FYI FORD MustangSteve's Ford Mustang Forum / 1965 Ford 289 fuek pump issue

**Posted by moon4964** 10/05/2024 6:33 PM

I have a 1964 Falcon with a 1965 Ford 289, 4spd. The engine has been meticulously rebuilt. I have the Mustang Steve clutch cable kit installed. The car has recently been restored and is ready to go except for a fuel delivery issue. The tank pickup and sock are clean. There are no obstructions in the fuel line. The engine has been run recently using a gas can directly connected to the pump. It ran fine two weeks ago. Yesterday getting ready for the first test drive, the pump stopped delivering fuel to the carb. I thought the pump had failed so I replaced it. The new pump does not pump when attached to the engine. Both the pumps work out of the car. The cam is in place and turns when the engine is cranked. It is tight and seems to rotate correctly. Upon installation, the pump arm had been positioned correctly under the cam. Is there another reason the pump is not pumping? Can someone give me some ideas. I do not want to go to an electrical pump yet.

**Posted by MS** 10/05/2024 6:57 PM

Sorry, but I have to ask…
Is there sufficient gas in the tank?

I would test by running a hose from a reservoir to the pump. See if it pumps then.

**Posted by TKOPerformance** 10/06/2024 6:23 AM

How are you determining that the pump on the engine is not pumping? Did you disconnect the line from the pump to the carb and run a hose from the output side to a container and crank the engine to see if fuel was coming out?

Or did you just find that there was no fuel at the carb?

Is there a filter between the pump and carb (there should be)? Did you check that the filter isn't plugged?

The needle and seat must work properly in the carb or the pump is going to try and purge a bunch of air in the line from the pump to the carb, but be unable to do so. If the needle is closed, even if there's no fuel in the bowl, likely you are not going to get fuel to pump, because the system is air bound.

**Posted by moon4964** 10/06/2024 6:44 AM

Thank you for the responses. I have run a hose from a gas can to the pump and no gas exits the pump. There is no filter between the pump and carb except the one integral to the pump. When tested manually off the engine, the pump works properly. I will be removing the pump again today to check that the cam is tight (I doubt that). I cranked the engine with the output open and no gas came from the pump. I cannot see how the cam would come loose if it had been torqued properly. I will let the forum know what I find today.
Please recall that the engine has been run using the gas can reservoir method just two weeks ago. This was done prior to putting gas in the tank. The tank and pick are clean.

**Posted by RTM** 10/06/2024 7:30 AM

Sounds like the fuel pump eccentric has come loose.

**Posted by Alan** 10/06/2024 2:48 PM

i would check the eccentric cam. I had one come loose. Thought it was the fuel pump and replaced it to no avail.

**Posted by Nos681** 10/06/2024 4:01 PM

Was gas can above fuel pump level?

I would try partially filling canister filter housing with gas and see if it will prime.

Last edited by Nos681 (10/06/2024 4:03 PM)

**Posted by MS** 10/06/2024 4:13 PM

Pour gas in carb bowl to get it to fire. If it is going to prime, that will get it going

**Posted by moon4964** 10/06/2024 4:49 PM

I can see the eccentric rotating and it does its eccentric thing. We took a video of it and it does not seem loose. I poked it with a screwdriver (when it was not moving) and it did not wobble. I will check again tomorrow. If it is loose, I will be removing the front of the engine next.

**Posted by moon4964** 10/06/2024 4:52 PM

Alan. If it is loose, it will still rotate and do the eccentric thing. If the bolt came out, the cam would be hitting the inside of the timing chain cover. There is not that much room between the cam and cover.

**Posted by MS** 10/06/2024 8:31 PM

Cam retainer plate holds the cam in the block, not the eccentric’s bolt.

**Posted by Rudi** 10/06/2024 9:14 PM

A dowel pin drives the cam.

**Posted by moon4964** 10/07/2024 5:42 AM

Thank you, gentlemen. I will know the answer in a week or so and will post the results.

**Posted by moon4964** 10/07/2024 5:07 PM

I drilled a hole in the original pump and watched the arm move as the engine was cranked. All seems okay. The eccentric is not loose. My next question is: has anyone needed to prime a mechanical pump when first starting an engine that is being fed from a previously empty fuel line?

**Posted by Raymond_B** 10/07/2024 5:44 PM

moon4964 wrote:
I drilled a hole in the original pump and watched the arm move as the engine was cranked. All seems okay. The eccentric is not loose. My next question is: has anyone needed to prime a mechanical pump when first starting an engine that is being fed from a previously empty fuel line?

A good friend of mine has a T-Bird that sometimes sits for quite a long time. He ended up putting an inexpensive electric fuel pump in and will run it when he 1st starts it after one of those long sits. I am not sure how he has it plumbed to keep it from interfering with the mechanical pump's flow or if it even does once the engine is running, but it seems to work well on his all stock vehicle. But like the others said you might just spray some fuel in the carb to get yours running long enough for the mechanical pump to start pumping fuel.

**Posted by MS** 10/07/2024 6:01 PM

When I bought a barn find 66 GT fastback a few years ago, the fuel pump would not pump. Pouring gas in the carb got it running and it primed itself after about three tries.
Be careful!

**Posted by 6sally6** 10/07/2024 6:05 PM

Give it a couple stiff squirts of Brakleen (I love that stuff) and spin the mowder over........it'll far with the Brakleen !
It may take a couple times butt spin the motor over this way and it WILL pump up the fuel...unless the fuel pump is bad.
6sally6

**Posted by moon4964** 10/07/2024 6:33 PM

The attempts will be undertaken (a poor choice of words) on Wednesday. News at 11.
Tom M.

**Posted by BobE** 10/08/2024 9:53 AM

I having a little trouble following all these posts, but have tried to run with the temporary gas can directly to the pump again to verify the line from the tank, or the filter in the tank, didn’t get clogged after the initial run? If not, I sugget trying the gas can option again.
If the car sat for some time, the tank could be rusty/dirty and only flaked off after the car was run.
Just a thought.

**Posted by Greg B** 10/08/2024 12:19 PM

Going to throw out one more possibility; vented vs. non vented gas cap. A non vented cap on a tank that has no in tank vent creates a vacuum and fuel flow problems.

There is a lot of this going around with all the aftermarket and Chinese junk.

Not saying this is your specific problem as it's unlikely that would happen until your three blocks from home, but wanted to note it is a real problem everyone should check and cross off their list.

Last edited by Greg B (10/08/2024 12:19 PM)

**Posted by moon4964** 10/08/2024 5:12 PM

Gentlemen.
I want to express my gratitude once again. I
filled the pump with fuel, poured gas into the line coming from the tank at the pump, and poured gas into the outlet tube from the pump. The engine started after the second application of gas into the carb. .The engine now starts with one touch of the key. I believe the pump and the fuel line needed to be primed. What an ordeal.
BTW. All your suggestions were tried.

**Posted by Alan** 10/08/2024 6:42 PM

Glad you got it fixed and posted the cure.

**Posted by 6sally6** 10/09/2024 2:34 PM

**Posted by Nos681** 10/09/2024 8:10 PM