Technical 3 deuces on SBC running out of gas??

That is just about as smooth a bend as you will find No kinks or flattening. Hopefully the filter is between the pump and the tank. If all of your bends are like that none should be an issue.

 

I also thought that bend was not likely to be an issue.
- there was a tip on this forum that I haven’t tried but is worth repeating.
Someone suggested using appropriate size weed eater line inside the fuel line before bending, to lessen the likelihood of kinking.

 

Op If Me since all the troubleshooting and work you've done so far maybe start at the front (3/8 fuel ) and work backwards..
It sounds like you are able to go for Quick spin & do a pull,
Like mentioned by others
Volume needed , Not just Psi .
How about 2 gal tank up front one of those 6-7 psi Holley / Mr gasket pumps
Strap tank to front , Taken care Not to scratch paint / chrome Ext ,
Do test pull ,,
When problem occurs like this in this case fuel pressure and volume,
Do not trust 1 gauge ,
Bench test 2-5 gauges , different models to make sure reading within a half a pound of each other document,
& when comes to your original set up at the fuel tank, I would be putting a bun in the bottom of the tank, 1-2 inch stem pick up off bottom of tank , above possibly trash settling around the bottom of tank , so it gravity feeds the fuel pump on the rail 1 gallon of gas weighs roughly what 6-7 pounds , if you have 5 gallon that's 30 pounds of positive weight gravity pressure going to the fuel pump ,,
Not trying to spend others $$,
My self boxes of boxes of duplicate parts, Fuel gauges , fuel pumps , fuel regulators, fuel filters , many many Ks worth Many name brand manufactures,,, 48 year of this ,
Running Na , Nitrous, Blowers , MFI , EFI , Single carbs , Split dominators..

Make it simple gas tank 3 foot of fuel line , test ,,, see if you still have problem
Then you will Know between fuel tank to Carb , In this case Carbs ..
A little story is self experience ,I had a set up that was at 327 making roughly 420 hp with 750 CFM Carb, it ran 7:70s in 1/8, I wanted a little more bling bling look I added three deuces 97 carbs ,Car slowed down to 9:00 in 1/8 ,Like only 500 cfms , I made some adapters switch to Rochester car picked up 8:40s after spending time and tuning I went back to the 750

 

great idea for the future.....thx

 

Appreciate all that feedback sir, VERY MUCH! I have plenty to go through for sure.
Car will spend most of its time on the street, not many place to run anymore here in SoCal.
Waiting for it to cool down a bit here, at 64 I just don't do well in the heat anymore..
Again thanks. Rich

 

some times there a few things wrong, so anything you find please let us know.... wait till 71 yo in vegas heat hits yur ass...

 

Oh I will................I won't even go to Vegas anymore unless I,m working at SEMA.....

 

got family here or i'd up at my place in kanab utah..

 

^^^^^
Thats Now , Snow in August?

 

LOL, I wish.... last jan...

 

if you ever come come to vegas and need anything, hit me up , I have a full automotive shop

 

UPDATE: Well I did not have much time in the shop this weekend but here is what I have done and found out:
I wanted to eliminate the coil situation and since mine is mounted sideways, I replaced it with a PerTronix 3.0 Flame thrower that is epoxy filled. My old Bosch Blue failed the secondary winding tests. Started much faster and idles smoother also. BUT on the test drive it did the same thing. (sputtered) But I noticed it was almost at the same spot!
ELECTRONIC ISSUE ? NO.
Limped it home, let it idle a minute, turned it off, restarted immediately, let it idle and killed it.
I pulled the top of the center (primary) carb and noticed it had only an inch of gas in it.
Checked the float level and needle/seat, all good. BUT the drop measurement was way off, way to low.
I never even checked that. Well after setting that to specs, ( a major adjustment) I went for a drive and guess what?? NO Sputter. Unfortunately I sounds like a rocker loosened up so I just took it home.

Now I am no carb guru and would love some explanation on whether this really could have been the issue??
Remember, just a 64 year old guy that builds my own cars so be nice
Rich

 

Float drop is just as, if not more critical than float level. Glad you got to the bottom of it. Drop turns the fuel on and the float level turns it off.

 

If it was dropping too much, the needle might have been getting out of whack.

 

I'd check the other two float levels and have the fuel pump on wiith the tops off...

 

ON/OFF is a great way to think of it. Guess I should check the other 2 carbs too..
thx Rich

 

Can't really do that on Holley 94's (2100) fuel inlet is part of the top. But I will be checking them..
thx for the input

 

