legozombie
Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2024
- Posts
- 39
- Reaction score
- 32
- Location
- Colorado
- First Name
- A
- Truck Year
- 1983
- Truck Model
- K20
- Engine Size
- 5.7 350 v8
I tried doing some research and didn't find anything relevant so here is a new thread. There is a question at the end, I am just trying to give as much back story as I can. Without further adieu...
So last week I was changing out the fuel sender on my stock 350 sbc QJet-M4M3 1983 K20 p/u and was under the truck for about a week moving the bed by myself and lowering the tank and whatnot. As I was putting everything back, I was testing my electronic fuel pump to make sure that fuel was leaving the tank due to a botched first attempt, I think from a kinked hose right after the sender. Right next to the fuel pump (located at the turn when the lines turn to go to the engine bay from the back of the cab), I noticed that someone spliced a rubber section of hose into the metal lines. I noticed the line was super cracked so I decided to replace it. This line (important for later) came from the vent port of my 3-port sender to the vent port of the EVAP/charcoal can (6 port can). Once everything was in place, I decided to test drive it to go fill up on gas since I only had like 5 gallons. I live a couple of miles from a gas station in a very hilly area. On my way there I tried shifting into the 3rd gear (4-speed M/T) and I noticed a lack of power. I shifted back down thinking I was low on gas hoping to limp to the gas station. However, on an uphill, I could tell my truck was about to die so I pulled over and called AAA for gas under the assumption it was a lack of fuel problem. I was like a block away from the gas station. To keep the story concise, I filled my tank halfway and I still couldn't get my truck to start. Eventually, somehow, my truck started on a super low idle and would die as soon as I pressed the gas pedal. The only real difference between before and after was that cracked line I replaced so I cut it and sure enough my truck started up strong and didn't have any issues at all and I made it back home (and a trip to the hardware store for bricks and lumber since then)
Since there was a rotten hose there before I think that may be the reason my truck stalled once in highway traffic. I may have kicked the fuse tap that connected the fuel pump on that occasion but I can't tell for certain. There was another time I left my truck idling in front of friends house for about 20 minutes and my truck just died when I tried taking off which I have no clue why but it eventually turned on. I'm thinking that the cracked hose closed enough to kill the engine.
So the problem this last stall was that air wasn't getting into the tank and there was a vacuum since the vent line was blocked somewhere after the line I replaced to the engine bay. I don't mind keeping my charcoal canister and I definitely don't want a line straight to my sender/tank exposed under my truck. I just checked the line and I'm pretty sure air is passing through the hoses unobstructed. I shot compressed air through all 5 ports (one of them shot charcoal beads out, whoops) and none of them seemed to have any obstruction. I haven't pulled any vacuum on any port yet.
I found some old stock and am thinking of throwing money at it since it's probably the original. How can I check that my EVAP can is working correctly?
Thank you
So last week I was changing out the fuel sender on my stock 350 sbc QJet-M4M3 1983 K20 p/u and was under the truck for about a week moving the bed by myself and lowering the tank and whatnot. As I was putting everything back, I was testing my electronic fuel pump to make sure that fuel was leaving the tank due to a botched first attempt, I think from a kinked hose right after the sender. Right next to the fuel pump (located at the turn when the lines turn to go to the engine bay from the back of the cab), I noticed that someone spliced a rubber section of hose into the metal lines. I noticed the line was super cracked so I decided to replace it. This line (important for later) came from the vent port of my 3-port sender to the vent port of the EVAP/charcoal can (6 port can). Once everything was in place, I decided to test drive it to go fill up on gas since I only had like 5 gallons. I live a couple of miles from a gas station in a very hilly area. On my way there I tried shifting into the 3rd gear (4-speed M/T) and I noticed a lack of power. I shifted back down thinking I was low on gas hoping to limp to the gas station. However, on an uphill, I could tell my truck was about to die so I pulled over and called AAA for gas under the assumption it was a lack of fuel problem. I was like a block away from the gas station. To keep the story concise, I filled my tank halfway and I still couldn't get my truck to start. Eventually, somehow, my truck started on a super low idle and would die as soon as I pressed the gas pedal. The only real difference between before and after was that cracked line I replaced so I cut it and sure enough my truck started up strong and didn't have any issues at all and I made it back home (and a trip to the hardware store for bricks and lumber since then)
Since there was a rotten hose there before I think that may be the reason my truck stalled once in highway traffic. I may have kicked the fuse tap that connected the fuel pump on that occasion but I can't tell for certain. There was another time I left my truck idling in front of friends house for about 20 minutes and my truck just died when I tried taking off which I have no clue why but it eventually turned on. I'm thinking that the cracked hose closed enough to kill the engine.
So the problem this last stall was that air wasn't getting into the tank and there was a vacuum since the vent line was blocked somewhere after the line I replaced to the engine bay. I don't mind keeping my charcoal canister and I definitely don't want a line straight to my sender/tank exposed under my truck. I just checked the line and I'm pretty sure air is passing through the hoses unobstructed. I shot compressed air through all 5 ports (one of them shot charcoal beads out, whoops) and none of them seemed to have any obstruction. I haven't pulled any vacuum on any port yet.
I found some old stock and am thinking of throwing money at it since it's probably the original. How can I check that my EVAP can is working correctly?
Thank you
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