73 Brave no fuel to carburetor

rockrdude · May 12, 2016, 03:15 PM

Hello all. I have perused a few posts on here, but I don't seem to be finding a solution. I'm not getting any fuel to my carb. In fact, I'm not getting any fuel to anything. I have obviously put fuel in the tank, replaced the fuel filter, replaced the fuel pump, and still nothing. I have also checked the fuses. I'm not even getting fuel into my fuel filter. Is a fuel pump like this powered by a fuse (if so, which one?) or could there be something else that I'm missing? Should I be hearing a whining noise when I turn the key, as I do in my truck, indicating the fuel pump coming on or is this a different set up? Thanks for your help.

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 12, 2016, 08:30 PM

This chassis did not come with an electric fuel pump, only the mechanical pump mounted on the engine. Some people do add an electric fuel pump. Do you have 1 or 2 fuel tanks? If 2, make sure the correct tank is selected (the one with fuel in it).
Mechanical pumps sometimes have to be primed if it weak. It has to suck the fuel from the tank.

rockrdude · May 13, 2016, 12:29 AM

I have determined that this is a mechanical pump and I do have two tanks, but I am confident that the correct one is selected because my fuel gauge works when switching between the two. I ran a line directly from a gas can to the pump to see if there's a leak in a fuel line running to the chassis tank, but I'm still not getting any fuel through the pump. How do you recommend I prime the pump? I did some research and some people are recommending adding fuel directly to the carb, but many people are warning against doing that.

M & J · May 13, 2016, 06:37 AM

Wasn't there a thread on the difficulty on replacing that pump? Something about the push rod or concentric? And I take it the engine wasnt running before you replaced all those?

TerryH · May 13, 2016, 10:35 AM

Think this may be the topic Mike referred to:

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,12486.0.html

Rickf1985 · May 13, 2016, 11:57 AM

That pump should easily pull gas from a can. You may have gotten a bad pump.

PipefitterGuy · May 16, 2016, 01:17 AM

Are your supply and discharge hoses mixed up on the pump? I almost made that mistake when doing my pump a month or so ago. And definitely check that push rod...

LJ-TJ · May 16, 2016, 07:42 AM

Shoot take a spray can cap of gas and pore it down the carb. Try and start her and see if it kicks over. If it does put another cap full in and see if it runs. If it does bingo you know if it gets gas it will run. Take a lawn mower gas can and fill it with gas. Get some rubber gas line and attach it to the fuel pump where the line from motorhome gas tank line goes into the fuel pump and stick the other end into the lawn mower gas tank. Take a cup full of gas and pore it in the carb. Try and start her it might take a couple of times to get the fuel pump to pump gas to the carb. Bingo the problem is between the fuel pump and motorhome gas tank. Hm?

Rickf1985 · May 16, 2016, 02:13 PM

You may want to be sure the push rod is in the right place before doing all that running or otherwise you could have much more serious problems when the cam gets scored or broken. I would check the hoses first, pump rod second and then play with dumping gas down the carb. Keep in mind that it is common to get bad parts right out of the box nowadays.

rockrdude · May 24, 2016, 09:14 PM

Thank you all for the responses! I have been in Hawaii the past 9 days. I am back now and ready to get this beast on the road. I will take some time this week and do what y'all have recommended. I am fairly certain that I got the push rod to stay in place, but you never know. I'll take it off once more and check it out. I may have gotten a bad pump. I'm disappointed that it could have been defective out of the box, but I guess it is a possibility. I may be going back to swap it out for another. I will post an update with whatever I need help with next. Haha.

CoastalWinnebago · June 13, 2016, 08:28 PM

I replaced my fuel pump and filter recently. The installation of the mechanical pump is quite easy, and there should be plenty of space for you to work.

When I restarted the engine after the replacement, I used starter fluid directly into the carb to start it and keep it running long enough to pump fuel and supply the carb.

I had a VERY rusty gas tank that clogged up the entire fuel system. Had to redo the whole thing.