Stranded Already!

[jagnweiner]

Well, I've had my Merc for three days and it just left me stranded for the first time. I was going for a short drive after work and was only a mile from home when it started losing power. Pulled into a parking area as it died completely. I could tell it wasn't getting fuel.

I tried to restart it and it would catch, but wouldn't stay running. Opened the hood and immediately saw one problem. The sediment bowl at the fuel pump, which hitherto had nice clean fuel in it, now had basically black fuel in it. See photo. I took the bowl off, carefully poured the fuel out, and there was a bunch of black sediment in it. I cleaned that out, put it back together again and tried to start it with the same result. Bowl once again filled with black fuel and sediment.

My wife came and got me and I then came back with tools, fresh fuel, and carb cleaner. I took the line from the pump to the carb off and sprayed out the fuel inlet. I cleaned the sediment bowl out again and filled it with clean fuel. Put everything back together, cranked a few times and it started right up. Made it home just fine. Checked and still had nice clean fuel in the bowl.

I suspect a chunk of something came loose either in the tank or in the fuel line and disintegrated. I'll replace all rubber lines. Obviously the one leading into the fuel pump is a likely suspect. I was going to rebuild the carb anyway, but will probably push that up. The prior owner only drove it a few hundred miles in the four years he owned it.

[FlatheadTed]

What you have come across is all to common flathead ailment and by looking at the old stock flex line on the pump that's likely sucking air .I would remove the tank and clean it or carry a long flex line and a can of gas that can be used in the passengers seat side also a filter next to the carb till you get it sorted , Ted

[tracktguy]

Just a thought, you may want to look at the gas tank also. Years back I "drove" a car that would idle very nice but when you would drive the car you would only get about a mile down the road. It ended up being the gas tank that was corroded inside. Once the car was moving it started all that junk inside and that was it. I am finishing up my '46 Ford convert.

[SofaKing]

nevermind

[Lanny]

Because of the age of these ol' cars, many of them do need constant
attention till you get all the bugs out.
The good thing is that you got it running again with just some simple tools,
and a little ingenuity, good for you.

If that was your NEW car that stalled out, you might as well call a tow truck
and haul it to your favorite garage. Then draw a good sum of money out of
the bank, cause the analyzers and special tools they need to use, to fix 'em
cost big bucks, and the parts are even higher than Old Ford parts are.

Glad you got it going and hope the enjoyment you get offsets a few glitches.










.

[Talkwrench]

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Fuel eating the hose ..
lucky we don't have that problem here ...yet !

[papanomad]

are you using ethanol gas?

[Darrell S]

My 48 did the same thing right after I bought it last year. Every few miles the sediment bowl would fill with junk. Also the fuel tank was supposed to have been cleaned. I put in a new tank from Drake and new fuel hose to the pump, no problems since.

[jagnweiner]

Originally Posted by papanomad

are you using ethanol gas?

Nope. I filled it up with non-ethanol gas, although I don't know what the PO had used.

[woodiewagon46]

The clue might be the black color in the sediment bowl. It probably is the rubber fuel lines. First thing I would do is change them all. I kept smelling gas when I was parked at a car show and I finally looked under my car and it was a short section of hose between the tank and the steel line. It virtually crumbled in my hand and turned to a black "mush".

[jagnweiner]

Originally Posted by woodiewagon46

The clue might be the black color in the sediment bowl. It probably is the rubber fuel lines. First thing I would do is change them all. I kept smelling gas when I was parked at a car show and I finally looked under my car and it was a short section of hose between the tank and the steel line. It virtually crumbled in my hand and turned to a black "mush".

Yep. That seems to be the case. I need to get under the car to see what, if any, rubber lines are down there. I know I'll be changing the one on the firewall in the picture.

Just glad I was able to get it going again.

[Seth Swoboda]

Replace the flex hose from the fuel line to the carburetor with one from Bob Shewman. I jut put one on our '47 tudor. He advertises in the V8 Times.

[jagnweiner]

Originally Posted by Seth Swoboda

Replace the flex hose from the fuel line to the carburetor with one from Bob Shewman. I jut put one on our '47 tudor. He advertises in the V8 Times.

Ahh, just ordered one from Mac's 20 minutes ago. Perhaps I'll order a spare from Bob. Of course I should also join the EFV8 club so I get the V8 times. It's all so complicated.

On a related note, I saw that Mac's sells a filter to use in conjunction with the sediment bowl. Is there any merit to installing that? Does it create any fuel flow problems?

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Originally Posted by jagnweiner

Ahh, just ordered one from Mac's 20 minutes ago. Perhaps I'll order a spare from Bob. Of course I should also join the EFV8 club so I get the V8 times. It's all so complicated.

