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  1. #1

    Default help me get my i-6 back running

    Bought a 79 fairmont with the i-6 engine in it. it ran great and i even drove it around for a few days. Then i put it into storage. It sat there for about 2 months without being run. Now it wont crank. I put 5-6 gallons of gas in it, still nothing. The only way i can get it to run is to pour gas down the carb. It will run fine for a few seconds then die. So it must not be getting gas. I dont know which line to pull off the carb to check for fuel pumping. How could it run perfect, then store it for a couple months and then it wont run? What would you guys try? I don't want to throw money/parts at the car until i find the problem ya know?

  2. #2

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    OK, first, "wont crank" means the engine doesn't turn when you twist the key to "start". What
    you seem to be describing is an engine that will crank, but won't start unless you dribble some
    gasoline down the carburetor. That's actually a good starting point though.

    The 3.3 fuel pump is on the driver side of the engine block. It has two lines sticking up out
    of the top. One is metal, and goes to the carburetor. That's the pressure side. The other
    is rubber, and connects to a hard line back by the firewall. That's the suction side, that
    eventually connects to the fuel tank.

    The first test you need to do is take the rubber line off the fuel pump, get another piece
    of rubber fuel hose, and connect one end to the nipple on the fuel pump. Now, put the
    open end of that hose in a container of gasoline and see if you can get the engine to run.

    Whether it does or doesn't will tell us a lot about which way you need to go. There are
    several things that can happen to a fuel system that is allowed to sit and dry out. It's
    good that you're looking for some diagnostic information, rather than just wanting to know
    which part to swap out next.
    Cheers,
    Jeff Cook

    '85 GT Hatch, 5-speed T-Top, Eibachs, Konis, & ARE 5-Spokes ... '85 GT Vert, CFI/AOD, all factory...
    '79 Fairmont StaWag, 5.0, 62K original miles ... '04 Azure Blue 40th Anny Mach 1, 37K original miles...
    2012 F150 S-Crew 4x4 5.0 "Blue Coyote"... 65 coupe, 289 auto, Pony interior ... '67 coupe 6-cyl 4-speed ...
    '68 Vert, Mexican block 307 4-speed... '71 Datsun 510 ...
    And a 1-of-328 Deep Blue Pearl 2003 Marauder 4.6 DOHC, J-Mod, 4.10s and Lidio tune

  3. #3

    Default

    Take the fuel line that pumps gas into your carb off, and put it into an empty soda bottle or something clear, then turn over the engine and check the bottle to see if gas has gone into it. If not, check your fuel lines from the tank to make sure none of them are leaking. If your lines look good, I would start with a new fuel pump.

    However this is what I would do if it ONLY fires up when gas is poured down the carb. If you have adequate spark and battery power then this is what I would do.
    '79 Z7 w/sunroof, first car, 302, 5-speed, 8.8 Rear Disc
    '68 Cougar 302 4v Auto
    '84 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
    '03 F250 V10
    '04 Volkswagen Golf 2.0
    '07 Hyundai Entourage

  4. #4

    Default

    Your needle and seat in the carb could be sticking.

    Did you put any fuel stabilizer in it before you stored it? If you didn't and didn't start it at all, it's possible that could have happened.
    83 TC "Clone"
    85 Marquis LTS
    86 LTD Wagon

  5. #5

    Default

    Thanks for the replies everyone. Sorry about the bad wording I used, yes it is having trouble starting, not cranking. The tank had only about 1/8 or LESS gas in it when i bought it. The bad thing is I don't know how old the gas was that was in it when i bought it.

    So I did what JA Cook said. I unhooked the rubber line off the fuel pump. Immediately a few drops of the most varnish smelling OLD gas dripped out. I connected the rubber line to a glass jar and set it on the floor. So i hit the ignition switch and let it turn over for about 10 seconds. Car did not start and there was no gas in the jar.

    Then I did what mercuryzephyrz7 said, and it filled up the glass jar very quickly. So we know the fuel pump is working.

    But here's the kicker. The gas smells very old, and it had a lot of pepper looking silty looking stuff in it. So I filled up about 6 jars with old gas hoping that maybe the more I pumped, the more old gas would pump out, and maybe the good new gas would start coming through, but it didn't. I know theres about 5-6 gallons of good gas mixed in with the old. Not sure how much old gas was in it when i bought it but not much. Is there a fuel filter at the carb right there where the fuel line is? maybe its packed with junk? Will the car run on the old gas mixed with new?

