kleach18

To start,
1983 gs with about 50k on a reman motor and 130k on the rest of the car .

Ok, heres the deal. I had one of my return fuel lines popped off. I thought it was my gas tank was gone so I bought good used one. So installed that with all the lines attached and still no go. So I thought that maybe running it like 40 miles with a return line dumping fuel everywhere that maybe the fuel pump was gone. So I bought a new stock pump and installed that. The pump turns on and humms away but no gas gets pumped from the tank. Stuck a new fuel filter on and started to suck on the hose to get the fuel going. The filter fills up and I turn the key to the on position and the fuel in the filter get pumped to the carb. I can crank it over and it fires up for a split sec then dies.

Without me sucking the fuel into the filter it doesn't fire up at all. So I'm thinking that maybe that the pump is getting power but maybe not full power to have enough sucking power.

Is there a way to run a temp wire to test this before I tear the interior apart to run a new power wire for the pump? Where would I need to run it to so that I can test it, and is there a easy way to connector so that I don't have to cut the connector off my new pump?

Sorry for the long post but so far I've spent about $300.00 on stuff that wasn't broke (but I feel good replacing ahead of time) and just want to get this thing running again...

Thanks
kleach18

Naegleria_Fowleri

I have no idea. I'm assuming you put it on in the proper direction. That is the strangest thing I've heard. Get the fuel pump tested and make sure it is working.

kleach18

Its working becase once the fuel is in the filter it sucks it from there and sends it to the carb. But its like it doesn't have enough sucking power to draw it from the tank itself....

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Download the FSM as I suggested. Since your car had an aftermarket pump, the plumbing may have been changed to accomodate it. The page I listed in your other thread shows the entire fuel plumbing system. My guess is you are going to need some of the preformed stock fuel lines that are probably missing and plumb the system correctly.

If that doesn't solve the problem, you may need to pull the fuel pickup assembly and check for blockage.

kleach18

Since there is no 83 FSM which one should I look at?

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Replied in your other thread.

Edit: The 82 manual has the same pics as the 83, have a hard copy of that one too.

kleach18

Sorry thanks for all the help.

Lee Lyons

I'd go and buy myself an out of tank fuel pump that you mount to the firewall or something...you could also have a bad ground on the fuel pump that is restricting the pump from function properly...

kleach18

The fuel pump is a out of tank fuel pump. Which of the two wires is the ground? The new plug is the same as the one that I took off the car. Aparently this pump that was on it is a "Stock" replacment you can get from a auto parts store. So it was a direct plug. I'm thinking that I need to rewire the the pump.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

The wire with the stripe should be hot if the other one is solid black.

kleach18

Is it even possible for it to get power to turn the pump on but not give it enough power to really pump the fuel or am I wasting my time again? I've never really heard of this. Its either the pumps turns on or it doesn't.... What else could it be???? Has anybody had this happen to them?

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

You can test voltage to the pump with a multimeter. Since you have an S2 all you need is the key in the on position. Voltage reading should be almost the same as the reading from the battery posts.

You might try installing a longer fuel line on the input side of the pump, drop it in a gas can and see if you get fuel flow that way.

aussiesmg

iTrader: (1)

I think he meant "output side".

Check your wiring where it goes through the body, they ground there often.

I had my Carter pump wired backwards, d'oh' and the fuel was being pushing into the tank, lol, everything seemed right but it wouldn't run, sound familiar. Do the test with the fuel line off and into a catch can, then take the input side and put it into a cannister of fuel and switch the ignition to on, it should pull the fuel from one and into the other, if it doesn't reverse the cannisters.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Nope, I meant input side. That takes any prepump blockage out of the equation. If it doesn't make it to the carb, reverse the proceedure with the tube on the output side and check for draw from the tank.

kleach18

It makes it to the carb but only after I suck it from the tank into the filter. Then it sucks the fuel from the filter to the carb and thats it. Its like it doesn't have enough sucking power to draw it from the tank by itself.

Rogue_Wulff

Pickup tube in the tank is likely plugged. Had a similar ordeal on a buddies SA. There was a small depression in the bottom of the tank, under the pickup tube. That was filled with a tar-like layer of gunk, and it could barely draw fuel out. It would start and idle, but as soon as you tried to drive, it would run out of fuel, even though the tank was full.
After dropping the tank, I used an acid based metal cleaner to flush it out, followed by lots of water to remove the acid. Completely solved the issue.

kleach18

I just installed this tank. I was doing this with the old one to.... I am going to run new fuel lines and rewire the pump and see if that helps. Since its carbed I don't need high pressure fuel line do I?

Anthrax Mike

I think Rogue was making a point about the pickup tube, because you didn't clairify if you replaced just the tank, or the tank and the pick up.

I think running new fuel lines is going to be a big waste, both money and time. If you disconnect it, say right after the pump, cycle the key and if you are getting flow, then there its pointless to worry about the lines beyond the fuel pump.

It kinda sounds like a bad ground, or voltage drop. You need to check it with a multimeter, resistence and amperage wouldn't be a bad idea.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Do the tests I suggested, this will narrow down your problem. Start with the voltage test. If you don't have the needed voltage, the line test won't produce accurate results.

Do you need the high pressure lines, yes, if you are thinking about running rubber, don't. I ran 3/8" aluminum, supply and return, for under 20 bucks, you can't buy rubber fuel line that cheap.

I know your problem is frustrating, take it one step at a time in a logical order and there is a solution. Been there myself.

kleach18

I know I'll get there, its just taking some time to get use to this whole carb thing. I think EFI is a little easier to deal with.

kleach18

Thanks again for all the help guys!

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Efi or carb, makes no difference, it's a fuel delivery problem and trouble shooting is the same.

kleach18

voltage test checked out good... Same at the connector as at the battery terminal.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Now do the fuel line tests. Make sure the pump is primed.

kleach18

Ok I did what I think is the fuel line test. I unplugged the line and ran it into a gas can and it fired right up. It ran for about 2 minutes then the rpms went up a bit and then it stalled. I went under the car and mad sure the line was still in the gas can so I moved it a bit and then it fired right up and ran for another 2 minutes then did the same thing.

Then I ran from the tank to a empty gas can and nothing happened. I actually did this test on both tanks(droping the tank and installing the different one) and got the same results.