Not getting any fuel.

TimKustom

Registered
Got a little fuel pump problem with my Starfire motorhome. It is based off an 1985ish Ford E350 Chassis with a carb'ed 460.

This thing is "unique" so I'll do my best to describe what's going on.

It has the single center mounted tank. Fuel pump is inside the tank (per shop manual). The chassis has one fuel line and one return line. The return line is plugged at the carb (it is gray). The main line is blue.

The main line coming out of the tank then goes to a fuel filter, then an auxiliary pump, then on to the main line with a larger oil filter type fuel filter midway down the frame.

I've tested this auxiliary pump. It comes on with 12v but doesn't appear to have much output.

This pump is NOT for the generator. The genset has it's own line with it's own pump separate from the truck.

So, I'm thinking that the in-tank pump went out a long time ago (gas gauge doesn't work), someone didn't want to drop the tank and stuck this other pump on. The 12v line appears to have been spliced in (as does most of the wiring) Is this scenario even possible?

Pretty much went from running well to no gas at carb and making the rattle noise. Mainly need to get it moved so I can drop the tank and fix it right.
 
Have you pulled the line going into the First fuel filter and attempted to run starter to see how much fuel comes out the line - if any? Continue doing this assuming you DO get fuel under pressure at 1st filter...until you find where the fuel loses pressure.

If if you NO pressure at 1st filter, look like you have to pull the tank anyway......
 
Yeah Bud I did that.

I've got the auxiliary pump and filter pulled. I then cranked it to see if anything came out, nothing came out. I could hear it trying to run. Not the typical hum associated with them though.

BTW, before anybody asks, I know it has gas in it. I put 5 gallons in it to be sure...;)

My main question is if the pump in the tank is not working, can a second pump be added to pull fuel through the bad pump.

It appears that the fuel pump/sending unit is similar to those on the Mark so I know there is some expertise on that around here. :rolleyes:
 
Prob need more than 5 gallons.... there's a basket in there (if it's like the Mark) that the pump sits in that needs to fill up....something is prob blocking the fill hole. So you STILL need to pull/drop the tank.
 
So, I'm thinking that the in-tank pump went out a long time ago (gas gauge doesn't work), someone didn't want to drop the tank and stuck this other pump on. The 12v line appears to have been spliced in (as does most of the wiring) Is this scenario even possible?

I'm thinking you're right in your assumption. As a matter of fact, the in-tank pump may not even be there!

I'd slap another inline pump on there and forego dropping the tank.
 
I'm thinking you're right in your assumption. As a matter of fact, the in-tank pump may not even be there!

I'd slap another inline pump on there and forego dropping the tank.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, my theory is this thing was on the road sometime, got stranded, and this was a band-aid fix. I believe the in-tank pump is still there, since I could hear it trying to run.

I was not sure that a secondary pump could "pump though" the other pump that was too weak to output the needed volume.
 
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