Help! Car won't start...

[drewvw]

I couldn't wait for the club to come back up for this one:



Last night I replaced the plastic engine compartment fuel lines with 3/8" and 5/16" steel lines. Now she won't start:

1) hooked line with constant gas up to inlet in fuel pump (5/16").

2) hooked other line to rubber hose that wraps around the back of engine, to other side regulator and rail.

3) car stumbles and almost starts on first crank but then goes dead with no chance.

4) all vacuum and electrical lines appear to be hooked back up correctly


Did I hook it back up correctly? What went wrong here?

please help.....

[drewvw]

dammit....i have the lines switched don't I....

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

These are the labels on the fuel pump:
S == Suction; connect it to the fuel pump and from there to the fuel tank.
D == Druck (pressure); connect it to the driver's side fuel rail.
R == Return; connect it to both the fuel pressure regulator and to the fuel tank.

Note--the "R" port may not be present, particularly not on 75-76 pumps.

--DD

[Scrappy]

How much gas is in the tank? If the tank is low (1/4 or less) and you switched connections, you're sucking air.

[drewvw]

tank is about half full....its a 73 1.7 also

ok i looked again. I have the fuel line with constant gas hooked up to the RAIL for 3 and 4 (pass side). I got confused.

so that means the non-full gas line (return line right?) goes around the back to the regulator and the rail for 1 and 2 (drivers side).


its backwards ain't it....

[r_towle]

Fuel goes under pressure to all the injectors..then to the FPR...then from there the return line...

So,
Pressure line goes to passenger side fuel rail...then to drivers side fuel rail...then to FPR, then the return line goes back to the pump.

Rich

[drewvw]

I think thats what I got:

1) pressure line (line with a lot of gas) to passenger side rail

2) across engine to drivers side rail

3) through the regulator and back across the engine and down to gas tank.

I am using 3/8" for return line and 5/16" inch for the pressure line. 3/8" line is larger than previous.

Is it possible:

1) I need to adjust the pressure regulator due to new lines?
2) Car just got flooded and it will start tomorrow?


thanks all for helping with this. My dad is coming into town on friday, want to have her running!!

[r_towle]

Its possible that you messed up at the pump

Use daves schema, go look at the pump..look at the letters on the pump, and make sure its on the right way...

Check again

Then, take off the pressure line, put it in a jar/can and turn the key to the run position

It should shoot out a bit of gas...if not you are either out of gas, or something else is wrong...

Does the pump make a whirring sound when you put the key to the run position?

Rich

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Originally posted by drewvw
1) pressure line (line with a lot of gas) to passenger side rail

I don't think you can assume that "full of gas" means it's the pressure line. Not unless the pump was running at the time! And if it was, "lots of gas" would be an understatement. I'm thinking that one may be the return line--it runs to near the bottom of the fuel tank, and doesn't have a pump in the way to block the flow of fuel when you disconnect the hose.

But that's just a guess...

--DD

[drewvw]

I only replaced the plastic lines in the engine department, didn't touch the tunnel lines (yet). Haven't touched the pump.

pump does make whirring sound and i can hear the injections clicking.

Is it safe to assume that the pressure line is the line that has gas in it all time? One of the lines went pretty dry after the gas in the system drained and the other one always has gas that will pour out.


I guess I will have to pull the damn line tomorrow and make sure the pressure line is going to the pass side.

#@%#@%#@%!!!

[drewvw]

hmm that's an interesting point dave...the pressure line would probably be the dry line because of the pump.


only one way to find out. Thanks guys....I am going to do some testing and let you know what I find.


Thanks so much!

[MarkusB]

You DID cycle the pump a bunch of times, right? It takes a little bit to get fuel back in the lines.

[r_towle]

he plugged them in wrong at the pump...

Rich

[drewvw]

update:

Went home to check it out and it was quickly apparent that the lines were reversed. I unhooked the line up to the regulator and there was pressure...


swapped the line and she fired right up. Drove it back to work. Could I have done any damage? Only turned it over a few times....


THANKS to everyone, esp rich and dave.....

drew

[rich]

Originally posted by drewvw
update:

Went home to check it out and it was quickly apparent that the lines were reversed. I unhooked the line up to the regulator and there was pressure...


swapped the line and she fired right up. Drove it back to work. Could I have done any damage? Only turned it over a few times....


THANKS to everyone, esp rich and dave.....

drew

No damage, I did it once too... We live we learn..

[tdgray]

Haha.

That brings back memories...

That was my first post on the 914club

and IIRC it was DD himself that solved my problem.

I will say in my defense that the DAPO reversed the lines. Thank god I asked before I purchased the new fuel pump he said the car needed.

[drewvw]

its funny because I have been working on old cars since I was 14, but this 914 is definitely getting me twisted in knots a bit as I learn how its engineered.

This is why I was learning towards an early british car....simpler (well sort of)

[tdgray]

Originally posted by drewvw
its funny because I have been working on old cars since I was 14, but this 914 is definitely getting me twisted in knots a bit as I learn how its engineered.

This is why I was learning towards an early british car....simpler (well sort of)

Thats why I already have one. 1960 MGA. 'bout as simple as it gets... 'cept the dual carbs. TOTAL PITA

[drewvw]

ah your the guy with the MGA, I saw that on someones signature. I agree...esp with the dual carbs.

our austin healy is a blast to work on except when the carbs get finicky.