Guest buicks39 Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 i have tried everything i know to get my 39 buick straight eight to fire up.i drove this in my garage six months ago.i drained and cleaned the tank as well as new fuel lines,new plugs, wires fuel pump heavier cables.i am getting spark,but no fuel to the pump.i get sputter and flame out of the carb after i put some gas in the carburator.i took the plug wires off one at a time,did not move the distrubutor.this car sat for over twenty years before i got it and she fired up after new points. am i missing something here.i don't know what to try next. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 You might try (if you can get a nozzle on it) blowing compressed air into the fuel line from the front of the car back towards the tank. Sometimes flakes of stuff get caught in the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 i'll try that to.but shouldn"t she fire up with pouring gas in the carb/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rbl2 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Yes, but only for a second or two. If you're not getting fuel to the pump I'd think the line is clogged. Blow it out as Keiser31 suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana J Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 If your not getting spark try condenser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTIII Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 You could try a temporary fuel supply to the pump using a small container of gas and a suction line (just a piece of fuel hose). If it doesn't get fuel then, you might check the fuel pump diaphragm. If it does get fuel with a temp. tank, then the fuel lines are suspect, or the uptake screen in the tank. Also, your fuel line fittings must be tight, or it will be pumping air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 i am getting spark.i checked all lines and they are tight and clear of any debris.i did how ever remove the fuel pump when i painted the engine and i taped the opening on the block.i only cleaned the fuel pump glass bowl.like i said before this car came in running. thanks for all the tips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
critterpainter Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 If you are getting FLAME out of the carb either your plug wires are on wrong OR you have a valve stuck open. My hunch is that the firing order is wrong or indexed off the wrong cyl. ie the order is right but #1 does not align with #1 cyl.bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 hi bill when i put the new wires on, i put one on at a time the firing order info that i have is 16258374 i assume this is correct.how ever with the number 1 piston up the rotor is facing the number 8 plug. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrbartlett Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Although you put the plug wires on one at a time, did you have the distributor cap off? Is it possible to install the cap 180 degrees out? It is possible on some cars, not on others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 when i took the cap off i let it rest where it was and removed the wires.i doubt very much i spun it around.just tried starting again and shes making an awful wheezing sound trying to start.i did give about for shots of starting fluid last night.almost sounds like a sick patient Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Sounds to me like the timing is way off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 well i hated to do it but i made the call to the guy who got it running when i first bought the 39.hated to do it because the guy is in his eighties and lives about 50 miles away.he said he would be over first thing in the morning.i will keep you informed.he has a 37 and 38. thanks for all your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Can you pull the first plug and then rotate the engine to top dead center? Keeping in mind that the piston will come top dead center twice in a 4 cycle engine, pull the distributor cap off and check the orientation of the rotor. It is either facing your number one wire or facing the opposite direction of the number one wire. Then check the number one wire to make sure you are not off by one spot on the distributor cap and then check the rest of the wires for proper firing order. You may still have a fuel delivery problem, but you are right that if you drop gas down the carb you ought to run for a few seconds. But I agree with the prior post that fire from the carb means a plug or two is firing when the intake valves are open, so the timing is suspect first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chuck45 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 With the rotor facing the #8 I would think the piston is on the exaust stroke. Turn the crank 360. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 well no luck today getting her started.checked all the plug wires and they are correct also got fuel up to the pump but not to the bowl.i put a clear plastic line in a poland spring water bottle filled with gas and still wont go into carburator,is there a secret to this i thought just putting the line from the bottle to the carb it should suck it up.battery starting getting weak and not strong enough to turn over to make spark.will be trying again monday or tuesday.im confused because the distrubator was not moved in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Your float valve must be assembled wrong, stuck or just plugged if you can't get gas into the float bowl from the bottle you rigged.I suggest you open up the carb and make sure the float valve moves freely and is not glued to it's seat with old gasoline varnish. Then check to see if the float level is set for the correct fuel level in the carb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 hi mark. do i have to take the carb apart or can i get to it from the two top screws above the fuel line going to the carb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 How about the small screen in the inlet to carb. Some one else had a problem there. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 opened up the carburator and all looks good and clean.gave it a quick shot of carb cleaner no varnish residue showing and all moves freely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buicks39 Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 well finally got the buick running today.the distributor was off two teeth.i didn't realize that when i lifted it up but not out that it would advance.now i noticed gas coming out of the little hole on the fuel pump.any ideas on that issue? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 The diaphragm ( sp) must be torn. Is this a dual action pump, with fuel on one side and vacuum on the other end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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