getting back on the road after sitting long time - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

doodah man · 10-02-2021, 02:35 PM

So I have neglected my truck for a while now. I guess it's probably sat for over a year with a dead battery and I wasn't driving it regular before that. I need to put my other truck in the shop so I picked up a new battery and poured some high octane gas in the tank on top of the old gas (no stabil in there).

Turned the key and it started up with only a couple pumps of the gas pedal. I'm feeling pretty good so I let it warm up a little bit. Turn it off. Crank again. Fires right up. Try again no problem. It's idling beautifully. Just like old times.

It needs some tranmission fluid, so I kill it and take the other truck to the parts house. Get back. Fill the tranny and crank again. Starts perfectly.

Pull it up front of the house and fill the tires while letting it idle. Get my son to go for a little test drive. I test the brakes at the end of driveway and they feel a little weak, so I back up and give it so gas and hit the brakes hard. Then the engine dies. I try starting again and it wont fire until I pump a bunch of gas in there. It starts up but it will only run with the gas pedal down. I start it a couple more times but it's the same. Very rough and only if I keep on the gas. If I let off, it dies right away.

Anything obvious other than bad gas? It's got HEI ignition. Thanks!

**HO455** · 10-02-2021, 02:44 PM

Does it have power brakes? If so try removing the vacuum line to the booster and plug it. Then try starting the engine. If it makes a difference it is likely you have a bad brake booster.

**LockDoc** · 10-02-2021, 07:43 PM

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Another thing to consider is that you may have stirred up all of the settlings in the bottom of the gas tank and plugged up the sock filter in the tank, the inline filter, (if there is one) or the small fuel inlet filter in the carb. (if it is a Q-Jet) All stuff that needs to be checked anyway.

LockDoc

**special-K** · 10-03-2021, 06:33 AM

Sounds like what bad gas will do. Get the gas out of the tank. I hope you didn't put too much new gas in. I had one that sat and even after draining, purging old gas (blew air into tank through fuel line with cap on), pouring 2 gallons of fresh, drain/purge again, add 5 gallons fresh, ran fine, then a few days later while idling it stalled. I cranked just enough Sea Foam into the carb and let it sit a while. Hooked the line up with rest of Sea Foam in tank and it ran fine

doodah man · 10-03-2021, 07:29 AM

Well, I gave it a couple hours to cool down and pulled the line from the booster (big rush of air so it was still under vacuum) and it started right up. Reattached booster and started up again. I took it for a spin around the neighborhood and got up to 50 mph on some stretches. It did fine. Not sure what happened but I am hearing the gas warnings loud and clear. Will work on that. Thanks for the responses as always.

lil hoodlum · 10-04-2021, 12:51 AM

Glad you seemed to figured it out.

My guess would have also been fuel sediment or other crap in the fuel lines/ filter.

10-02-2021, 02:35 PM	#1
doodah man Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 173	getting back on the road after sitting long time So I have neglected my truck for a while now. I guess it's probably sat for over a year with a dead battery and I wasn't driving it regular before that. I need to put my other truck in the shop so I picked up a new battery and poured some high octane gas in the tank on top of the old gas (no stabil in there). Turned the key and it started up with only a couple pumps of the gas pedal. I'm feeling pretty good so I let it warm up a little bit. Turn it off. Crank again. Fires right up. Try again no problem. It's idling beautifully. Just like old times. It needs some tranmission fluid, so I kill it and take the other truck to the parts house. Get back. Fill the tranny and crank again. Starts perfectly. Pull it up front of the house and fill the tires while letting it idle. Get my son to go for a little test drive. I test the brakes at the end of driveway and they feel a little weak, so I back up and give it so gas and hit the brakes hard. Then the engine dies. I try starting again and it wont fire until I pump a bunch of gas in there. It starts up but it will only run with the gas pedal down. I start it a couple more times but it's the same. Very rough and only if I keep on the gas. If I let off, it dies right away. Anything obvious other than bad gas? It's got HEI ignition. Thanks! __________________ 1972 C-10 Deluxe 350 V8 - 350TH ------------------------------ We're not the jet set We're the old Chevrolet set

10-02-2021, 02:44 PM	#2
HO455 Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 10,989	Re: getting back on the road after sitting long time Does it have power brakes? If so try removing the vacuum line to the booster and plug it. Then try starting the engine. If it makes a difference it is likely you have a bad brake booster. __________________ Thanks to Bob and Jeanie and everyone else at Superior Performance for all their great help. RIP Bob Parks. 1967 Burban (the WMB),1988 S10 Blazer (the Stink10 II),1969 GTO (the Goat), 1970 Javelin, 1952 F2 Ford OHC six 4X4, 29 Model A, 72 Firebird (the DBP Bird). 85 Alfa Romeo If it breaks I didn't want it in the first place The WMB repair thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698377

10-02-2021, 07:43 PM	#3
LockDoc The Older Generation Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Montezuma, Iowa Posts: 25,394	Re: getting back on the road after sitting long time - Another thing to consider is that you may have stirred up all of the settlings in the bottom of the gas tank and plugged up the sock filter in the tank, the inline filter, (if there is one) or the small fuel inlet filter in the carb. (if it is a Q-Jet) All stuff that needs to be checked anyway. LockDoc __________________ Leon Locksmith, Specializing In Antique Trucks, Automobiles, & Motorcycles (My Dually Pickup Project Thread) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=829820 -

10-03-2021, 06:33 AM	#4
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,862	Re: getting back on the road after sitting long time Sounds like what bad gas will do. Get the gas out of the tank. I hope you didn't put too much new gas in. I had one that sat and even after draining, purging old gas (blew air into tank through fuel line with cap on), pouring 2 gallons of fresh, drain/purge again, add 5 gallons fresh, ran fine, then a few days later while idling it stalled. I cranked just enough Sea Foam into the carb and let it sit a while. Hooked the line up with rest of Sea Foam in tank and it ran fine __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

10-03-2021, 07:29 AM	#5
doodah man Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 173	Re: getting back on the road after sitting long time Well, I gave it a couple hours to cool down and pulled the line from the booster (big rush of air so it was still under vacuum) and it started right up. Reattached booster and started up again. I took it for a spin around the neighborhood and got up to 50 mph on some stretches. It did fine. Not sure what happened but I am hearing the gas warnings loud and clear. Will work on that. Thanks for the responses as always. __________________ 1972 C-10 Deluxe 350 V8 - 350TH ------------------------------ We're not the jet set We're the old Chevrolet set

10-04-2021, 12:51 AM	#6
lil hoodlum Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Denton, Texas Posts: 1,703	Re: getting back on the road after sitting long time Glad you seemed to figured it out. My guess would have also been fuel sediment or other crap in the fuel lines/ filter. __________________ 1968 C10 327, 3 speed manual, LWB stock height daily driver. 1968 C20 327, 4 speed manual, LWB stock height custom camper with heavy duty leaf springs rear, 50th anniversary edition. Hoping to press into daily drive status soon.



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