51 Chieftain - couple of fuel supply questions

[Guest coreysnipes]

Hello, I'm new here and new to classic car hobbyism. I'm getting some good advice from friends here in Colorado! I'm just getting started with this Chieftain. I'm sure I'll have quite a few questions. The first is a fuel supply issue I'm wrestling...

The car has been mostly sitting for the last 18 years or so. Odometer says 48k. the straight 8 + hydramatic appear original. I bought it from a gentleman here in Denver who helped me get it running and rolling, and I've brought it home now to start The Real Adventure.

It runs and drives fairly well, at least for the first ten minutes or so. I've noticed two issues:

a) After sitting a day or two, the fuel line loses its prime (there's a clear fuel filter between the pump and carb, and the filter goes from "some visible fuel in the filter" to "bone empty"). Shouldn't this be holding fuel in the line, even if it hasn't run for a while?

After the car drives for a few minutes (to temperature?) (probably 10 minutes or so) it eventually starves out. If I pop the hood and look at the clear filter, there's very little or no fuel in it. I thought I'd start with a carb rebuild, since I'm capable of doing that and it can't hurt. Does that seem reasonable?

More background: the fuel filter developed a small amount of gunk (rust color, no real particulate) over time, but the fuel seems largely clean. The tank was empty when the car sat those last few years. I haven't relined it. The fuel pump was rebuilt about 2 weeks ago, by a mechanic. I'll stop there... if there's more info I can provide that might help, please let me know.

pics here: http://forums.aaca.org/f191/post-picture-your-car-240338-3.html#post1051623

[PONTIAC1953]

hi corey, if fuel that's between the fuel pump and carburetor is missing, your fuel pump has bad valves in it. the same goes most likely for the fuel starvation too. i would advise you to rebuild the fuel pump, or buy a rebuilt one. charles coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor.

[Guest coreysnipes]

Thanks Charles! I appreciate the help. I hadn't checked the fuel pump because the previous owner just rebuilt it (literally a few weeks ago) but it sounds like it's worth a look. Will do.