Truck broke down today....Have ?'s

[Nickathome]

I had a feeling it would happen someday, was just a question of when. I always read about others who had breakdowns, but I always considered myself lucky. Well, it happened to me today while on the road with my two kids in the truck. We had gone to a cub scout event about 5 miles from the house. We took a different way home (main road) and about halfway back, the truck jerked 3 times as if it were starving for fuel. I had my foot on the gas the whole time. The truck lurched as I said then ran normally for about another two minutes. We were of course on a stretch of road with no shoulder when the truck just died. I dropped it into third and let the clutch out hoping it would restart but it didn't. I stopped and cranked but got only an occasional sputter then nothing. I opened the hood and saw the fuel filter was clogged with debris. I at first thought it was parts of the fuel pump diaphram but later found out it was rust. I checked the oil and smelled no fuel in it so I figured the fuel pump is still OK. Anyway, like an idiot I decided to pull the filter and try to get her running with a straight fuel line to the carb. I had no extra filter with me (mistake no1) and hoped I could get the truck going again without it just to get home. Truck wouldn't even turn over. Luckily for me my wife's friend's husband was also at the scout event and a quick call to him and he came right over with a tow chain and his Chevy 4X4. He towed me home, and I pulled the top of the carb expecting it to be full of crud. I found only slight varnish spots, no doubt from some old fuel but no rust particles etc. At this point I am not not sure why I could not get the truck running again. I first thought my stupid mistake to run the fuel line directly to the carb may have totally clogged the carb but not seeing any real crud, I am at a loss now. Anyone have an idea why I had this problem? I mean I know its got to be fuel related, but just don't know the actual cause other than fuel starvation. I soaked the carb with carb cleaner and am going to put things back together after work tomorrow and will try to fire it up.

And to rub salt in the wound, as I was on the side of the road waiting for our friend to arrive, some vintage vehicles came by. There must've been a car show in the area because two of them rolled by within a minute of each other. I felt like a real stump when not one, but two Stanley Steamers(yes I said Stanley Steamers) flew past and here I am in a truck more than half their age on the side of the road. I did get the last laugh though because as I was being towed home we saw one of the steamers in the church parking lot up the street with its hood up.....What a day!

[Cal_Gary]

That had to be a sickening feeling-sorry to hear of this. I agree it sounds fuel-related. If you go through the whole carb and all is ok, you might check the fuel pump for adequate PSI. I run an electric pump so I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.
Gary

[tmbrwolf]

OK stupid question is there fuel in the tank? don't rely on the fuel guage it could be wrong. I did have a similar event happen, sounds like the fuel pump "gave up the ghost" mine acted similar and pulling the fuel line and cranking confirmed it, I replaced the pump and all was well. you might also have a clogged fuel line blowing back from the pump inlet line to the tank while listening at the tank would confim that.

[Nickathome]

OK stupid question is there fuel in the tank? don't rely on the fuel guage it could be wrong. I did have a similar event happen, sounds like the fuel pump "gave up the ghost" mine acted similar and pulling the fuel line and cranking confirmed it, I replaced the pump and all was well. you might also have a clogged fuel line blowing back from the pump inlet line to the tank while listening at the tank would confim that.

I know I have fuel. I got $20 worth not long ago and know I have not gone far enough to burn it all up. I did think the fuel line may be clogged. I am going to try a little high pressure air to blow it out tonight. I don't think my fuel pump has gone south. Its only two years old(aftermaket non military), and the debris I found in the fuel filter was rust particles. I assume the truck just sucked up some crud from the bottom of the tank and clogged the lines. I hope its as simple as that. I'll be attmepting to get it running again tonight.

[mattveeder]

If I were you I might take a quick min and remove the fuel pick up cover in the bed. Then you can get a good look at the strainer in the tank as it may be cloged. It has been my expierence with old cars and trcks that if there are signs of rust to clean and reseal the tank. I got extremely lucky that the prevoius owner of my m37 installed a nos tank. I have never even heard of any other nos tanks. Out of all of the cars I have restored or restored growing up with my dad we had only one or many two that we didnot have to go through the tank. I am always the one who has your problems. And every time I say I will not let it happen again and it bites me every time. Good luck please let all of us know what does the trick for you.

[Rusty S.]

While you have the sending unit or tank cover open, check to see if the pick up tube in the gas tank doesnt have a pin hole in it half way up. You can have gas in the tank (like half full) but if the tube is perforated, it will suck air instead of gas.

Make sure you have spark too. Broken points in the distributor could be suspect, but they usually kill you right away when they crap out.

Any antique vehicle driver knows your pain and I am sure they felt it as they drove past you. I stopped and helped a guy push a 49 Ford off a state highway bridge one time a few years back. I could see the look of shame in his face and I told him I`ve been there and done that with larger vehicles. Too bad none of the passing antique drivers didnt help you out...

RS

[Nickathome]

Thanks for the tips guys. I thin kI have found the problem. The fuel line was clogged. I cblew some air through the lines and restored gas flow. I installed a throw away filter (spare I had for my tractor) to see if any more crud comes up the line. I plan to remove the fuel sending unit cover this weekend to see if anything is clogged at that end.

[uglyranger]

Thanks for following through and letting us know what the fix was.

[MSeriesRebuild]

No time right now to read all post in the thread so forgive me if I'm saying what someone else may have covered already. It's very typical for rust & whatever that is in the tank to break loose & clog lines, elbows, etc. I'd bet that is the issue. Assuming by nature of the symptoms that the tank has not been removed & cleaned. This will likely keep happening periodically until you do clean it thoroughly. There will be pieces of rust & other debris too large to pass through the line & make it to the filter, but will cover the pick up tube. Complete clean out is the only hope of complete cure. Also be mindful of letting fuel sit in the tank, it will clog everything in sight & cause high $$$ headaches. Just did a recent valve job that was caused by old fuel.

[Rusty S.]

Good job. When I first had my M37, it ran ok and died once in a while. I opened up the fuel tank and found it was full of sandblasting agent (black beauty) that covered the bottom of the tank. I removed at least 10 cups of sand by hand and flushed out the rest. I have a NOS tank I found when my buddy bought an M38. I will swap it out someday and get the old tank cleaned properly. The M38 seller gave me the tank. He had bought it long ago by accident, M38, M37 same thing right? It still has the seals on the openings...

RS

[g741]

I had a similar problem with my 1941 Chevrolet 1.5 ton military truck. The tank was so bad that the rust coming off would plug up the pick up line. The fix was to remove the tank and take it to Tank ReNu. No problems since. also, on our old M37's, in addition to the tank shedding rust, the fuel line may also contribute some rust. Best to replace it too. Damn embarassing to be sitting along side the road (and I did it a few times) due to not properly cleaning up the fuel system. Sid