Fuel Pumps

[Anonymous]

Greetings All-
After replacing the vacuum advance on my distributor, adding a Pertronix 2 ignition and plug wires, and putting a new fuel filter onto my stock 1bbl carb on my 200ci with 250 heads, the damn thing wont fire. It cranks over just fine. When I stick my nose into the carb I do not smell any gas.
I'm thinking the fuel pump died. Any suggestions? This is not a driver yet, although it ran before I started the changes listed above.

 

[Anonymous]

Tap the area of the float on the carb with a light hammer. The needle and seat may be stuck closed due tovarnish or fuel gumming.
Steve-O

 

[Anonymous]

You should check two things, ignition/ spark and fuel pressure, but you will need a helper or a remote starter. Pull one of your spark plug wires at the distributor hold the plug wire by the rubber boot a short distance from its distributor cap connection. Then turn over the engine/ try and start the engine. You should see the high voltage/spark jump between the plug wire and cap. If you see this blue spark the ignition should be working. If not your pertronix unit maybe bad, maybe installed wrong, or your coil is bad.
Secondly you should have pounds of fuel pressure, not sure of this number guessing 4-7lbs. Someone else please chime in with Ford's fuel pressure specs, but a quick test is just unhook fuel line at carb.
Get a empty can or jar and put it over fuel line then turn over the engine you should see fuel being pumped into you catch container.
Good Luck Lowell

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input. I'll give it a "whack" this weekend when I have time to get under the hood, and will have an extra pair of hands to turn the ignition key when I'm (very carefully) holding the spark wire.

 

[Anonymous]

I have fuel pressure. The gas looks like its yellow/golden colored. Is this good?
Unfortunately my battery died before I was able to test for spark.
Guess I'll go get a battery charger so I don't have to have my truck running (can you say carbon monoxide poisoning?) in the garage to get it charged back up.

 

[80broncoman]

I have fuel pressure.

Yes, but do you have a puddle of fuel in the bowl of the carb? If the float is stuck you may not. Drop a oz down the carb throat and if it fires you might need to look at the float and/or needle and seat valve.