that screws directly into the fuel input to the carb, and the fuel line will screw into it.

If this is the case, take it off, and try to blow through it (after you drain it, and clean it off, of course). If you can't blow through it, then take a no. 1 Phillips, and punch a hole through the medium. The medium doesn't like today's gas, and will crystalize.

If that isn't it, or you don't have that fuel filter, the next step is to see if fuel is getting to the fuel pump, at all. If it's not, then the tank filter (basically a long nylon "sock", has deteriated, and will have to be removed/replaced. If you have an 80 or newer Wagoneer/Cherokee, there's an access panel under the carpet, directly under the rear seat, on the driver's side. It's probably riveted down, but with some care, you can drill the rivet's out.

That'll give you access to the tank. If you have a J-truck, or older Wag/Chero, then you'll have to drop the tank to gain access.