kymber39845

Hey ya'll! I have been working on an engine/tranny swap from a 1982 to a 1983 12A. So far all has gone pretty well. They guy I bought the 82 from raced her solo and did a few mods. I worked past those by doing extensive research on the difference in the oil coolers and such. My 83 has been down since 99 and the engine was removed a year or two after that. I pulled her tranny and dropped the engine/tranny complete into her last week. She started up at first and now she doesn't seem to have enough fuel pressure. I pulled the lines to make sure they were clear, drained the fuel tank (no stuff in it, but it smelled funky), I replaced the fuel filter and even pulled the fuel pump from the 82 since I know it works. The fuel just kinda dribbles out when I turn the key on and nothing comes out after that; even with the pedal pressed to the floor. What else can I check? I know I'm just a girl but I have worked on my baby even when a "man" charged me a bundle and couldn't find the problem in the past just for me to go home and fix it myself. LOL Please help. I miss my baby and after driving the rustbucket 82 "organ donor" for the last 2 years I can't wait to drive my 83 baby again! Just to clarify...I drained the fuel tank before I started the car with this motor in it..just in case it was bad...it was....

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Hi, welcome to the forum.
Explain about the fuel issue. Are you stating that you took the fuel hose off at the carb and it only dribbles for a bit then nothing comes out?

K-Tune

iTrader: (26)

yeah..im not really sure what's going on here.

does the fuel only drip in the carb? if you mash the gas pedal does it squirt more in? can you hear the fuel pump running? have you tried to start it?

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

welcome.

check your lines if they are reversed.

kymber39845

When I turn the key on the fuel dribbles out. When I push the pedal nothing happens. I think I narrowed it down to a clog in the tank line. I removed the lines/hoses one at a time to check for clearance. The lines are not on backward and the fuel pump works fine. Matter of fact, the 83 fuel pump works fine. (I did all that work for nothing. LOL) I removed the hose closest to the tank and it is clear, but I cannot blow any air into the tank. There is a little fuel in the line which leads me to believe that there is a partial clog in the tank itself that closes completely under suction. What is the best way to clear that? Is it possible to do this without dropping the tank? If it's a clearance issue, I am a girl and have small hands. (I have been working on this car for years, as well as many others, so don't let my gender fool you!) I have her ready for the road other than some cosmetic issues and I'm excited and frustrated!

kymber39845

I have tried to start her and she runs like a champ! As long as my Dad stands there with a gas can in his hand, that is. As long as he puts a little gas in her carb she runs. Today I am going to try putting the hose behind the fuel pump into a container of gas and see if she will run by herself that way. I still believe that there is a partial blockage in the tank line. I assume it goes all the way to the bottom of the tank so there is probably some funk down there...

DavidMyers53

My '83 sat for 13 years before I got it. It had a lot of gunk in the fuel tank. I took it to a radiator shop and had them boil it out and replace the pick up and return lines. It still had some rust in it, which was clogging up fuel filters, so I finally bought a kit of Marine Clean, Metal Etch, and POR15 tank sealer. That, coupled with a new fuel filter, new fuel pump, blowing out he lines with compressed air, putting a secondary fuel filter at the carb (clear, so I can see gas flow), and rebuilding the carb, along with a thousand other tune-up, repair, restore kind of things has my car running great.

If you don't have fuel flow at the carb, work backwards:
Check the fuel pump output, if none, replace the filter and re-check.
If none, use compressed air to clear the line between the fuel filter and tank. There is a fuel shut off valve in there (white plastic thing) but unlikely that it's stopped up.
If you get fuel flow and it doesn't last long, you've got stuff in your tank.

During the process on my car described above, the gunk going through the fuel pump killed it, so I had to replace it...

Good luck!
David

kymber39845

The fuel shutoff valve is where? Is it in the tank? Will I be able to snake the line going into the tank with it in place? I really can't afford to take the car anywhere to be fixed and that is why my Dad and I are doing the work ourselves. I drained the tank from the bottom drain plug (never seen one of those before, but handy) and there was no trash or sediment that came out with the gas. Just an extremely foul smell that lingered for days...LOL I was thinking it may be some kind of gummed up gunk rather than trash and that a good snaking out may fix the problem. I put my finger on a hose between the tank and pump while my dad turned on the key. I felt sufficient suction from the pump to rule out any pump malfunctions. The line can be blown through from the front to the back until it gets to the tank.

