Help - fuel problems

[matt-me]

Have just gone through the process of converting from generator to alternator. All was going well got everything back together taking care not to miss anything.

On turn of key, engine fired up, happy days. This ran for say a minute then spluttered out. There is no fuel getting to carbs. Had fitted a new fuel pump as advised although not sure which was inlet and which was outlet but havw tried both ways. No luck. Then fitted the old (original type) fuel pump (why did i have to buy a new one?) and no luck also.

I have a filter over the engine (I know) but it means i can see there is no (or very little) fuel getting to it.

Any suggestions please, it is doing my head in.

Thoughts/things :

Could it be an air lock, if so how do i overcome
I have taken off the fuel cap

 

[Hilly_70]

Sounds like you could have used the wrong size push rod for the fuel pump ..

Did you change this with the pump? .. ( the rod that comes up out of the housing the pushes the bellows..)

If its too short it wont pump .. there are 2 lengths ..

The fuel pump change should only be for clearance issues with the alternator .. if yours clears don't change it ..

Hilly

 

[Araon]

ok take a deep breath and prepare to get a face full of fuel, pull the pipe off the pump and suck.....

anything?

it may just be a case that you got the pipe the wrong way on the pump first time and you pumped air into the tank, the filter in the tank after all this time will be **** to put it mildly and may well have deteriorated to nothing and with blowing air into the tank you've distubed a load of varnish and silt thereby bunging up the exit....

try blowing this time a good few lung fulls, now is it flowing?

time to consider getting the tank out if still nothing...

 

[matt-me]

Thanks guys finally sorted.

Hilly, i had bought a new shorter rod for the new pump. As it stands, i have the old pump on. Are there different size alternators which need the new pump arrangement, as i now have a spare?

Araon, you were on the right track. Whilst taking time out to cut the grass it got me thinking. I forgot to say i have twin carbs. I tried to blow on the line from the pump to the carbs thinking the fuel might not be getting up there because it was being blocked. I gave it some good blows no movement of air, moved the carb linkage got air through to the rh carb. Took off the line from the lh carb and fuel came out. I think it was the weight of the fuel 'lying' in the lines after the 't' piece which could not be moved easily with the pump combined with air in the lines also.

Once that was sorted, it fired up.

Thanks again, Al