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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:11 pm Post subject: Two issues, then its tabs time. |
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| First issue. I have to " prime" my carb to get it to start if I let it sit for too long, also today it just died on me and when I went to " prime" it., the fuel was almost boiling. So, cause and remedy? Second issue, I get a lot of " foam" in my radiator. Now I have been told it is prob a head gasket, yet I don't seem to be losing coolant, coolant doesn't seem to get oily , and oil doesn't seem to get milky. It also , though I don't drive it too far, tend to over heat, so could it be something else, that is less time consuming and difficult to fix , such as maybe leaky exaust manifold or intake gasket. I would like to remedy this issue. My goal is to have it road worthy so I can drive my two sons to school in it on their first day of school which is Aug 30th |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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| How hot does your coolant temp get? fuel boiling means that carb must be getting really hot. |
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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Today my temp, according to gauge, which be be messed up got to around 210. But my carb was and is still hot over an hour later. Now it is a black car, but seems ridiculas |
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MrMike98 Member
Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 231 Location: Bremerton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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#1 =vapor lock-- were the fuel line is to close to a hot surface.
check metal fuel lines for porximity to headers, cat., etc.. and move it or insulate it....
#2 sure sounds like a head gasket leak-take a coolant sample to nearest radiator shop and they will run a chemical test to test for combustion products ie head gasket leak....... remove head and replace gasket.....
now that my guess
good luck |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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| what kind of carb? does it have a spacer or just bolted to the manifold? some of those symptoms just sound like its running to hot to me, im sure others will chime in... do you know what temp thermostat it has? |
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Twilightoptics Hardcore (12sec Club)

Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 9191 Location: Auburn , WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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Fan working? Thought I remembered you saying you don't have the air dam... which I told you will overheat while driving.
Carb will stay hot.
WTF do you mean by "prime" it? _________________ A redline a day keeps the carbon away! |
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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah fan works if I plug it in. Thermostat is 160, and as far as priming, I mean I have to pour fuel down carb to get it to run. I don't know if it is because fuel pump, which is mechanical, can't draw the fuel or what. |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Whoa I thought you mean't like pumping the gas... You gotta have some delivery issue if you have to dump fuel down the carb yourself to get it to run. |
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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Oh and carb is a Q jet. As far as lines, they could be getting hot, I don't really drive it but around the block though, and head gasket. I hope not. I mean I do need to get different heads, but hope to wait till winter. I just really want to drive damn thing. |
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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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| as soon as it goes then it is fine, gas, but yeah have to dump it down carb. It is a mech fuel pump, not sure of brand, and it is pulling it a ways, I may in the future put a inline elect pump on a swit,h that I can hit tp draw fuel to the mech pump |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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| When you get it started does it run well? I wonder if its just not getting enough fuel or maybe the diaphram in the pump is no good. |
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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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| As soon as it runs, it " seems" to run fine, I haven't taken it to far from house yet |
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MrMike98 Member
Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 231 Location: Bremerton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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when u vaporize fuel inside the fuel line on the inlet to the fuel pump, no gas will pump cause theres vapor and no liqued-then as it cools down u get to a point were it wil flash bach into liquid and flow as normal---
i would look at the inlet line to pump and make sure it is well away from heat sources. |
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fiveoformula Member

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 1799 Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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| But don't you need to dump the gas when its cold? or warm? |
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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Usually only when its cold, but today it cut out on me and had to do it when it was hot |
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Twilightoptics Hardcore (12sec Club)

Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 9191 Location: Auburn , WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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Make this happen again.
But before dumping fuel down the carb..... no no.
Work the throttle by hand and see if fuel comes out the accelerator pump nozzles. If no fuel comes out, you have a delivery problem. The mechanical pump should be fine.
Are you sucking through the factory pump? Or remove it like you're supposed to or use a carb pickup in the tank. Also, what are the other 2 lines hooked up like? You said this was originally an EFI engine. If you have a sealed tank/cap/etc and all the lines are capped off.... the pump wont be able to suck the fuel up because there is no way for air to replace the space taken up by the fuel originally in the tank. _________________ A redline a day keeps the carbon away! |
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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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| No fuel doenst come out when I press on throttle. And all I have on pump is line from tank and then line to carb. Return line is capped off on pump ,and the return line and vapor line on original fuel lines are looped to each other. So any sugestions to fix it would be great. As far as tank pump, I am not sure what has been done, but something has because hole cut in back and fuel lines have been cut. Do older pumps whine like newer ones do. Is so, then old one isn't hooked up, cause I here no whine |
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Twilightoptics Hardcore (12sec Club)

Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 9191 Location: Auburn , WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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if your fuel pump has a return line...... hook up the return line. Put a small filter on the vapor line. All your problems should be fine. Right now the pump is sucking in a vacuum. Once the vacuum pressure gets high enough, it just can't pull any harder. _________________ A redline a day keeps the carbon away! |
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jchaussee Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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| So then of the two lines that are looped to each other, one is on top of the other and one is smaller then the other, so I assume one was return and one hooked to my vaper cannister, which line would be which?? Bigger return? Also any thoughts on my radiator pressure issue, short of head gasket? |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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A few things that popped out at me from this topic:
1) You claim to have a 160* stat, and a temp gauge sitting at 210*. That isn't good. That means stuck stat, bad water pump, blown headgasket, blocked radiator, ect. Do you have an air dam?
2) I believe you stated previously that your car used to be TPI. In that case you need to make 100% sure that there is no pump in the tank. If it is and it is not running it will restrict flow. |
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