Stop, think and don't panic

[coloradosean2009]

Tonight I was enjoying a brewski at a friend's house. As some of you know, we have an early winter storm moving into the west. As I sat, drinking my beer and watching the weather get bitter, I thought about how much I love my classic vehicle. Naturally, when I left the warm comfort of my friend's couch and keg, I ran into a little problem.

I had been ignoring the warning signs of a clogged fuel filter for a few days. While I knew something was "not right" with start-up and shut-down, I did not bother to put 2 and 2 together. Of course, since it is 28 outside with 30+ mph wind gusts, now is the time that she decides to clog up.

After I calm my wife down from the failed start; I stop and think.... why did my old faithful pickup not start? "It must be the fuel filter" I think out loud.

Thankfully, I knew this time was going to come, so I previously put my flashlight and screwdriver in the glove box. I just did not want it to happen when it was but as$ cold outside and I am wearing my nice work clothes.

Since the filter was clogged and I was cranking on the old gal, she was good and flooded. Now, all the cranking in the world did not get her moving. Again, I stopped and thought about the basics. "It is cold outside and the engine is flooded.... I bet she is way too rich."

So, with the wife behind the key, I removed the air filter and held open the choke. "Hit it" I told my wife. With just a little cranking, she came to life. 30 seconds later, she had blew about 10 oz of fuel out the tail pipe and I was back in business.

I figure there is two morals to this story:

(1) when your faithful pickup tells you that something is "up".... listen to her or else she will wait until the most inconvenient time to have a break down.

(2) when you do have a problem out on the road, stop and think about the basics. Like my shop teacher said "a combustion engine has basic life functions, fuel-compression-spark... if she don't run, it must be one of them that has failed." Once you think it through, you will be back on the road in no time.

[smallwin67]

LOL,Nice story man,I can't imagine livin a mile high in CO.I'll keep my redneck feet in MD.

[*Dylan]

Yeah, I neglected my truck and it left me stranded on the side of the road 11:00 PM on night where it happened to be storming and rain was just pouring from the sky non-stop. I conveniently happened to be located on an extremely long stretch of road with no cell phone signal. It ended up being a long, cold, wet night.

[mr48chev]

My inline filter is next to the electric fuel pump under the truck and it always seems to plug when I have good clothes or my work uniform on.

It's a standing automotive rule that your rig will act up on the first really cold day of the season or the first really hot day of the season.

[texanidiot25]

Heh, I know my filter is about gone when it looses power at the top of 1st gear.

Doing it again tonight, but then again, it's the first cold night of the year... Don't think OC likes the 50 degree weather

[Ron 586]

A quick question if you don't mind. If the fuel filter was clogged how did you flood the engine?

[ERASER5]

Wow! What are you guys putting in your tanks? I've had my 70 for 10 years and I just changed the big filter under the cab for the first time. Not because it was plugged, but after 10 years, it was time. I have never plugged a filter in 30 years of driving. Of course, now it will happen tomorrow...

[highperf4x4]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

Wow! What are you guys putting in your tanks? I've had my 70 for 10 years and I just changed the big filter under the cab for the first time. Not because it was plugged, but after 10 years, it was time. I have never plugged a filter in 30 years of driving. Of course, now it will happen tomorrow...

x2

[big_al_71]

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

x2

I am wondering the same thing....

[19673ontree]

in the first of this thread you talk about drinking beer , you know I have never drank a beer but they must be good cause I've watched people give up their homes their job's , wive's and family all for beer , I may try me one some day ? , I have had fuel filter's to clog and when they do you are not gonna run LOL till you change them ,,

[coloradosean2009]

Originally Posted by Ron 586

A quick question if you don't mind. If the fuel filter was clogged how did you flood the engine?

That was a rookie mistake. Once I cleaned the filter and started cranking the engine, the bowl started to fill. Instead of waiting to let it fill and prime the idle circuit, I was way to aggressive with the pedal and flooded her good. With no coat and covered in gas, I was in a bit of a rush.

Originally Posted by ERASER5

Wow! What are you guys putting in your tanks? I've had my 70 for 10 years and I just changed the big filter under the cab for the first time. Not because it was plugged, but after 10 years, it was time. I have never plugged a filter in 30 years of driving. Of course, now it will happen tomorrow...

I use an ultra fine filter with a small replaceable filter element. Ever since I owned a Mercedes 250 with two zenith carbs, I have been anal about fuel filtration. You would be surprised how much crap gets through the cheap metal filters.

I also have been lucky to buy classics with rusty tanks. I think a lot of it has to do with the amount of gas that was left in the tank by the PO when it was not used for extended periods of time. If the tank is empty for long periods of time, I can see condensation causing much more rust than a full tank with little airspace.

I have been meaning to add a second pre-filter to the line to catch the larger particulates before the fuel goes into my second (finer) filter.

[toddtheodd]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

...the big filter under the cab...

What big filter under the cab?
Where is this located?

[Shyguy]

These vehicles do not come stock with filters under the truck, but some people put a large metal filter in the rubber hose under the cab.

This is normally done when the condition of the tank is at question.

There are pros and cons to this. One of the problems is on a hot day it will be a perfect place for a vapor lock. Also if the one underneath starts to plug it will cause the fuel pump to collapse the rubber hose just at the suction of the fuel pump.

It does protect the fuel pump though if a lot of crap is in the tank.

Some people say do and some people say don't use the one under the cab.

I always put a metal fuel filter between the fuel pump and the carb because I want to pre-filter the gasoline that goes to the small filter in the the Q-jet carbs.

Danny

[TonyJohnson]

Great post Sean.

