Only starts with starter fluid, need advice

I am a complete novice, working on my first project car...my dad's 72 Comet. 67K miles, has not started since 1991.

Here is what I have done: Replaced starter, alternator, relay, regulator, fuel filter, spark plugs and wires; drained and replaced all the fluids.

Moment of truth comes....I spray some starter fluid and the engine turns..starts for about a second.

I add some gas (tank was dry...I pumped some out and then back into the tank.. it did not look that dirty.)....another shot of starter fluid...she goes for about two seconds....a little more starter fluid and it's running for about three seconds.

It does not seem like it's getting gas....what should I focus on? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

 

hmm did you try to replace the fuel pump??
fuel lines are clogged??
maybe a carb rebuild would help too since its been sitting so long

 

Try pouring a little gas into the carb vents. That way you will have some gas in the carb to keep it running until the fuel pump gets primed.

 

Pull the fuel line off the carb, stick it in a container(to catch the fuel) and crank the engine over for about 10/15 seconds...If you dont get fuel out of the hose the pump is shot...Replace it.Worry about the carb once the car is running...

 

There is no way that a fuel pump will suck fuel from a dry tank and lines in 20 seconds. Prime the da#n carb!

 

Fuel pumps go bad if they sit for years. The diaphragm dries out

 

Man, I love this forum...great advice within an hour

I'll try putting a little gas into the carb if that does not do the trick, I'll pull the fuel line from the carb and put it into a bucket and see if any gas is coming out if priming the carb does not work.

Any suggestions on how much gas to prime the carb with?

Thanks again!

 

Get 2 table spoons of Gas inside each circle,

 

Jk lol I would try cranking it over like mavman said if nothing comes fuel pumps either bad or lines might be clogged,if you don't have that much gas in the tank try getting a lil gas tank and put the line from the fuel pump to the tank into it and should work (that's if the fuel pumps is good)

 

if the tank was dry (may have a leak), the sock on the sending unit could be varnished over. remove the sending unit and check it. then blow through the hose to the fuel pump (with hoses disconnected). these rubber lines (3) need to be replaced anyway...

...Frank...:Handshake

 

Put about 3-4 ounces in the vent tubes yo fill the carb bowl and then start it up. It should run long enough to prime the pump. If it doesn't pick up a prime then you will need to check the pump - take a container of gas and connect a hose to the inlet of the pump and see if it will pull the fuel and run the engine. If that doesn't work then replace the pomp. If it does work then you should check the fuel pickup and lines.

 

I connected a hand pump to the gas line that was going into the fuel pump and wasn't able to pull any gas from the tank.

It looks like the gas line is blocked.

Best steps to unblock this?? I was thinking of shooting some carb cleaner down it...or running a wire down the line.

 

Try pulling fuel directly from the pick-up at the tank.... The line may be fine - it could be the pick-up that is clogged.

 

Thanks Paul. I'll give that a try.

 

Did you get a vacuum on the hand pump? Rubber hose may be split or line has a hole in it.