After finally getting my float connected right and the correct lines put in the Walbro, I've been successfully running the car, and it started damn good! However, getting bad gas mileage plus not knowing my fuel gauge was working 100% led me to start running on fumes when going up a hill. It sputtered and acted crazy but I made it to the apex of the hill and maneuvered through several turns to the gas station. This usually never happens to me as I am very careful.

Now, right after I filled up, it didn't start as good. It took 2 cranks, and even the 2nd was a long crank, as opposed to it starting before I even let go of the key. An old neighbor of mine (very knowledgeable) said that I fried my fuel pump. Is this true? Will it get worse now? Or will it stay at where it is, only not last as long? In comparison to before the new pump, it's not quite as bad, it used to take 3 or 4 long cranks.

 

First cycle of the pump - 10psi, then drops to 0. Crank the motor - slowly raises to 30psi, then drops. Does this all 5 times, doesn't start until the 5th crank. PSI is a steady 30.

what do you think? People on another board are telling me that running the pump dry should not kill it.

 

Sounds likes the fuel pressure regulator is giving you problems. Fuel pressure should be 42ish lbs.

 

Low pressure can be due to several problems, including the FPR, leaking lines, plugged filter, weak fuel pump, etc. You have to rule each of these possibilities out.

When it sputtered like it was out of fuel, did the amount required to fill the tank indicate that it was actually empty?

Are you sure you secured all the lines correctly on the pump install? If you have poor fuel mileage and weak pressure, could be leaking badly somewhere.

 

Cleaned the filter, found a quick-connect fitting that was off, but only by the slightest bit, snapped it back on (it was still on, just not snapped. And......pump prime - 30+PSI - Crank one, engine start at 40PSI steadily.

You know what, when I filled back up after that very first incident, I could have sworn my tank had a 15.3 gal capacity, but it only filled up 14.2 or less gallons. I thought that was strange.

I guess if something goes awry I'll just keep checking it. Taking the pump out is nothing to me now. Only reason it took so long to look at was it was raining for a few days.

 

Your tank holds 15.5 gallons, if its a stocker.

 

So why did it fill up an insufficient amount when it was supposedly empty?

 

That's my point.... did it sputter because the fuel tank was empty, or did it sputter because there's a problem in the fuel system?