    Fuel is getting to the carb which is proven, but not going through the rubber return line, does that mean the carb is stopped up?

  6. #6

    Default

    OK, so, it sucked the jar dry. Try a bigger jar. I expect it will run, based on your results
    so far. What we need to know is whether the pump can pump, and put fuel into the
    carburetor, not just up to the carburetor.

    Basically the process here is to roughly cut the system in half, and see which way it leads us.

    If the engine will run on an external fuel source, but won't pull fuel from the tank, you
    may have a clogged pickup screen, or you may have a cracked fuel hose back at the tank
    that's causing the pump to suck air. It's a process of elimination.
    Cheers,
    Jeff Cook

    '85 GT Hatch, 5-speed T-Top, Eibachs, Konis, & ARE 5-Spokes ... '85 GT Vert, CFI/AOD, all factory...
    '79 Fairmont StaWag, 5.0, 62K original miles ... '04 Azure Blue 40th Anny Mach 1, 37K original miles...
    2012 F150 S-Crew 4x4 5.0 "Blue Coyote"... 65 coupe, 289 auto, Pony interior ... '67 coupe 6-cyl 4-speed ...
    '68 Vert, Mexican block 307 4-speed... '71 Datsun 510 ...
    And a 1-of-328 Deep Blue Pearl 2003 Marauder 4.6 DOHC, J-Mod, 4.10s and Lidio tune

  7. #7

    Default

    Yes, I agree with JACook.

    So if I understand you correctly, you have gas coming out of the fuel pump, but we don't yet know if it's getting into the carb....right?

    I would check the line and filter from the pump up to the carb and make sure it's clear from all dirt and such, it would be even better to just get a new rubber hose and filter while you're at it.

    If you have gas coming from the pump, up a new line, through a new filter and into your carb....then you should be golden!
    '79 Z7 w/sunroof, first car, 302, 5-speed, 8.8 Rear Disc
    '68 Cougar 302 4v Auto
    '84 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
    '03 F250 V10
    '04 Volkswagen Golf 2.0
    '07 Hyundai Entourage

  8. #8

    Default

    ok ok ok. I had it all confused. I misread JACook's first reply. I thought the rubber line was a return line and my glass jar on the floor didn't have any gas in it. I thought I'd be filling it up. But it should be sucking it out. I'll grab a filter and some more gasoline tomorrow and do this thing right and report back here.

  9. #9

    Default

    You have old nasty gas in it and it sat like that for a while...there is your problem.

    Regardless, it sounds like your pump is working.

    You need to pull the carb and most likely clean the old varnished gas out of it. I just had to rebuild the stock carb on the old 80 XR-7 that had been sitting for a while. There were a couple clogged passages, etc.

    If the gas was that old, and you let it sit, I imagine your needle and seat are stuck...thus not flowing gas to fill the carb.
    83 TC "Clone"
    85 Marquis LTS
    86 LTD Wagon

  10. #10

    Default

    I took the fuel filter off and with it came a part that was mounted on the carb right in front of the filter that i believe to have been stuck. i blew on the filter and couldn't blow through it so i jiggled the part and it came unstuck. Then i blew on it again and was able to. But it was harder to blow in the old filter than it was to blow in the new one so i replaced it and ran the car thru a gas can sitting on the floor. It ran verrrry smooth and like perfection. Then i got real brave so I connected the fuel lines like normal and again it ran just fantastic. If the old gas clogs the fuel filter again its just a 4 dollar part and i'll know what it is next time. I'm going to crank the car every 2 weeks from now on.

  11. #11

    Default

    also wanted to say a big thanks to all who replied.

  12. #12

    Default

    Glad we could help.
    '79 Z7 w/sunroof, first car, 302, 5-speed, 8.8 Rear Disc
    '68 Cougar 302 4v Auto
    '84 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
    '03 F250 V10
    '04 Volkswagen Golf 2.0
    '07 Hyundai Entourage

  13. #13
    FEP Senior Member quarterstang86's Avatar
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    Default

    Reminds of a time when I first battled with my I-6. Started poking at the throttle with the wife late one night like it was hesitating just to get a reaction out of her, let me prequel this by stating I used to have to start the car with a spray of Ether. Anyhow, after I finished wommpa wommpa on the throttle the car died, we were out in the country, no light, no traffic just dark.

