AHa Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 Hey guys, I know this subject has been covered many times but I can't find where my problem has been discussed. I have a 1922 Velie with a SW vacuum tank that was running great 11 years ago when I sold it. The guy never came to get the car so this year I decided to get it out and see if I could get it running again. It cranked easily and runs like a top but the vacuum tank will not draw gas from the tank. I took it apart and the gas had gone bad in the vacuum tank so I cleaned it up and cut new gaskets and put it back together. Still nothing. So this afternoon I took it off and disassembled it again. I have vacuum from the motor to the tank. If I hold the inner tank to my face and suck, the flapper closes and vacuum is created in the tank but if I put the tank back together, I can't get any vacuum at the inlet side. The gaskets seem to be sealing but the vacuum is escaping somewhere. Ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted September 21, 2019 Author Share Posted September 21, 2019 In the past I have heard people say you have to seal the gaskets with shellac. would this help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hchris Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 38 minutes ago, AHa said: In the past I have heard people say you have to seal the gaskets with shellac. would this help? The critical areas for these tanks are the top housing, which usually develop cracks or warp and, the seating of the valves in the upper housing , along with the springs and fulcrum levers etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted September 21, 2019 Author Share Posted September 21, 2019 All of this looks to be in good shape and working order. Of course anything is possible but there are no visible cracks in the top housing and the float seems to work perfectly. Although I threatened to roll the car out in the yard for the guy to come pick it up, I didn't have the heart to do it and it has resided in dry storage. It was running when it was parked, I don't understand why I'm having this problem? The motor fired right up after setting 11 years and purred like a kitten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmsue Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 If you had bad gas then maybe the vent or needles in the lid are clogged. Have you tried soaking everything and blowing out the passages? I've had clogged needles and even a partially clogged fuel line from gas that was in the system too long. Car always ran great for 5 minutes, then stall and hard to start. Have you looked for any holes in the inner tank. It only takes a small pinhole for vacuum to disappear. My inner tank looked great when I blew into it but after holding up to a bright light, I could see a few pinholes. Good Luck Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hchris Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 3 hours ago, AHa said: All of this looks to be in good shape and working order. Of course anything is possible but there are no visible cracks in the top housing and the float seems to work perfectly. Although I threatened to roll the car out in the yard for the guy to come pick it up, I didn't have the heart to do it and it has resided in dry storage. It was running when it was parked, I don't understand why I'm having this problem? The motor fired right up after setting 11 years and purred like a kitten. Okay, but as stated above what about the valves and vents in the top housing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHa Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 With the top off of the tank, if I suck on the vacuum connection and the float is down, the valve is open, but when the float is up it closes off and I can't suck any air through. I don't know much about these contraptions. There is a vent built into the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Someone posted this somewhere on these fora, maybe in Dodge Brothers: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 this topic might help: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryLime Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Spinneyhill has given you all you need for info. These cans are so simple and work so well. Check the valves in the top very well. The valve seats can come loose from the top, seal in with Loctite. Just have plenty of patience to find that one air leak. Assuming a clear fuel line and fuel in tank . You will get it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Also, it’s possible to have a fuel line in the tank with a rust hole above the fuel level, causing the system not to draw. Guess how I found that one out........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Buy your rebuild kit here........I have used him several times, good guy, and you can call him for help. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) You must always have rubberized cork gaskets, you cannot have any fitting leaking, and you may want to blow some air into the fuel line to see if there is dried gas that clogged the line too. On my RR PI, I ran into the problem that the bayonet fitting copper washers were a tad thicker originally than reproduction - caused all kinds of problems until I put original copper crush washer/gaskets back in and then were were driving a minute later. On a friend's RR PI, they messed with it constantly, put on an electric pump, and ... - car was pretty laid up for 10 years and when I decided to get it running for them and I hunted for the problem - it turned out it had a fine crack in the fuel line Edited September 28, 2019 by John_Mereness (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old car fan Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 We sell kits,2 gaskets,stainless springs stainless screws and washers,cork rubberized gaskets.odd 7/10 at Hershey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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