Need help with fuel delivery prob on 1989 model with carb

[SquidDaddy]

I'm having a problem getting fuel to the carb on an 1989 Corolla with a carb. The fuel filter on the firewall and the mechanical fuel pump have been replaced and still no luck getting the fuel from the tank to the carb or even into the fuel filter. I can get the engine to run by putting fuel straight into the carb so I know it isn't an ignition prob. The car has sat for about a year without being run so that may have done something to it. The fuel line between the filter and the tank appears to be clear when blowing air through it. I'm kind of stumped at the moment. Is there some kind of cut off switch located somewhere in the system?

All help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[ghost_ryder35]

what would the switch cut off if its a mechanical fuel pump, was there gas in the tank when it sat for a year? could be some rust chunks getting caught in the hose in the tank blocking the fuel from entering the line. try taking the fuel line off of the gas tank to see if gas will come out.

[toyomoho]

Might be a stuck float. Tap the area of the carb with piece of wood where the floats are.

See if the fuel pump works by cranking over the engine with the fuel line to the carb disconnected. Run the fuel into a container and disconnect the power to the coil.

Does the carb have a removable filter screen where the fuel line attaches?

[retiredat44]

the carb has a site glass on it.... on the passenger side..

sounds like a fuel line problem, could be a retriction in the tank... there's a fuel pressure measuring tool... but not sure if there is one anywhere you can use free...

Maybe you can pul the float,, and open the end up under the hood and blow ait through it with compressed air. If you can blow air from the tank end of the float towards the engine, so you don't blow fuel inside the car.. close the top of the tank with some cover after you pull the float out, so you don't have vapors while you work on it..

look down in the tank,, but for floatin gobjects,, but don't stick a flashlight int he tank, just froma distance above..


Just some ideas..

[SquidDaddy]

Thanks to all that have replied.

I have disconnected the line between the carb and fuel pump and still no fuel delivery from the pump while cranking the engine. So I'm assuming the float mechanism is not to blame in this case.

The fuel pump and filter is new so I'm going to rule out those two items.

I blew compressed are through the line running between the filter and the tank and it seems to be clear all the way up to the tank area but not necessarily into the tank.

Yes it did sit with fuel in it, about half a tank, for the year. I could see that some cr_p could be gumming up the fuel tank exit, but it didn't seem reasonable for a total blockage. I guess at this point I'm going to pull the fuel tank and do some more troubleshooting there.

Anyone have some pointers, lessons learned or advice on pulling the tank on these babies?

Thanks again in advance.

[Flashmn]

I had a pump that was dead from the factory, so dont count that out.

[Hemi3TC]

Run a fuel line from the gas filter inlet into a gas can of gas. If the fuel filter is not clogged and the fuel pump works it should draw gas from the gas can.

h3tc

[punter]

I had a mate who ran his 4af out of gas, It wouldn't start again so I figured it just had blocked the lines with some crud. We blew the lines back into the tank, changed the filter and it still wouldn't go.

In the end I just primed the fuel line (ie. sucked the fuel through the line into the fuel pump) and it was away and running. It was although the fuel pump couldn't prime the system. Has been fine ever since.

[SquidDaddy]

UPDATE...

I disconnect the fuel line at the tank and placed it in a can of fuel and was able to get the car running so the problem is definately in somewhere in the metal line that runs into the tank.

I pulled the tank today, removed the fuel line and tried to blow compressed air through it and nothing. I was finally able to run a metal wire into the line and dislodged a bunch of rust. After blowing some air through it, it finally flowed freely....yeah!

It will probably be next weekend before I can put it all back togather and see if it runs. I will post up the results. Thanks everyone for their help.

[SquidDaddy]

UPDATE

Well I got the tank/tank fuel line cleaned out...clogged solid with rusty sediment. Reinstalled the tank without any problems but the car still doesn't run right. You basically have to choke out the carb fully in order for it to run. Progress none the less though.

Looks like sitting for a year really did a number on fuel cloggings. Looks like the carb will have to be cleaned and or rebuilt. My Haynes manual doesn't show any diagrams so I'm looking for someone who maybe able to help here.

Thanks to all you contributed to this thread and I will open a new one for the carb.

-Jeff