What is this?
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- Posts: 31
- Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:16 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider
- Location: Kansas City, MO
Re: What is this?
I cannot blow through the mystery valve (pictured above). Also I cannot check fuel getting to carb because I took off my fuel pump, removed lines to tank and took off mystery part and fuel filter. In the process I drained the oil and removed the oil filter to change the oil. Oh Geez!
78 Fiat Spider
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
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- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:48 pm
- Your car is a: 1983 PININFARINA
- Location: Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada
Re: What is this?
If you can't blow on both sides, then that valve is defective.
Re: What is this?
Part of being a decent mechanic is thinking about how things work. That valve does not work by fuel pushing on it. It works with fuel SUCKING on it. So it needs to be sucked on. If you know which end was towards the fuel pump (you marked this or took notes, right?) you should try to suck on that port, that is what the fuel pump will do. If you cannot suck thru it, then I would agree it is bad. I'm betting it is not.
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- Posts: 1120
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- Location: Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada
Re: What is this?
If you can suck on one side you should be able to blow on the other side. And that's not mechanic,it's logic.
Re: What is this?
I disagree, could very easily have a diaphram that lifts. That vavle works on SUCTION from the fuel pump end. Why not try testing it the way it was designed to work?? If indeed you can't suck thru it, which is what the fuel pump is trying to do, then replace it (or more realisticly bypass it)
Anyhoo, give it a suck and see. Condeming some part cause you don't know what it is or how it works is silly.
Anyhoo, give it a suck and see. Condeming some part cause you don't know what it is or how it works is silly.
- MrJD
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Re: What is this?
so many puns here....
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- Posts: 31
- Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:16 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider
- Location: Kansas City, MO
Re: What is this?
I will try the suction method after work today and report back. There is an arrow on the 1-way check valve that shows the direction the fuel travels. Maybe I will ask my girlfriend to suck on it, cause I don't think my wife will.
78 Fiat Spider
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
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- Posts: 31
- Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:16 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider
- Location: Kansas City, MO
Re: What is this?
I tried the suction method on the check valve and there is resistance. Can't blow through it and can't suck air through it either. I ordered a new one from Midwest Bayless. It cost almost as much as a fuel pump.
78 Fiat Spider
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
Re: What is this?
Resistance?? There might be resistance, but if anything came thru sucking I suspect it is OK. Good luck, let us know, I am suprized anyone had that part!
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- Posts: 31
- Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:16 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider
- Location: Kansas City, MO
Re: What is this?
Ok. Got new check valve and can blow thru one side (to the fuel pump) and can suck air thru the other way. I installed a new fuel pump, new check valve and new gas filter. Fuel is getting to the fuel pump but not coming out the other side to the carb. Ugh! Suggestions appreciated.
78 Fiat Spider
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
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- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:48 pm
- Your car is a: 1983 PININFARINA
- Location: Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada
Re: What is this?
Broken lobe in the engine or maybe you switch the in and the out of the fuel pump.
Re: What is this?
How are you deciding that fuel is getting to pump??
Do yo have a cheapy vacuum/presure gauge?? If not, any auto parts store will have em. You need one to test fuel system. Get some plastic "T" fitting as well, 5/16", and some short hunks of 5/16 hose. Now you can actually test things and not guess.
Let me know if you have the above.
Odds of lobe broken? in engine slim to none.
Do yo have a cheapy vacuum/presure gauge?? If not, any auto parts store will have em. You need one to test fuel system. Get some plastic "T" fitting as well, 5/16", and some short hunks of 5/16 hose. Now you can actually test things and not guess.
Let me know if you have the above.
Odds of lobe broken? in engine slim to none.
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- Posts: 31
- Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:16 am
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider
- Location: Kansas City, MO
Re: What is this?
My only clue that fuel is getting to the pump is that when I loosen the hose clamp on the line to the pump fuel comes out.
78 Fiat Spider
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
2014 Ram ProMaster 1500 Cargo Van (the small one)
2014 Honda CRV
Re: What is this?
I am interested to see what the final solution was. Some things come to mind while reading the thread.
As has been pointed out, many things can lead to fuel starvation, most of which are cheaper and easier than replacing the fuel pump. Seems a lot of shade tree mechanics (friends who think they know something) assume worst case and start throwing parts at the problem.
But since you have bit the bullet (and spent the money) with the big ticket items, might as well go for gold. I would replace every fuel line under the hood that is old rubber. My last failure to get fuel turned out to be a cracked hose at the inlet. Only showed when I tried to start the car and bend the hose enough to open the cracks (spewing fuel everywhere). Would not show at idle but opened under full throttle. One foot of hose later I'm back in the game.
Didn't see anyone mention the possibility of plugged inlet on the carb, or plugged carb jets. If you have gravity flow of fuel to the new pump but nothing discharging, then I would suspect it is in backwards or the lobe broken, both of which I would be doubtful. You are testing the pump without a hose on the discharge end, right? Or at least new hose that you know isn't crudded out on the inside.
So, come on. Tell us what happened. I don't want to get stranded by the side of the road out of ignorance.
{EDIT} Oh, and pictures would tell us TONS of info....
As has been pointed out, many things can lead to fuel starvation, most of which are cheaper and easier than replacing the fuel pump. Seems a lot of shade tree mechanics (friends who think they know something) assume worst case and start throwing parts at the problem.
But since you have bit the bullet (and spent the money) with the big ticket items, might as well go for gold. I would replace every fuel line under the hood that is old rubber. My last failure to get fuel turned out to be a cracked hose at the inlet. Only showed when I tried to start the car and bend the hose enough to open the cracks (spewing fuel everywhere). Would not show at idle but opened under full throttle. One foot of hose later I'm back in the game.
Didn't see anyone mention the possibility of plugged inlet on the carb, or plugged carb jets. If you have gravity flow of fuel to the new pump but nothing discharging, then I would suspect it is in backwards or the lobe broken, both of which I would be doubtful. You are testing the pump without a hose on the discharge end, right? Or at least new hose that you know isn't crudded out on the inside.
So, come on. Tell us what happened. I don't want to get stranded by the side of the road out of ignorance.
{EDIT} Oh, and pictures would tell us TONS of info....
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Re: What is this?
Bump. Conclusion