Float drop on a 94? When setting the float level on a 94 top:
Remember that the slightest drop of the float will open the needle valve and allow fuel to enter the bowl. The amount of fuel in the bowl will be dictated by the size of the float according to the specification measurement for the float shut off of the needle valve. You set the float to shut OFF the fuel on a 94 so the bowl doesn't fill too much. An inch of fuel in a 94 bowl sounds just about right. That's what has always been in the bowls of my 94's when I have taken the tops off. Admittedly, setting the float levels on a 94 is a PIA. I've always done it with the top clamped right side up on the edge of a thin shelf with the float hanging off the edge to check for the proper measurement as dictated in the rebuild kit instructions. I like my 94's. They run great, are easy to rebuild with just a screwdriver, and are cheaper to buy than Strombergs. I don't think float drop is your issue. However, also check that your floats aren't leaking and are full of fuel. The only problem I've had with my 94's is that the needles USED TO STICK and not shut off due to ethanol in fuel (and the absence of lead in fuel) which would flood the bowls. Solved that by adding Lucas fuel system lubricant and Startron anti-ethanol additive to the fuel. The bonus of the "Lucas upper cylinder lubricant" is that it also acts as a lead replacement (see that on their website because it's not specified on the bottle).
Bring tools with you next time out. The SECOND the problem comes up pull over, shut down and pop the tops off the carbs. That will tell the tale if you don't have enough fuel in the bowls. Compare the amount of fuel then with how much fuel is in the bowls in your garage when car was running fine at idle.
I had a fuel delivery issue that was driving me NUTS. Car ran great but would die when out cruising. Sometimes after 15 minutes. Sometimes after an hour. Sometimes never. Installed an electric fuel pump by the tank and began to hear it banging just before the the engine would die from fuel starvation. Also installed one of those shitty plastic
see-through fuel filters by the electric pump. I wanted to see if the filter was going dry when the engine would die.
Brought my tools with me on a ride. After a while, electric pump started banging and engine would begin to die. I pulled over immediately and shut it down. Lo and behold, the filter by the tank and electric pump was empty. I removed the fuel line from the filter and blew air by mouth into the line going to the tank until I heard bubbles. Re-installed the line and drove away. Turns out the fuel pickup in the tank had no sock filter on the end. Some...THING (I still don't know what it is) was in the tank randomly blocking the fuel pickup tube whenever it got close enough to be sucked onto the end of the tube. Older Tanks, Inc. fuel tank that I got used from a HAMB'er where the pickup is welded to the tank. No way to change it or get to the pickup to add a sock filter to it. Modified and installed a fuel level sender with integrated pickup tube (WITH a sock filter on it) into the sender position of the tank. Problem solved. Long winded reply. Sorry. Hope it helps.
Andy

 

Andy, all replies help and I appreciate them. I agree with the 94's being simple, I rebuilt all three without issue.
I will say, with the old drivetrain I had no issues with the tank at all, so I am not sure that is my issue. After I get the valve issue fixed I will be out test driving again... thx again Rich

 

@chiro
All good information, so it will help someone on here.

I had a similar problem with a disintegrating homemade fuel cap gasket from a previous owner.
Thought at the time that it was electrical, and took some time to realise what it was !
.

 

Could it be a float level adjustment?

 

it was, but a float "drop" adjustment.

 

update: 11-2024: well honestly nothing has changed. Car is still falling on it's face at 35-40mph.
I take my foot off the gas, let it run at idle, push down on the pedal and it will drive another 1/2 mile and "run out of gas again" If I try to accelerate using the outside carbs it acts worse ?? (but will rev like hell sitting still)I have done a bunch of the recommended fixes and then saw that the fuel pressure at idle when was 3.5 and as I manually raised the RPMS to 3000 and watched the pressure started to actually gradually fall off - bingo, intermittent pump issue. Holley Red.
BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Since my last post: gas tank removed, cleaned, reemed etc. Yes it has some stuff in it but mostly the output tube in the tank was maybe 65% plugged with just years of varnish etc. I removed every bend possible in the new 5/16" line and replaced the outlet to pump to rubber for testing.
New Holley blue electric pump kit installed with new regulator, set at 4.5 ( its low end) and no had no flooding. ( but a bouncing guage)
Replaced the filter at the same time.
--Fired right up as usual, revved up in park as usual got it out on the road and it was actually worse!
I went and pulled the tank outlet hose and gas flowed out like a faucet...

Could a bad power valve cause this?

(327 L79 clone built with mostly used parts, everything has been cleaned, lubed checked etc.
runs at 160 degrees, manifold vacuum at 17 at idle, compression all equal, ignition all correct with no vacuum advance)

Any help greatly appreciated, I'm 65 and very frustrated. I built everything on the car and would just like to drive it again in it's new look.... or sell the damn thing!
Rich

 

Possibly borrow a known good distributor & give that a try ?
I have 2x4 Holley on my 388" 10:1 SBC with fairly large cam , during testing , with a fuel pressure gauge mounted behind the rear carb , I could see a pressure fluctuation Everytime a needle valve opened @ 1500 rpm, didn't cause a problem but I changed to a Holley black , no fluctuation now ( blue was good as well) . That's why I doubt yours is a fuel pump deficiency .

 

thank you, that's on my list too. I took the primary carb apart yesterday just to go through it.
Did not really see anything other than the bowl had an inch of gas in it. Will be checking all the float specs today.
thx again for your time
Rich

 

Might check voltage at the coil. I had one once that would do as you are describing. It would rev fine sitting still, but driving and under a load would break up. Found voltage was wonky at the coil and traced it back to a faulty ignition switch. Good luck!

 

Thanks, Well I did do a 12v conversion and lord knows I am not an electrical genius,
voltage at the coil running?? Coil itself is new.
thx for your time rl

 

I had a similar sounding problem that kicked my arse for a couple of weeks. Changed the pressure regulator and all was well. I had the original, new, Aeromotive bypass regulator mounted inverted (instructions said nothing about it being upright) which ultimately was the cause of the problem. But it would start, idle, rev up for as long as you liked but start spluttering, and sometimes die, after about 1/2 mile, but would restart fairly easily. Don't expect a regulator to necessarily act consistently!

I've yet to refit the bypass regulator correctly orientated. Must get to that as I hate the noise from the deadhead reg!!

Chris

 

THX for the info Chris
on my second regulator already, came with my new fuel pump.
other than bouncing around it's at 4.5 as advertised.... But I am going to change my guage to make sure I am seeing what I am supposed to see............Rich

 

How much fuel pressure does a 94 want? A 97 is damn near less that gravity. Just a thought.