Won't start, no gas in filter

[davidfite1978]

Long story short I'm thinking about selling/trading the truck for a shortbed. Went out to start it and do a video and wouldn't start.

My battery died (it's 7 years old). Jumped it and still won't start. It took a while to even get it to get enough juice to attempt a start.

I noticed there's hardly any fuel in the fuel filter that's on top of the motor. PO just put a fuel pump on before I bought it.

I don't know much about the fuel system, will there not be any fuel in the filter until I get a good battery and attempt a good start, or should there be fuel in it or what? I'm not sure at what point it pulls fuel into it?

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

You need to be sure that the starter's spinning fast enough first before anything. I don't imagine that battery's worth anything being that old, and it maybe prudent to just get a Walmart ValuePower battery in it. Has it sat for a long time? Mechanical fuel pumps and carburetor innards don't handle excessive sitting.

 

[davidfite1978]

It sat for a year, about a year ago. But I've had it for 2 months and have went out and started it and let it run for about 10 minutes at least once a week since. This is the first time it hasn't started.

 

[Crispy]

If your truck is all stock it should have a mechanical fuel pump located on the front passenger side of the block near where the lower radiator hose meets the water pump. I'd start with checking the hoses and lines to and from the pump. If that looks good then pull the pump and make sure its working and not gummed up.

 

[davidfite1978]

If your truck is all stock it should have a mechanical fuel pump located on the front passenger side of the block near where the lower radiator hose meets the water pump. I'd start with checking the hoses and lines to and from the pump. If that looks good then pull the pump and make sure its working and not gummed up.

Yup, that's what the PO replaced. It looks brand new. Maybe some gunk from the fuel tank is in it and clogged it or something?

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

I'd check all the lines, too, but I'd first pull the line coming from the tank and suck gas out of a can. If nothing, you can be pretty sure the problem is the pump. If it runs, I'd look towards the tank. Maybe the strainer sock.

 

[Crispy]

Interesting, yea pull it and make sure nothing is clogging the lines. I'd also blow some air through the lines and make sure they are clear.

 

[chengny]

My battery died (it's 7 years old). Jumped it and still won't start. It took a while to even get it to get enough juice to attempt a start.

I noticed there's hardly any fuel in the fuel filter that's on top of the motor. PO just put a fuel pump on before I bought it.

I don't know much about the fuel system, will there not be any fuel in the filter until I get a good battery and attempt a good start, or should there be fuel in it or what? I'm not sure at what point it pulls fuel into it?

When you say "start" do you mean crank over or fire up?

If the engine isn't cranking, the fuel pump won't deliver any fuel. It doesn't take much - as far as engine RPM - to get a mechanical pump to put out, but it does require a few turns.

As for the in-line filter: Given it's location, I wouldn't expect to see a level in it until the engine is up and running. Even then, don't expect to see a full filter shell. It'll probably show about 1/2 full or even less.

As an initial test, disconnect the inlet to the in-line filter. Splice some kind of hose onto the filter supply line - lead the other end of the hose to a container (e.g a coffee can). Crank the engine (when you have the battery situation straightened out) for 15 seconds. Observe the volume of gas in the coffee can - you should have at least 8 ounces.

Or you can skip all that and get a can of starting fluid. Spray a generous squirt down the carburetor throat and quickly (before the ether can evaporate) jump in the cab and try starting the engine. If it starts, keep giving it short blasts - it might start pumping gas and continue to run on it's own. But here again, you will need to have the engine able to crank over before you can do anything.

 

[WCOFFMAN88]

LETS SEE,,,,IF IT`S BEEN STARTED & RUN ONCE A WEEK !!! MAYBE OUT OF GAS!!! CHECK FOR EMPTY GAS TANK

 

[davidfite1978]

LETS SEE,,,,IF IT`S BEEN STARTED & RUN ONCE A WEEK !!! MAYBE OUT OF GAS!!! CHECK FOR EMPTY GAS TANK

First of all, turn your caps lock off. Second, I put gas in it with the same result. Learn some etiquette.

 

[davidfite1978]

I got a new battery and still no gas. Filter is dirty but not clogged. I took all the hoses and the pump off, nothing looked out of the ordinary. When you take the pump off, and then put it back on, do you have to start it with start fluid and keep spraying fluid for a while to give the pump time to actually get gas back up to the carb? Like have someone start it and me just keep spraying it in there for 10-15 seconds or something?

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

You can do that, but in my experience, if everything's working right, it only takes a few cycles of turning over to get fuel back up there. I'd definitely do the fuel out of a can test to test the pump.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Easy way to check the pump, put a container under the pump and take off the hose to the carb off the pump, then crank it over fuel should pour out almost instantly, if not have someone put a finger on the outlet and crank it and see if he feels pressure, if he doesn't the pump is bad, if he does feel pressure it's sucking air somewhere..

 

[MrMarty51]

After My 78 has sat for a wek or two, it takes about 30 seconds of cranking for it to get fuel and fire up.

 

[K5Blazerboy87]

check fuel pump might be bad and sending unit. they go bad or check your fuses. check if you have gas. id check also poor little fuel in carb and if it tries to fire up then most likely fuel pump. check fuel lines too.