Fuel delivery problem

[71 super]

First a little background- My 71 bb sits alot but I try to crank it to keep battery up and trans fluid circulated etc. The gas has sat long enough that it has developed the distinctive "bad gas" smell it has an additive in it to aid in the prevention of breakdown. The carb is a unit that I sent to JET performance to tune/build for my specific combonation. It is the stage 2 tune from them. Now the problem, this truck has never failed to crank until now- 1st time in 8 years, engine and all components are new or rebuilt. It will run fine as long as there is fuel in the bowl or carb throat, but after that is gone no dice. I pulled carb put it on another truck and all is well, placed the other carb on the bb same problem. Carb eliminated. I pulled the feeder line from the tank to the new stainless line running to the pump, filled a pint jar, my face and garage floor quickly. Pick up eliminated. There is fuel to the pump, but the hose to the pump from the frame is very spongy. Is a stock ac delco pump strong enough to collapse the line due to suction and cause the lack of fuel to the bowl or will I have to replace the fuel pump for the third time on a truck that has seen more idle time than drive time in the 7 plus years that it has been done? Any and all suggestions are appreciated (before it is said - yes I know I need to drive it, I hear that all the time, but probably not going to happen- sorry). Thanks for your time. Harold

[cdowns]

old crappy hoses are easier to replace than a fuel pump and cheaper too//dont forget the length under the cab either

[Bruce88]

Sounds to me like you possibly found the problem in the spongy hose to the fuel pump. I would replace that fuel line and any inline fuel filter that may have been clogged with bad gas. After that if the problem continues try starting the engine with the fuel cap removed, the fuel pump can be pulling more gas than the tank vent system can handle or is plugged and collapsing the feed line. After all the above has been eliminated as a possible cause it’s probably a bad fuel pump.

[71 super]

Thanks for the replies. I had just replaced the fuel cap a couple of weeks ago with a NOS version and had not cranked the truck since then-so the bad line coupled with a different cap could have taken an small issue and made it express its self. Thanks for the replies. Harold