DavidMyers53

The fuel shutoff valve is supposed to protect you when the car is upside down It's between the fuel filter and the pump, I believe. FSM will show you for sure. You can blow air through it, but I doubt if you could run anything through it. Sounds like you may have stuff in the tank that gets pulled into the line or pickup filter inside the tank. Only way to know is to drop the tank and look. When I was working on mine, I drained the tank a couple of times and eventually got nothing out. When I pulled the tank off, I used a pressure washer inside it and got a quart can full of gunk out. Even after the radiator shop boilded it out, it still had rust in it. Most frustrating thing I've dealt with on my 7...

- David

kymber39845

Arrrggghhh....I didn't want to hear that, but you may be right. I forgot about the pickup filter in the tank. If it's on the other side of that I may have a problem. There was no junk in the tank when I drained it. I was surprised about that. Rust could be what turned the gas such a funky red color, though. If I pressure wash the tank, how do I dry it? Air or do I put a treatment in to evaporate the excess? Like I said before...there is a drain plug on the bottom of my tank and because of that I should have gotten some junk out if it was there, right?

DavidMyers53

When I pressure washed mine on the inside, I couldn't get all the gunk out. There is a baffle in the tank that goes from the top almost to the bottom that prevents water pressure from getting to the far side... To dry it, though, you can use a hair dryer in the inlet hole or the fuel level sending unit hole- just have to run it a couple of hours

- David

kymber39845

Is there a way to change the plastic filter in the tank? I pulled the tank from the 82 to put on the 83 until I could figure out what to do. I need to find a new one or get the 83 unstuck. My dad and I decided to derust and paint the 82 tank before we installed it and now I know why I was smelling fuel in the 82. Apparently Ohio is harder on a car than Georgia is because of the salt and stuff. There popped up several holes that we repaired before we painted it with some rust inhibitor paint. I hate that I even put that thing on my car because the 83 tank that sat in a field for all those years looks new almost. No rust whatsoever, so if there is a way to change out that plastic thingy at the end of the pickup tube in the tank that would be great!

DavidMyers53

I don't know about changing the pickup filter inside the tank- I had new pickup and return lines put in my tank at the radiator shop, and they don't have filters on the end of them...

- David

kymber39845

Here we go again...I took someone's advice and snaked out the pickup tube with a bass guitar string and a drill. Worked like a charm! I drove her a little after that, even going as far as Dothan a couple of times (over an hour's drive each way). No problems with the fuel, until now. I left the car in Dothan with my brother so he could paint it for me. It was there for a couple of months with very little gas in it. Now I go through at least one fuel filter a day. It's getting expensive!!! I have emptied and rinsed the tank several times in the last week. It seems to be worse now than ever! I had to change the filter this morning on the side of a busy street, in my work clothes, in the rain....LOL Just my luck. Besides the $65 POR-15 kit... is there a cheaper alternative to get me by??? As far as the way she looks....check out my avatar!

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

It's time to buy a used tank. :-)

OneRotor

iTrader: (3)

are you sure that you have a rust problem? Cut open your fuel filters and see if you have red gunk, or if it's gummed up gas.

If it sat for a couple of months with very little gas in it, you could have fuel that has gummed up in your tank, and gummed up your pickup. Try the bass guitar string trick again. Also, for a cleaner, go to a GOOD auto supply store and get a gallon of carb cleaner. That stuff will eat all the varnish that is inside your tank.


EDIT: my bad, i missed where you said that you flushed your tank multiple times.

If it's a rust problem, as a last resort before you go and buy a used tank, try a 50/50 mix of Muriatic Acid and water. The water will make it so the acid isn't so strong that it eats through your tank, but the acid should eat the rusty metal in your tank. Make sure that you rinse the inside of your tank very well after you do this, because little bits of acid left will eat holes in your tank. After you rinse it out with water, flush the tank with either carb cleaner (buy a gallon can) or some alcohol/fast drying turpintine. This will get rid of all the water and stuff that won't run well in the engine. Coat the inside at your own risk with a paint that's petrolium-proof.