Mystery miss on 50 model Ford Custom

[hueyhoolihan]

Originally Posted by Doublepumper

I've had this problem in the past. It turned out to be water in the fuel tank. The water formed into a small puddle and moved around the bottom of the tank. When in just the right position the puddle of water would get around the fuel pickup and into the fuel line.

that's diabolical! just curious...

in your case, did time heal all things, or was water ingress a continuing problem?

[Steve51]

My 51 will run fine for 30 seconds + or - on the fuel in the carb and fuel pump. Any quick momentary blockage should not have any affect but something lasting 30 seconds should cause issues. I have had my car stumble a few times and I felt it was due to ignition, voltage, electrical issues due to the ongoing charging issues I am having.

[cas3]

My goodness! you don't even know her name? Hope she's not sitting on the hood, does your wife know about this?

[Flathead Fever]

Originally Posted by Bullerman

I ordered a 2.5 to 4 psi pump. I will put it as close to the tank as I can get. Have a new pressure regulator and gauge coming to.

How do I go about cutting the line to install it. I am thinking I will have to drain the tank and take the line loose to cut it and install the pump. Is there an easier way?
Also does it matter which gas cap is on the car. It is not the stock cap. Should it be a non pressurized type cap? Thanks

Early Ford carbs work on low fuel pressure, much lower than later model V8's. 4lbs is too much pressure for a Stromberg. Which carb will you be using? You might need to put a fuel regulator inline to cutdown the pressure. The problem is at 1 1/2 lbs. those fuel regulators are not very accurate; they just might cut the fuel off completely when they are set to that low of a pressure. I had this happen and learned to just buy the correct pressured electric fuel pump rather than trying to adjust the pressure with an external fuel regulator. It's better to get the pump with the pressure you need. There are just a couple electric fuel pumps that have a low pressure that will work with Stomberg carbs. I only use mine to prime the system after the car has set for a long time. In order for it to work with a stock fuel pump it needs to be in the "open" position when it's not in use so that the stock fuel pump can still pull fuel through it. Most pumps are in the closed position when not in use so a mechanical pump would not be able to suck fuel through when it was turned off. That leaves your choice of pumps to just one or two of them, low pressure 1 1/2 lbs. of pressure and open in the off position. The Airtex fuel pump catalog has a section that lists electric pumps by order of their pressure and if they are open or closed in the off position. There are just a couple of them that have these specs. If you are not going to run a stock fuel pump than you need an electric pump that is closed in the off position.

[Bullerman]

I have had water in my gas one or twice before.when I got it it started missing immediately. This this has missed twice almost in the same place both going uphill. After the hill it was fine.
I think this morning I am going to adjust the float and raise the level in the bowl. It just doesn't look like it's enough and try that.
I am also going with the new fuel pump anyway and locate it where it's supposed to be.

[Bullerman]

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This is a Holly 94. Think the pressure would be the same. Thanks for the help.

[51shoeboxer]

Originally Posted by Doublepumper

I've had this problem in the past. It turned out to be water in the fuel tank. The water formed into a small puddle and moved around the bottom of the tank. When in just the right position the puddle of water would get around the fuel pickup and into the fuel line.

Many years ago, there was a product called Dry Gas that you could put into your gas tank to absorb moisture.

[tubman]

There was also "Heet". These were basically alcohol (which will combine with water; gasoline doesn't). These days, I believe they sell Isopropyl alcohol, which works somewhat better. The idea was to get the alcohol to absorb the water, and the for the alcohol to combine with the gasoline and then the whole mess would pass though the system and be burned. It worked pretty well if there wasn't too much water in the gas. When I was a kid, it was customary to add a can of "Heet" every fill of gas in the winter.

[hueyhoolihan]

if i'm not mistaken, appears that modern gasoline, often containing a 15% mixture of ethyl alcohol (ethanol), will also mix with and absorb water. if so, i would think that modest amounts of water in the fuel system are less problematic than in the past.

[Ggmac]

Unless the fuel system is open to the atmosphere and you live in an area of high humidity .