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1966 gt

791 views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  hockman5 
#1 ·
I just started having a problem with my 66 Mustang. It has a new carburetor, new fuel pump, new fuel filter, new gas. If I park the car, (after driving up to normal temperature) on a slight include with the rear of the car higher than the front, I can't get it to start. It is starving for fuel. Therefore I must spray starter fluid into the carb before it will start. I don't know if it is vapor lock or what. What could be the cause of this?
 
#2 · (Edited)
What kind of carburetor, 2b or 4b, what brand and/or model. Do you have headers? Since you replaced most of the stuff, were you having this problem to begin with, and you replaced those things, thinking it would fix it. Did you replace the flexible fuel line at the gas tank to the metal fuel line, I have seen many times they draw air instead of gas. The second thing is why can't you pump the accelerator to quirt gas into the engine to start it, if the accelerator pump does not squirt any gas, then you either have a problem with it not working or the carb does not have enough gas in it. You need to check your float level dry or wet, wet is better, but not all carbs can run when you have access to the floats. Vapor lock is where the heat has got the gas so hot it can't be pumped or is vapor so the carb has not liquid gas to operate, headers, fuel lines too close to the exhaust, electric radiator fans instead of the stock type fan. Check those things, if you didn't find anything out, then do the fuel pump capacity test I have posted: for others on the forum.

Disconnect the coil wire HV lead and ground it to the intake so you DON'T get a spark, remove your fuel line from the carb and push a short piece of flexible fuel line on the line and put it in at least a quart size metal can, crank the engine for 20 seconds, you should have at least a pint of gas in the can, if you do great you are getting gas, if you have little gas (like 1/2 a pint) in the can then you have a fuel problem, either a plugged sock filter in the tank, a crimped or rusted metal fuel line, bad fuel pump, problem with the eccentric that drives the fuel pump, maybe a problem with the gas cap (it should be vented). If you have enough gas in the can, then either the carb has a problem, or maybe the engine heat is too hot for the carb, try a heat spacer, or figure out why it is so hot under the hood. Post your results. Good Luck.
 
#3 ·
Car is newly restored. Holly 4bbl. Edelbrock manifold and headers. Accelerator won't pump gas, but this is only after the car has been driven to full temperature and parked with butt up. So I believe it is not getting fuel
from the pump because the accelerator works the rest of the time. Its like it just won't get gas while the starter is going. Once I spray starter fluid and the motor fires up it is fine. And like I said, this is only under the circumstances that I listed. It also has a heat spacer between the carb and the manifold. This problem happens when the car is cold or hot, but only after I have driven it and parked it with rear higher. So I don't think it
is heat related. Also the sending unit in the fuel tank is new (2nd new one). First one wouldn't register on the fuel gauge. I never had this problem until I put the new sending unit in. But then went some time on the new one without having this problem as well.
 
#4 ·
Since we need to figure out where the problem is, run it like you say, and park it with the rear end up some, and if it doesn't start don't do the starter fluid, instead do the fuel pump capacity test, that I posted, if it passes, that rules out everything but the carb, if it doesn't pass, then you'll have to check the things I had listed. And just because a part is new does not mean it is okay, I've seen pumps get crude under the reed valves and can't seal to get pumping action. And did you clean out the tank when you changed the sending unit, specifically like if it had old gas, or rust, etc in the tank. Headers create a tremendous amount of heat under the hood, especially around the starter, what cooling fan do you have, and have you removed the float site plugs on the holley to see if the floats have gas? Post your results. Good Luck.
 
#5 ·
I will check the float level, maybe it changed. It just dawned on me that possibly when the car is on a tilt, the floats rises cutting off fuel, but then I dont know why it
would start and run with started fluid while sitting the the same position. I will spend more time on it next time it fails and not be in a hurry to start it and leave.
Thanks for the advice.
Oh yeah, the tank was cleaned when I had it out while restoring. The fuel is new, as in 2 months old.
 
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