I am having trouble getting my car to stay running. When I looked at my fuel filter this morning, I noticed it was sucking the gas out faster than it would suck in. I thought maybe I had a vacuum leak, or something plugging up the line. So I changed the 3 rubber connections I had in my fuel line. Also when I had the fuel line off, I blew some compressed air back through the line to clear any possible blockage. After that, the car would start and run, but the fuel coming into the filter could not keep up with the fuel going out. So, I did the only other thing I could think of...I changed the fuel pump. After I did, it ran for a couple of minutes, and it was getting more fuel, but still not enough in my opinion. After it ran for a couple of minutes, it just quit. After a little investigating, it appears that the pump isn't getting it all the way to the carb. When I disconnect the line to the carb, there is absolutely no gas in it. Please help, I'm sooo close to getting this thing running, but yet so far. Please help.
My guess would be that there's something in the fuel line itself. Perhaps a piece of rust from the gas tank is impeding the flow of fuel to the pump and filter.
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Proud owner of a '65 289 coupe w/ C4. Equipped with Edelbrock Performer intake K&N air filter, and 600 cfm carb, Comp Cams Xtreme Energy valvetrain, Comp Cams XE262H cam, MSD ignition, and ported heads. Suspended by 600# 1" drop front and stock rear springs, KYB shocks, 1" front and 7/8" rear sway bars, and Traction Master style traction bars. Your friendly suspension kid.
Have you disconnected the fuel line from the carb and turned the engine over to see if you are in fact getting enough fuel thru the line and that the pump is pumping correctly? That will at least rule out a problem from the the tank up to the carb.
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1966 Mustang Coupe. Mica Merlot with black stripes, Deluxe interior, 302 4V, 4-speed toploader, 3:70 9" rear end.
Well, I thought there might be something in the fuel line, so that's why I blew it back with compressed air. Also at each rubber hose connection I replaced, gas ran out freely everytime I broke that connection.
Well, when I disconnected the line from the pump to the carb, I blew it out as well, and after I hooked it up, and turned it over, no gas appears to be getting up to the carb. When I pump the throttle linkage, I'm holding the choke open, and no gas is squirting out of the jets. It doesn't appear that the gas is going up the line to the carb.
As I said, did you disconnect the fuel line from the carb and turn the engine over to see if you fuel comes out of the hose? Blowing air thru the lines back to the tank may have only made your problem worse if there was trash in the lines. You may have blown it all back to the pick up and blocked it up.
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1966 Mustang Coupe. Mica Merlot with black stripes, Deluxe interior, 302 4V, 4-speed toploader, 3:70 9" rear end.
Yes, when I disconnected the hose to the carb, nothing is getting up that far. When I disconnect the at the pump that goes to the carb, gas comes out of there, but nothing up to the carb.
Honestly, I would just replace that whole line if you can. Just because air is making it through doesn't mean the gas will. It may take some time, but at least you'll have a new line on it and rule out that being a problem for a while.
The small filter "sock" that's on the pick up in the fuel tank can get clogged with rust (usually) or whatever else is inside the tank. It will accumulate on this filter as long as there is suction on the line. This accumulation will fall off of the filter's screen when the pump isn't running, allowing fuel to flow for a short time until the particles again accumulate when the pump starts working again, clogging the line.
I removed the filter on my pick up which is part of the fuel tank sender assy. and placed an inline filter in its place before the pump. Obviously it's easier to clean this inline filter than pulling the sender for cleaning.
The rust that can form in the fuel tank is usually very small particles and will continue to be present unless the tank is replaced or relined with a special kit that applies a coating to the inside of the tank. These kits are available from Eastwood and the process is a lot of work. Personally I'd replace the tank if it's rusted inside. The thickness of the tank's metal is now questionable.
I did have a similar problem several years ago with another stang I had. I would be driving down the road and the engine would quit on me. I blew air down the line and the car would run again...for a while. Turned out, like Geek said, it was my sending unit all clogged up. After I replaced it, no more problem.
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1966 Mustang Coupe. Mica Merlot with black stripes, Deluxe interior, 302 4V, 4-speed toploader, 3:70 9" rear end.
Yeah, I think I'll try disconnecting the line from the tank, putting the end in a bottle of gas, and seeing if it is pumping up to the carb. After that, I'll investigate the line back to the tank, and the filter in the tank. Would gas pour freely from the line out of the tank if there was corrosion, or rust in the sock filter?
I think the amount of fuel that comes out of the line is going to depend on how much isin the tank. If the fuel level is higher than the line in, it should flow out. If the fuel is not being pulled out, any trash present should be out of the way. But if the flow stops, either the fuel level is to low, or trash is blocking the passage. What is the year of your car?
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1966 Mustang Coupe. Mica Merlot with black stripes, Deluxe interior, 302 4V, 4-speed toploader, 3:70 9" rear end.
Well, my car is a 64 1/2, but I just put a motor in it that was out of a 1966.
Well, I took the line off the carb, and turned the car over. No gas was travelling up the line. After that, I thought maybe the line was plugged, so I just took the line off the fuel pump. Still nothing. I backed the pump out, and made sure the lever was under the cam. Tried again, still nothing. I thought maybe I bought a bad pump, so I put my old one back on. Repeated all the steps, still nothing. Please don't tell me there is something wrong with the eccentric on the cam! I just had the whole stinkin' thing apart, and didn't think to check that. I didn't think to check it because everything was working fine. How could this happen? One minute it's working, then it's not. I'm out of ideas. Please save this sinking stang!
When you blew out the line going to the pump, where did you do it from?
You may have a hunk of rust lodged in the line that won't move with compressed air. I'd drain the fuel tank, remove and clean it out. while there, clean the pick up line out. Then, I'd also install a new fuel line from the tank to the pump.
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—Winston Churchill
No gas to carb. Checked fuel pump 
