1976Cutlass

The car is a 1976 Cutlass Supreme Brougham four-door sedan. It has an R-code 350 V-8. I haven't started it in a while, and I attempted to do so yesterday. It will run for a few seconds if I pour an ounce or so of gasoline into the carburetor, but then it sputters out. The gas tank has plenty of gas. The fuel filter is not clogged. I tried feeding gasoline into the fuel pump via a short section of fuel line that was sucking up gas from a quart-size bottle that one held Castrol. The fuel pump does not pump. The outlet is bone dry. So I need a new fuel pump.

The AutoZone has Delphi, Airtex, and Spectra all for the same price, $21.99. I have no problem with the price. Do readers have any preference among these three, or all they all about the same? I already ordered one over the phone yesterday, when I did not have Internet access. I'm on the phone with them now. Airtex is the brand they stock, and the other two are special order. The fuel pump is in, and it's the Airtex. Should I stick with the Airtex or special order one of the others?

Thank you.

ETA, about a half-hour later: The fuel filter is not clogged, and it is inserted in its housing correctly. The check valve in the fuel filter works. Through siphoning, I know that the sender's inlet in the tank is below the level of the gas and that the gas in the tank can make it through to the fuel pump.

Also, I do not find gasoline tasty. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being "gasoline tastes great," and 1 being "gasoline tastes awful," I'd give it about a 1.00000.

Thanks again.

oldcutlass

The airtex is not a bad pump, hopefully it fixes your problem. Be sure to check the rubber line between the tank and the main hardline. If it cracks it allows air into the system and gives the same symptoms. Gasoline is an acquired taste...

bob p

I recently rebuilt the carb on my S88, and part of that job involved cleaning the tank and replacing all of the filters and rubber lines from tank to carb. I also ran the engine out of a gas can while I was checking out the fuel pump. It amazed me how much cranking was required to get fuel from the gas can under the car into the fuel pump, and then to eject it out of the solid line that connects to the carb.

Regarding the rubber -- my rubber lines had been replaced in 1996 and the car has had less than 1000 miles put on it since that time, and it's been sitting. The rubber lines had gone soft inside and little rubber particles were being turned loose into the fuel system. It's amazing how hard alcohol fuels can be on the fuel system. While you're in there, it would be a good idea to check those rubber lines, or just replace them.

1976Cutlass

I siphoned the gas from the fuel pump end of the short (10 inches, maybe) end of the rubber line in the engine compartment. It attaches to a metal line near a crossmember. The end at which I performed my siphoning was the end that attaches to the inlet port of the fuel pump.

Also, I bypassed the fuel tank entirely by putting a plastic quart-size container that used to hold Castol in the engine compartment. I lowered a foot-long section of rubber line into it while it held about a pint of gasoline. The engine would run for about ten or fifteen seconds on the gas I had poured into the carburetor. The fuel pump picked up none of the gas from the Castol bottle. If it had, the gas would have spilled onto the ground.

Okay, that might not win a safety award, but I had a fire extinguisher at hand.

I have the feeling I've got it narrowed to the fuel pump. Since the car has not been starting for a long time, I think the seals or diaphragms in the fuel pump have split.

I just need to move the car around a corner and into a driveway. A container secured to the front bumper would hold more than enough gas, with a working fuel pump, to do the trick. The fuel tank has its own problems; it's full of holes. They are located at the seam where the top half attaches to the bottom half. When I poured gas into the fuel tank yesterday, which was a nice warm day in northern Virginia, I made sure that no gasoline dripped from the tank onto the ground.

I spent more on gasoline than the cost of the fuel pump. I filled the tank of another car and put the rest in five-gallon cans.

Thanks to everyone.

bob p

if you really need to just get around the corner and into a driveway -- have you thought about just refilling the carb's bowl via the vent tubes, and running the car off of what's in the bowl while you drive it around the corner?

Based on what you wrote earlier, I'm not clear as to whether you just got the car started by pouring gas into the venturies to get it started, or whether you filled the carb float bowl via the vents. I'm thinking that will a full bowl you should have plenty of gas to make it around the corner, and if not, you can stop to refill the bowl when you run dry. This should allow you to get there without the fuel pump.

