Can't take much more........

Thank you very much for the advice on the starter. I think I will get a new solenoid and one of those kill switches for the battery cable. As for the carb, I guess once I get my fuel problem solved I will deal with it. Thanks again for the information. Preston

 

Preston,
You are running an electric fuel pump?
Is your motor really hopped up or are
you running fuel injection?
If both answers are no, I would go back
to a standard engine mounted fuel pump.
With electric pumps it is true that they
push fuel better than they pull fuel.
Of course that may be true for mechanical
pumps.

Just my $.02.

Seth

 

It is an electric pump, because my timing cover doesn't have a pump boss on it. As for the motor, what do you consider really hopped up? It's a 302 +40, flat top aluminum pistons, main and rod bearings +10, .446 intake/exhaust cam, heads are ported-polished-shaved, long tube headers, Holley Street Dominator Intake, Edelbrock 650 carb, 10.25:1 compression- that's all I can think of right now.......... Thanks ya'll. Preston

 

Sorry about all you`r bad luck with the mav , I know how it is (purdy bad when a car can out smart me ) . I could prolly get you`r carb tuned good so all you need to do is take it off you`r engin and mail it to me , um I`ll need you`r intake too . OK realy you could prolly go to edelbrocks website to get a truble shootin giude (sp?) or email them .


Good luck and don`t give up on you`r mav!!!

 

huh? I didn't know Edelbrock had a 650 I went to there site and they had a 500,600,750,800. but no 650.

 

Alrighty now.......I'm confused. I have changed the fuel pump, fuel filter, blown out the fuel line (metal), and replaced every piece of rubber hose in there. Still dies pretty often. The fuel is just not getting to the carb. And last night, I had a date, and the starter hung up again. Luckily she is the understanding type, and I was able to change the solenoid at about 2:30 this morning. Got back home and the car would not turn off. I am at a loss. I will be installing a much bigger and better fuel pump in the back by the tank where it should be later on this week. Hopefully that will alleviate some problems. But any advice on the car not switching off??? Thanks, Preston

P.S.-Anybody here know Voodoo? Thinking maybe my ex-girlfriend put a curse on the car......... Preston

 

Preston; where did you buy the solenoid? I sat in front of an AutoZone and changed 3 of the things before I got one that worked. I later went to Napa and got one that has lasted the last 4 yrs. If not the solenoid, try the ignition switch. Might be an arced over contact or short. Good luck, let us know.

 

I am reaching here but when the problem with the fuel system occurs remove the gas cap and see if there is a vacuum present. You could have a venting issue.

 

Preston, I'd agree with the last couple of comments. I hadn't looked in your post but is there an inline fuel filter that might be clogged? Tried blowing out the lines?

I know your patience is growing short, but hang in there. That new girlfriend wants to see an achiever - not a quitter.

 

I had this kind of problem with the carb in the 70 Grabber I told you about. After I blew through the lines, gas would get to the carb, but it wouldn't start. The problem turned out to be that the needle valve in the carb for the float was stuck almost completely closed, so a little gas (over a long period of pumping) would get in the fuel bowl and it would almost start, but then not. I gave it a little rap with the handle of a screwdriver to try and get it loose, but I ended up having to take the fuel bowl off to check out the needle, and it broke loose then. Now it works great. I doubt this is your problem as mine sat for years to develop this condition, but I wouldn't rule it out completely. Good luck!
-Corbin

 

Looking over the posts again, I am curious if the fuel now gets to the carb but not through it, or it's not even at the carb yet? If it's not at the carb yet, you could likely have loose rust/scale/dirt, etc in your gas tank, and when the pump turns on you suck all of it onto the filter "sock" over the end of the line in the tank and then you don't get much fuel, if any pumping through the lines. The best remedy for this problem would be, unfortunatly, to drop the tank and flush out all the stuff. Good luck!
-Corbin

 

Thanks for the replies guys!! I'll try to answer some of the questions.

I got the solenoid at Advance Auto. I HATE/DESPISE Advance Auto, but they were a block away from where I broke down, and it was convenient. The two solenoids did not look alike, but were similar. I had no choice, but to hook it up. Car cranked, and everything worked fine. (radio, lights, wipers, etc) No problems until I switched off the ignition and the car kept running.

On the fuel situation- I have replaced the fuel pump, all rubber lines,fuel filter (twice) I disconnected the line from the tank and the fuel pump up by the engine and blew that out. Gas drained like crazy from the tank so I assume that there is no clog there. When I disconnect the line form the carb, and turn on the pump, it pumps fine. When I put it all back together, the car will run fine for a little while (no pattern) and then die. I look at my filter, and it is completely empty. I let the pump continue to prime, and nothing happens. I then let it sit, (I go cool off) and when I come back and hit the switch, it will prime up fine. Then the process starts all over again. I will be putting a higher volume pump in this week (back by the tank where it belongs) and I hope that this will somehow miraculously solve the problem. I am just totally bewildered as to what the problem is. Everything dealing with fuel (except the metal fuel line has been replaced) Oh, and when it does work, the gas is clean- no trash whatsoever.

Would water in the gas do this? Would the fuel pump not pump water? This all seemed to start after I put 14.7 gallons of gasoline in. Is this an option to be explored??

Thanks for all of the help so far, and PLEASE keep it coming. Thanks......Preston

 

Like a previous post stated, try taking the gas cap off once, see if that helps. One thing for sure going on here, some tremendous trouble shooting. Sounds like a defective solenoid or column switch, i say solenoid. Keep with it Preston,, hehe,, I do know some voodoo.
Dan
ps i had the same damn problem with my cyclone last weekend, I got so mad I parked it for the winter lol

 

Worked on it some more this afternoon.........still the same thing. I even disconnected the line from the pump, took the gas-cap off, and then blew through toward the tank. I could blow through it with no problem. Cranked it, and it did great-I even tuned the carb. Decided to take it for a test drive...........Bad move. Did great until it was inconvenient for it to quit. Then, it promptly died. Opened the hood........no gas. I am going to drop the tank this week sometime. How bad of a job will this be? Thanks folks!! Preston

 

Vapor Lock once it warms up?