not starting

[Zheuse]

my 88 GW stalled out on me earlier this weekend and left me stranded. i was doing about 60 and suddenly lost power... as long as i had my foot off the gas it coasted but when i put my foot on the gas again it started stalling out again. for some reason it will not start up again. i replaced the fuel pump and the fuel filter today and still have a hard time starting it. it will start if i put a little fuel into the carb dirrectly but dies again when that fuel is gone. anyone have any ideas what might be restricting the fuel? or if it is a different problem?

[Georgia Mike]

Mine will do this when the gas tank gets to about 1/4 tank. It'll start stumbling going uphill,and won't start at all if I leave it parked facing uphill when it gets that low. I just pop into the gas station when it's around 1/2 tank and top it off. I've heard of others with this same problem. An electric pump at the tank would most likely cure the problem for good.

[Zheuse]

i checked my fuel tank and i still have 3/4 a tank left....as for the electrical fuel pump i would think that the standard mechanical pump would be sufficient for what i need.... just some simple transportation.... besides.. i am not electrically inclined enuf to install one without shocking myself a few dozen times

[andy d]

could be a fuel pickup problem. just for grins, i would top off the tank and see if that helps. when the sending unit on my 88 failed, it was reading a full tank. on my 81, the p/u tube sprung a leak right where it exited the tank. if the pump is sucking air, it wont pump fuel. you could also try rigging up a test by putting the pump intake into a gas can and seeing if the engine will run. if it does, then problem is with the fuel lines or the tank. if it doesnt, try rapping on the fuel bowl of the carb with a screwdriver handle. it may be just a stuck float. if it still doesnt work,its the fuel pump and thats easy to test. pull off the line to the carb and put a coffee can under it. that pump should deliver a good tablespoon of gas for each turn of the motor. whatever it is, its prolly something basic(cheap to fix) once you find out what it is

[will e]

You should, just for grins, check for spark.

[jode]

yeah, but JUST for grins because if the engine runs fine when gas is poured into the carb, then you can be assured that it is getting spark.

Andy D nailed this one...if you follow his advice and don't find the problem...I'll eat my hat smile.gif

[Smooshy]

Could be in the carb, I think that carb might have a screen (metal filter thingy) before the needle, cant remember though. If it does have a screen its not uncommon for those to clog since thats why they are there.

[The Anti-Chrysler]

1.Take the line off the carb, get a piece of hose, and have someone crank over the engine and see if there is a steady supply of fuel.

If yes, it's in the needle / seat / float bowl etc.

If no, it's in the lines, bad (even new) pump, plugged sender sock, etc.

Basically simplifying what Andy said.... he's on the money.

[Zheuse]

i pulled the line off the fuel filter and still no fuel, i also checked the p/u tube and it has a fairly large filter, so i put it in a gas can and it still did not run.

and yes the engine does have spark, shocked myself when i held the 1 cylinder wire and a friend cranked it

[andy d]

this fairly large filter, can you blow through it?

[Don S]

Originally posted by Zheuse:
i pulled the line off the fuel filter and still no fuel, i also checked the p/u tube and it has a fairly large filter, so i put it in a gas can and it still did not run.

and yes the engine does have spark, shocked myself when i held the 1 cylinder wire and a friend cranked it..
Zheuse:...
... The spark plug wires can carry 20,000 to 50,000 volts and can bite pretty good. Hooking up an electric fuel pump can make dianosing some of these problems a lot easier. The electric fuel pumps work at below 15 volts and you should disconnect the battery during installation.

…It may be possible to mis-alighn the mechanical pump. Take the in-put and out-put lines off and put a finger over each in-put/out-put of the pump. Have someone crank the engine and see if you can feel a little suction on one side and pressure on the other side. This will tell you if the pump is working.
... If it doesn’t seem to work I would pull it out and check it to see if it looks like the old one. There is the possibility that the pump you installed is the wrong one.

Good Luck ;) and CUL.. Don S..

[Zheuse]

i am installing an electrical fuel pump tomorrow and i am gonna see if this helps... if it doesn't i am gonna be REALLY mad. and totally confuzled

[Don S]

Originally posted by Zheuse:
i am installing an electrical fuel pump tomorrow ..
Zheuse:...
... … I hope you try the ‘dry fuel pump’ test first. Another ‘dry fuel pump’ test is to put ten-psi vacuum in the same lines and note if the vacuum remains to determine if the pump has an air leak.
… One heavy duty Gyrator style electric fuel pump (such as the Holley red-top at over $100) mounted low and close to the fuel tank with a filter between seems to be the best remedy. Fuel pressure regulators are not often required but helpful. This will depend on the carburetor.
... Gyrator pumps will be damaged if run without fuel to cool and lubricate the steel parts. It is a good idea to bench run a gyrator pump with some light oil for a short break-in.
… Simply adding an electric pump in line with a mechanical pump is doable but will slightly impede the fuel flow unless the electric-pump is switched on. The electric pump may put a strain on the diaphragm of the mechanical pump. If the diaphragm wears out a hole could develop which could cause a catastrophic amount of fuel to end up in the crankcase quickly.
… A fuel pump for a six cylinder engine should put out 4 to 5 psi and a fuel pump for an eight cylinder engine should put out 5 to 6.5 psi. Both six and eight cylinder fuel pumps should pump one pint in 30 seconds at idle RPM. These are ‘specs’ for 1981 Jeeps per AMC.

… The pick up sock in the fuel tank can start clogging as you drive. The farther you drive the more
clogged it becomes. Then, with the fuel pump not working some of the particles can fall off until your
pump starts to suck up fuel again. The best fix may be drop your tank and flush it out and install a new sock.

Good Luck ;) and CUL.. Don S..

[Zheuse]

i am bypassing the mechanical fuel pump completely....