<VV> Electronic fuel pumps

Fri Apr 18 18:37:02 EDT 2008

JR,
my back is killing me, standing hunched over that engine bay all afternoon!. I got detoured from the fuel thing. I dropped my brakeline wrench down the fanbelt hole. So of came the whole top end! So she got a good cleaning topside anyway and I got my wrench back. Bad habit, tools near the fan belt, gotta stop that. Boy that took awhile though, lots of crud has collected over 40 years.
Anyway, thanks for your email, I blew out all the lines, and I certainly haven't seen any debris to cause an obstruction. So I am reviewing my gas tank options, a couple of guys say I need to look at the sock inside the tank.
I was not getting any gas at all, even at the pump.
When I empty the tank, I am going to gerry rig the pump and use it suck out the gas from the tank. Then I'll crack her open at the bottom and see what I have to work with.
Prior owners certainly did not drain the lines for winter storage, sticky stale gas smell.
Do I need any special tools to crack the tank?
How do I clean a fuel tank?
Do I buy a new "sock" or just clean the one I have?

Chris Mann
(mechanic for the day)

J R Read_HML <hmlinc at sbcglobal.net> wrote: Chris,  Some folks use an electric pump (unlikely to be in the tank - but 
could be) simply to prime the carbs (fill the carb bowls) in situations 
where the car has not been driven in a number of days.  They then run on the 
mechanical pump (a switch somewhere to turn off the electric one).

If that is the setup you have, you would not want to take the mechanical 
pump apart.  I don't think you want to do that anyway.  At least I can't 
think of a reason to take the top off.  Seems like it would just create a 
big fuel leak.

It is possible, if you did pump the gas peddle several times, that you have 
flooded the engine with too much gas since every time you push the peddle a 
squirt of fuel is ejected from the accelerator pumps in the carbs.  If you 
have flooded the engine, the starting procedure then becomes - hold the gas 
peddle to the floor and do not let it up.  Turn the key for a few seconds. 
This might take 3 or 4 tries.  Do not let the gas peddle up between tries.

Eventually, it will cough a few times and may start to sputter when it 
begins to run on 2 or 3 or more cylinders.  Keep the key turned to start 
when this happens and in another couple of seconds, the engine will fully 
start and the RPMs will come up rapidly.  Now you let off the gas quickly, 
but may have to "feather" the throttle for a moment or two until everything 
evens out.

Now, if the car had been flooded and is now running you need to take it for 
a good ride to get the engine warm and burn off the excess fuel which has 
likely made it to your crankcase.

OK......  While I was writing that, I received your latest update.  Suspect 
areas for fuel starvation (or air getting into the main fuel line) are the 
rubber hoses - one (maybe 2 for your electric pump) near the tank and a 
second (third?) one above the left rear axel.  Of course, the mechanical 
pump could be the culprit, but I suspect not since you have the electric 
one.  Yes, the "stones" in the carb inlet are the only filters on a stock 
system.  Has the timing slipped?  Some folks (like me) make the bolt on the 
distributor tight enough to hold it in place, but not so tight that it 
cannot be bump - moved as desired.

Later, JR

CCE CORVANANTICS CORSA SCG member
'61 Rampside Standard 4/110
'65 Monza Convertible 4/140

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cfm" 
To: "Virtual Vairs" 
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 9:15 AM
Subject:  Electronic fuel pumps

> This is a different issue and topic for me. I have only experienced the 
> likes of stock mechanical fuel pumps on Corvairs. This new Corvair I have, 
> had an electronic pump installed. My basic understanding is that its a 
> device that is in the fuel tank, run some power to it and remove and cap 
> off the mechanical one.
> So, shes not starting (after fixing the loose bolts on the flex plate) she 
> is turning over, I have good battery power, good spark (she does fire) but 
> I think I'm having a fuel delivery problem, doesn't stay lit.
> If I were to assume a non-corvair mechanic installed the pump prior to my 
> ownership (not that it matters), I am looking at the return line coming 
> into the engine compartment and its capped of with a bolt and hose clamp.
>
> First, is this OK to do? or is there a problem being created by this 
> technique (like a pressure/vacuum) that a mechanical fuel pump might 
> depend on?
>
> Two, when I turn the key to ON, I hear a little fluttering noise coming 
> from the front, I assume this is the pump kicking in. If I were to 
> disconnect the gas supply line and divert it to a bucket, is it safe to 
> assume that if I turn the key to ON, gas should come from that line into 
> the bucket? (just for confirmation of a good pump)
>
> Three, is it silly to "pump" the gas pedal during the starting process? I 
> assume that if the fuel pump is electronic, she'll pump gas automatically, 
> not sure if pumping the pedal is redundant or not required?
>
> Thanks (again) in advance,
>
> Chris Mann
> 69 monza convertible with a 65 or 66 110 PG engine/trans
>
> _______________________________________________
> This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are 
> the property
> of the writer, please attribute properly. For help, 
> mailto:vv-help at corvair.org
> This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of America, 
> http://www.corvair.org/
> Post messages to: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
> Change your options: 
> http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/options/virtualvairs
> _______________________________________________ 