    I cussed, banged around and the car started again, hauled butt to the house and put a re-man carb on it the next day, problem solved.
    - Richard

  14. #14

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by quarterstang86 View Post
    Reminds of a time when I first battled with my I-6. Started poking at the throttle with the wife late one night like it was hesitating just to get a reaction out of her, let me prequel this by stating I used to have to start the car with a spray of Ether. Anyhow, after I finished wommpa wommpa on the throttle the car died, we were out in the country, no light, no traffic just dark.

    I cussed, banged around and the car started again, hauled butt to the house and put a re-man carb on it the next day, problem solved.

    Haha...gotta love stories like that
    '79 Z7 w/sunroof, first car, 302, 5-speed, 8.8 Rear Disc
    '68 Cougar 302 4v Auto
    '84 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
    '03 F250 V10
    '04 Volkswagen Golf 2.0
    '07 Hyundai Entourage

  15. #15
    FEP Super Member NAVYCAT's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
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    Montebello, CA
    Posts
    3,435

    Default

    my I-6 black magic sat for 6 yrs and what i did was i poured 3 cans of gas stabalizer, fuel tank/line cleaner and carb cleaner. and then i got acouple of clear plastic gas filters and let it run, after awhile you will see the dirt and crap in the filter. replace and run it till the filter stays clean. the filters are cheap at $3.00 each. and you should clean the carb. then run some high octain gas.
    2017 Ford Explorer Sport (DD) 1986 Capri 5.0 Silver/Red
    1969 Falcon XW GTHO coupe (SOLD) went to Australia
    Past 4 eyes-
    4th. 1981 Capri "White" Black Magic I6
    3rd. 1984 Capri RS V8 Black/grey
    2nd. 1984 Capri RS V8 White/red
    1st. 1984 SVO Grey/grey (traded it for a worn out 1970 BOSS 302)
    Both '84 Capri's vin# were 10 away from each other
    U.S. NAVY 1980-2009

  16. #16

    Default

    I would never replace an original carb with a boxed reman...
    Cheers,
    Jeff Cook

    '85 GT Hatch, 5-speed T-Top, Eibachs, Konis, & ARE 5-Spokes ... '85 GT Vert, CFI/AOD, all factory...
    '79 Fairmont StaWag, 5.0, 62K original miles ... '04 Azure Blue 40th Anny Mach 1, 37K original miles...
    2012 F150 S-Crew 4x4 5.0 "Blue Coyote"... 65 coupe, 289 auto, Pony interior ... '67 coupe 6-cyl 4-speed ...
    '68 Vert, Mexican block 307 4-speed... '71 Datsun 510 ...
    And a 1-of-328 Deep Blue Pearl 2003 Marauder 4.6 DOHC, J-Mod, 4.10s and Lidio tune

  17. #17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JACook View Post
    I would never replace an original carb with a boxed reman...

    How come?
    '79 Z7 w/sunroof, first car, 302, 5-speed, 8.8 Rear Disc
    '68 Cougar 302 4v Auto
    '84 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
    '03 F250 V10
    '04 Volkswagen Golf 2.0
    '07 Hyundai Entourage

  18. #18
    FEP Super Member NAVYCAT's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Montebello, CA
    Posts
    3,435

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    i had to replace my carb with a boxed rebuild as my old one wouldn't pass smog before or after smog
    2017 Ford Explorer Sport (DD) 1986 Capri 5.0 Silver/Red
    1969 Falcon XW GTHO coupe (SOLD) went to Australia
    Past 4 eyes-
    4th. 1981 Capri "White" Black Magic I6
    3rd. 1984 Capri RS V8 Black/grey
    2nd. 1984 Capri RS V8 White/red
    1st. 1984 SVO Grey/grey (traded it for a worn out 1970 BOSS 302)
    Both '84 Capri's vin# were 10 away from each other
    U.S. NAVY 1980-2009

  19. #19

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JACook View Post
    I would never replace an original carb with a boxed reman...
    I learned that lesson too. I did get my money back. Then I went to the junkyard and bought one for $10 and cleaned and rebuilt it with spares. Works great and passed smog.
    1986 Tbird 3.8
    1992 Ford TBird LX 3.8
    1992 Ranger XLT 2.3

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