'66 199, continuing fuel issues

OK, it's not a vapor lock as I theorized. I took the suggestions in my last post and ran a rubber fuel line over the top of the valve cover and put the filter in that line, near the high point as it turns out. It still does it - will not stay running if it's been sitting for 20-45 minutes or so. After starting, dying, starting dying, etc. it will eventually catch and run fine, but that 5 minutes or so of frustration is draining my love for this car.

I remember reading somewhere (maybe on The Hamb ) that having air with fuel in the filter is common on this king of setup, and doesn't cause any problem.

Have you looked at the filter on the end of the fuel sending unit/pickup in the gas tank? If it's never been touched since the factory, it could be gummed up causing fuel flow issues.

So it sounds like fuel is draining back from the pump and filter into the tank. So it takes a few seconds to suck fuel back up into the line. The pump usually has a one-way valve inside to prevent draining the line, that must be stuck open or otherwise faulty. If you can find a brass one-way valve about the right size (the line from the tank is 5/16", but you can adapt a bit larger valve -- 3/8" or even 1/2"). I'd put it between the pump and inlet line and try that. Since it runs after a bit of cranking the pump is obviously working.

You can leave the pump in place and just loop a hose between the fuel inlet and outlet to keep trash out and use an electric fuel pump. Electric pumps should be mounted close to the tank and preferably below the tank level, but the later may be impossible. Mount it as low as practical though. Electric fuel pumps are pushers and don't do well pulling fuel up from the tank. Mounting close to the tank with only a short "pull" run is sufficient.

You could remove the pump and install a block-off. The vac wipers should work fine with one of the large 1/2 gallon "juice can" vac storage tanks from a 90s Ford truck. My brother's 1998 F-250 has a pair of them under the hood, it's a straight drive base model. If this is a daily driver often driven in the rain you may need two tanks or keep the booster pump, but one is usually sufficient for 20-30 seconds of low vacuum, such as passing or pulling a hill. The wipers may slow down but won't stop with a tank. For just getting caught in the occasional shower that should be acceptable.

As far as where to get electric power, what I did was run a wire directly from the switch to a relay. The relay cuts battery power on/off to a six fuse panel. You can find the panel at any auto parts store, takes the modern blade type fuses. Run a wire from the battery to the main terminal of the relay then from the other side to the fuse panel. Hook the relay activation wire to the run position of the switch (or run your brake light wire to it -- connect power for the brake lights to one of the fuses), the other side to ground. Now you have six switched power connections. Need to add something? Just connect a female spade end to a wire and plug in a fuse. The relay puts little load on the wire from the switch, and you can mount the panel anywhere. I mounted mine on the passenger side firewall, just under the dash.

Edited by farna - Nov/24/2012 at 11:33am