On a related note, I saw that Mac's sells a filter to use in conjunction with the sediment bowl. Is there any merit to installing that? Does it create any fuel flow problems?

Does the Mac's one have the anti-backflow valve like Bob Shewman's?

[JSeery]

I would not be messing with any of the fuel lines with the anti-backflow valves until you solve the contamination issues! There are two totally different issues in play. One is physical contamination plugging up the fuel system and the anti-backflow valve will only make that issue worse. The valve is to keep fuel from flowing back into the tank when the car sets for a time. That is not your current issue.

[jagnweiner]

Originally Posted by Scott H in Wheaton

Does the Mac's one have the anti-backflow valve like Bob Shewman's?

I presume not. Does anyone have Mr. Shewman's contact info?

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by jagnweiner

I presume not. Does anyone have Mr. Shewman's contact info?

This is NOT a good idea!!!

[jagnweiner]

Originally Posted by JSeery

This is NOT a good idea!!!

Hmm, ok . . .

Edit: Ah, missed your first post before I made mine. Now I get it.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by JSeery

This is NOT a good idea!!!

Shewman makes an anti-flowback version for those who think they need it. His standard version IS a good idea. Who knows if MAC's flex line is fuel resistant as Shewman's is?

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Shewman makes an anti-flowback version for those who think they need it. His standard version IS a good idea. Who knows if MAC's flex line is fuel resistant as Shewman's is?

Good point 38v8. I was just referring to the anti-drain back valve.

jagawwiner, if you search some threads on these anti-drain back valves the biggest issue they have is they get clogged up easily. Once you get your fuel system spotless clean then if could be a consideration. But with the present contamination issues it would totally make the system unusable. It is going to depend on where the contamination is coming from of course, but not something you want to be dealing with at the moment. They are only needed if you have a drain back issue in the first place. If I was going to consider using one I would place a filter in the line ahead of the valve, but again, this is not the current problem as you explained it.

[sunshine]

I use sediment bowl filters with no fuel problems , but there are 2 different bowls 1. Is thicker then the other , taking 2 different filters ,one requires a spring to hold it up to th e top of bowl

[jagnweiner]

Thanks, Sunshine. Helpful input. I'll have to check that.

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by JSeery

This is NOT a good idea!!!

Bob sells two fuel lines. One is the original style with no check valve and the other has the check valve. I have the one with out the check valve. I also run an electric fuel pump in line with a switch hidden under the dash to prime the system if it sits for a long period. Thus I opted to go with out the valve.

[rotorwrench]

Many of the old cars suffer from a shellac build up in the fuel tank. A lot of them I've pulled have near 1/2 inch of the crud stuck to the bottom. This comes from years of inactivity. Fuel evaporates but also leaves some residue behind. After 50 to 60 years or more, it gets pretty thick.

Since you have been running the car, some of the crap can start coming loose and getting drawn into the line and pump. I make it a matter of practice to pull the tank and have a look inside. If you can't see the bottom of the tank then it's time for a good clean out. It's not as easy to find the lye crystals (sodium hydroxide) like we used to get in a can of Drano and other products back in the day but I mix up some in a small wash tub like the kind that will easily drop into the kitchen sink basin. I only mix up a few inches of the water lye mix at a time so I can work with it without spilling it on everything. You have to be careful not to get it on your skin or it will burn and eye protection is not a bad idea. Using a funnel, pour some in to the bottom of the tank and let it set over night. You will be able to pour the crud out the next day unless you have a larger amount of crud in there. This doesn't do all that much for corrosion but it will clean it down to the metal substrate so you can see if any thing else is going on in there. Rod the pick up tube out with an old section of speedometer cable and it might be good to go. If it is corroded badly, it may need to be sealed with one of Bill Hirsch's sealer kits or others that will withstand the modern ethanol mix fuels. The kit comes with a phosphoric acid to be used to remove the corrosion & convert whats left to iron phosphate.

Sometimes you can get by with out sealing the tank but it's rare in my part of the world. The bits of corrosion will just keep clogging up the filters.

[Scott H in Wheaton]

On an older system I would use an ethanol-resistant fuel hose without the anti-siphon valve, but on a new system ( NEW tank, NEW sender, NEW fuel line) I think the anti-siphon version is a good option.

[Cecil/WV]

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Bob Shewman--610 933 [email protected]

I just got a non back flow hose for my '50 Ford.

[jagnweiner]

Thanks, Cecil.

[Rustedjunk]

I recommend running a new fuel line also from the tank to the firewall. It's not that expensive, not hard to bend to shape, and was pretty fun to do. My 47 had original rusty line, poorly clamped rubber hose, and brake line from the tank to the firewall before I replaced it all. This way you will know it's done right, it'll save you future headaches, and give you piece of mind while cruisin.