Bad Fuel Pump???

[plrgpr]

My 66 140 has run perfectly for the two years I’ve owned it. Today, I put the top down to go for a ride, hit the key it started and died. Would not start after that. Pulled the air cleaner and pumped the throttles, no gas visible squirted into the carb. Pulled the supply line from the pump to the carb and cranked, no fuel. Primed the primarys with a little fuel, fired right up. Let it run 15 min, and drive it about a mile with a couple of full throttle accelerations, ran perfectly. Need to replace a weak fuel pump?????

[terribleted]

Maybe. Check the fuel line connector hoses in the system for crack or leaks. It ran after you got it started so the pump is working now at least some. How long was it sitting before you started it? If they sit more than a few days it may take a considerable amount of cranking for the fuel pump to fill the carbs after the fuel has evaporated from them. Chokes still hooked up? Does it start now normally?

[bbodie52]

When some mechanical pumps aren't pumpin', the pump itself may not be bad. Check the two short fuel hoses in the line between the tank and the engine compartment. They sometimes deteriorate and develop a leak or crack that allows air to enter and makes it impossible for the pump to develop the vacuum needed to draw fuel from the tank to the pump. Some new short hoses and clamps may be all that is needed!

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO DRINK THROUGH A STRAW THAT HAS A SMALL SPLIT OR CRACK IN ITS SIDE??? IT CAN'T BE DONE!

[plrgpr]

Thanks Ted & Brad. The chokes are hooked up and work great. The car had been sitting for 10 days. I cranked on it a bunch, being careful to not crank more than 10 seconds or so at a time. It had been sitting for six months when I got back from Florida this spring and it started right up with only a little more cranking than normal. I’ll try and start it after lunch today, as it’s been sitting for about 24 hours and see if it starts. I’ll check those hoses Brad, but if it were leaking, would I not smell gas and see some drips? If I determine it’s time to change the pump, should I go with a mechanical replacement or switch over to electric? If electric, is there a brand/kit that you would recommend?
Thanks

[Gregory_Miller]

If the rubber hose in back is cracked, it's above the level of the fuel in the tank. No drip, but it can suck air there. That's where I'd start.... Also make sure the fuel pump retainer pin hasn't backed off and the pump may not be in it's designed spot. That would make the pumping action less robust.

[plrgpr]

Gregory Miller, Good points, thanks!

[plrgpr]

After sitting only 24 hrs., the car fired up instantaneously. I suspect the fuel lines are the culprits?????

[66vairguy]

Thanks Ted & Brad. The chokes are hooked up and work great. The car had been sitting for 10 days. I cranked on it a bunch, being careful to not crank more than 10 seconds or so at a time. It had been sitting for six months when I got back from Florida this spring and it started right up with only a little more cranking than normal. I’ll try and start it after lunch today, as it’s been sitting for about 24 hours and see if it starts. I’ll check those hoses Brad, but if it were leaking, would I not smell gas and see some drips? If I determine it’s time to change the pump, should I go with a mechanical replacement or switch over to electric? If electric, is there a brand/kit that you would recommend?
Thanks

A common problem. The carburetors can go dry in a few days due to today's fuels (even alcohol free gasoline). I have an electric fuel pump and I prime the carburetors and the car starts right up even after weeks of sitting. However --- recently even with the carburetors full of fuel and the chokes working the engine would not start unless I poured a little fuel down the carburetors. I discovered the issue was bad accelerator pump cups. Pumping the gas pedal once or twice was not getting any fuel into the carburetor which is required even with the chokes on to start a cold engine. Once the engine warms up the cups start working again, but if the car sits a week or longer the accelerator cups no longer pump fuel until the carburetors get warm. Note the old "black" accelerator cups worked fine for about four years.

The solution --- install the blue Viton accelerator cups and once the fuel pump gets fuel into the carburetor the engine will start with a pump of the gas pedal. Folks that have used the blue Viton accelerator pump cups say they last longer. You can replace the cups using a BIC pen cap to guide the new Viton cups on the pump mechanism. Jeff at California Corvairs sells just the blue Viton accelerator cups.

Note it is possible you fuel pump won't self prime, but usually there are other issues indicating a fuel pump problem. If after cranking there is fuel in the carburetors, then it's the accelerator pump cups in the carburetor, not the fuel pump.

[Gregory_Miller]

I like my Facet pump paired with a tach safety switch. I can turn the key to ACC and it will run for a couple of seconds and shut off due to lack of tach pulse signal. Turn it off, do it again if it's been sitting for more than a couple of weeks then it starts right up. This is the tach cut off I used, but I can't find the Facet pump I used, keeps coming up with cube pumps and mine is round..... https://www.classicindustries.com/produ ... yEEALw_wcB
Edited for typo

[terribleted]

I like my Facet pump paired with a tach safety switch. I can turn the key to ACC and it will run for a couple of seconds and shut off due to lack of tach pulse signal. Turn it off, do it again if it's been sitting for more than a couple of weeks then it starts right up. This is the tach cut off I used, but I can't find the Facet pump I used, keeps coming up with cube pumps and mine is round..... https://www.classicindustries.com/produ ... yEEALw_wcB
Edited for typo

Cube pumps are so dam noisy...uggg

[66vairguy]

I like my Facet pump paired with a tach safety switch. I can turn the key to ACC and it will run for a couple of seconds and shut off due to lack of tach pulse signal. Turn it off, do it again if it's been sitting for more than a couple of weeks then it starts right up. This is the tach cut off I used, but I can't find the Facet pump I used, keeps coming up with cube pumps and mine is round..... https://www.classicindustries.com/produ ... yEEALw_wcB
Edited for typo

Hmmm - I've only seen the Facet "cube" used by Corair folks. I've never used one, but those that have used them say they are reliable. Make sure you use the correct fuel pressure. Many use the "lower" PSI, always go by the highest PSI number. Corvair non-Turbo engines want 4-5PSI.

Thanks for the fuel control module tip. That looks like the "Revolution" RE12003 controller. https://www.revolutionelectronics.com/P ... _Pump.html

It's on my list to install.