Just a thought. Hope it works for you.

1976Cutlass

Yes, I have thought of that, but I'm not keen on having to keep refilling the float bowl. I'm not sure how much running time I can get from the gas in the float bowl. The distance is a few hundred feet total, but I'll have to back up the driveway, uphill, and position the car too. This is going to take some time. It might be less hassle just to run off what's in the fuel tank.

Still, your idea does have merit.

Ozzie

I've had good experiences with the Airtex; no experience with the other two; and digestive distress with the gasoline.

1976Cutlass

Update, as of Saturday, April 18:

It was the fuel pump that was the problem. As I was removing it, the force on the actuating lever caused the top of the pump to move away quickly from the mounting surface, and I lost track of the retaining nut. I eventually found it, and I got the new pump, an Airtex from AutoZone installed eventually. It's amazing what you can do when you follow the instructions. This engine, an Oldsmobile R-code 350, does not have a pushrod to actuate the fuel pump lever.

Of course, once I got that working, I found that the steel gas line from the back to the front of the car was loaded with holes. If it ain't one thing it's another. I took an empty bottle of Castrol and wedged it into place adjacent to a transmission oil cooler line. A stretch of 3/8" fuel line connects its contents with the inlet port of the new fuel pump. I took advantage of having the car up on supports to drill a new hole to anchor the frame end of the parking brake cable support rod, so the parking brake is operative again. I got a few other odds and ends out of the way.

On Sunday, I ran the car up and down a dead-end street a bit. Even that short distance was enough to use up a pint of gasoline. The car runs, the transmission goes into forward and reverse, the steering works, and, most important, the brakes work. It can run briefly - but long enough - with the gasoline in the Castrol bottle to get where I'm going.

I finished work on Saturday when it got dark and on Sunday when it started to rain. Both days were full workdays.

Everyone, thank you for all your help.

brown7373

I am ready to replace an Air-Tex. have been having a problem of hard starts when hot (warmed up properly, not over heated). The Q-jet has recently rebuilt with a good kit from Cliff. All the plugs have been drilled out, tapped and a screw epoxy'd in and has a new float. It starts cold perfectly, idles fine and is very smooth and responsive. But it feels partly flooded after shut down for a few minutes. The bowl is NEVER out of fuel, even after sitting for a few weeks (in south Florida).

The consensus opinion on Cliff's Forums was that the Air-Tex pumps have a tendency to put out a little too much pressure, so it runs fine, but at shutdown, it pushed some fuel past the needle, flooding the engine, until the pressure drops enough to shut it off fully at the needle. Several others said they had too much pressure from Air-Tex too. The suggestion was to replace with an AC Delco...but all the parts stores I deal with (online) list only Air-Tex.

Anyone know of a current source for AC or some other mechanical pump? NAPA, RockAuto, Advance and Auto Zone list Air-Tex.

Fun71

Have you tried measuring the fuel pressure to verify that is the issue?

I had a similar issue with too much pressure with three different Carter M6108 fuel pumps. All of them pegged my fuel pressure gauge at 10 PSI and would cause the carb to flood horribly. I finally gave up trying different pumps and installed a Holley pressure regulator set to 6 psi.

That was probably 8 years ago or so, and recently the fuel pump started leaking around the perimeter where the brass cap is crimped over the pump body. I replaced the pump with an AirTex 41566 and removed the regulator and the car has been running fine since then.

If you want an AC pump, try Rock Auto.

1976Cutlass

My local AutoZone, in northern Virginia, lists three fuel pumps: the one from Airtex, a Delphi, and a Spectra. All were $21.99. If you call them up and say, " I want a fuel pump," you'll end up with the Airtex by default. The day after I ordered mine over the phone, I went online and saw that there was a choice at AutoZone. I came here to ask if the Airtex would be okay. I also called AutoZone to ask about exercising options on the pump. I was told that the other two could be had, but that they would be a special order.

Since no one objected to the Airtex here, I did not change my original order. I installed the pump last weekend. It's the 41566.

http://www.autozone.com/fuel-deliver...5420_199148_0/

My442

For 455 cars, use the Airtex 40736.


It has the larger volume body.