[ERASER5]

On my 70, there is a can style filter, with short rubber hoses on each end, under the cab where the steel line comes out of the tank through the cab. I always thought it was just cut into the metal line. When I went to change it, I found that the tube ends were belled just like the factory does. Belling a tube in the confines of the rocker panel would very difficult. So, I concluded that it was factory. Maybe not, but the tubes were very professional.

I have a fine Edelbrock filter just before the carb.

[PanelDeland]

My $0.02, have any of you ever thought of putting a pair of coveralls behind the seat?I may be in th minority but I have driven junk and classic( a nice way of saying halfway decent junk) all my life.As such,I know I will have trouble with them from time to time,usually at the most inconvienient time and place.So a small basic toolkit and a pair of coveralls is always on board.

BTW Sean is right,when you hear hoofbeats don't think Zebras unless you're on the Tundra.

[highperf4x4]

You know, I was thinking you were probably talking about 1 or 2 beers earlier and I really didn't think that was a big deal but after someone mentioned it, I looked at your post again and I noticed the workd keg. That concerns me a little since your next statement was about getting in your truck to drive. I can't tell anyone what to do but is that a good idea really? I'm hoping you were really just talking about a beer or 2 though.

[vectorit]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

i am wondering the same thing....

x2

[coloradosean2009]

Originally Posted by TonyJohnson

Great post Sean.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

My $0.02, have any of you ever thought of putting a pair of coveralls behind the seat?I may be in th minority but I have driven junk and classic( a nice way of saying halfway decent junk) all my life.As such,I know I will have trouble with them from time to time,usually at the most inconvienient time and place.So a small basic toolkit and a pair of coveralls is always on board.

BTW Sean is right,when you hear hoofbeats don't think Zebras unless you're on the Tundra.

Funny how I did not think about that. I even have an old pair that are in fairly decent shape. That is what I love about sharing on this site. The simple ideas are often the best.

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

You know, I was thinking you were probably talking about 1 or 2 beers earlier and I really didn't think that was a big deal but after someone mentioned it, I looked at your post again and I noticed the workd keg. That concerns me a little since your next statement was about getting in your truck to drive. I can't tell anyone what to do but is that a good idea really? I'm hoping you were really just talking about a beer or 2 though.

I can understand some concerns, with all the idiots in the world. As a 245# adult, I can assure you that I was behaving myself.

BTW - on my way home (diving sober) I passed two drivers that were exhibiting signs of intoxicate driving. As I carefully passed them, I noticed both were on their cell phones. Then I pulled up to a red light next to a cop. I was not worried though, the cop was on his cell phone too.

While I may drive with a beer in my system, I never drive on the phone.

[unclewatts]

I always say never drink when you drive. Best thing to do is get all your drinking over with and then drive! Just kidding...

[texanidiot25]

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

My $0.02, have any of you ever thought of putting a pair of coveralls behind the seat?I may be in th minority but I have driven junk and classic( a nice way of saying halfway decent junk) all my life.As such,I know I will have trouble with them from time to time,usually at the most inconvienient time and place.So a small basic toolkit and a pair of coveralls is always on board.

BTW Sean is right,when you hear hoofbeats don't think Zebras unless you're on the Tundra.

Tools and a spare flannel shirt thing for backup. Been there, done that, learned the hard way.

[Diablo de la Noche]

While living in Hawaii, I had a 79 toyota, all hot rodded with weber carb and headers. The thing started without even hearing the starter turn. Perfection! Problem was, being military in the 80s, I was on a tight budget. I put one of those cheap glass, in-line filters between the pump and carb. Well, as luck would have it, I was driving to my favorite surf spots when I smelled gas, a lot of gas. I knew right away what the problem was and pulled off the road into an empty lot. There it was, the threads had given way and the filter was spilling gas all over the engine. Again, being on a budget, the wiring wasn't completely in one piece, splices everywhere. I carefully used the last two threads on the filter and finished the drive. Somebody was looking over my shoulder that day, because on the way home I passed a gas station (almost across the street from my incident) and there were firetrucks all over the place, and a charred Ferrari next to one of the pumps. Something was going to burn that day in that area, I'm just glad it wasn't me. Sorry, ferrari guy.

As to the beer issue, I've had some cars that required a beer or two just to build up the courage to try to drive them!

[vectorit]

Originally Posted by Diablo de la Noche

While living in Hawaii, I had a 79 toyota, all hot rodded with weber carb and headers. The thing started without even hearing the starter turn. Perfection! Problem was, being military in the 80s, I was on a tight budget. I put one of those cheap glass, in-line filters between the pump and carb. Well, as luck would have it, I was driving to my favorite surf spots when I smelled gas, a lot of gas. I knew right away what the problem was and pulled off the road into an empty lot. There it was, the threads had given way and the filter was spilling gas all over the engine. Again, being on a budget, the wiring wasn't completely in one piece, splices everywhere. I carefully used the last two threads on the filter and finished the drive. Somebody was looking over my shoulder that day, because on the way home I passed a gas station (almost across the street from my incident) and there were firetrucks all over the place, and a charred Ferrari next to one of the pumps. Something was going to burn that day in that area, I'm just glad it wasn't me. Sorry, ferrari guy.

As to the beer issue, I've had some cars that required a beer or two just to build up the courage to try to drive them!

Did the license plate on the Ferrari say "ROBIN 1"?

[Diablo de la Noche]

Originally Posted by vectorit

Did the license plate on the Ferrari say "ROBIN 1"?

Nope, but it was the same kind. It was black, both the front and back! Might have said "BORN2BRN"! Oh and I took pictures, just wish I knew where they were, gives me a warm feeling.