I’m sorry if this question has already been asked and solved. I spent an hour searching the forum before I posted this.
I have a Mazda B2200 pickup that I purchased new in 1992. I stopped driving it regularly when my wife and I had our second son and I purchased a Subaru station wagon. I have a friend who needs a car and I would like to give him the truck. It has been almost two years since I have driven it.
I charged the battery and sprayed starting fluid in to the carb. It started immediately and died when the starting fluid ran out. I repeated the process over and over until the battery died again. I pulled the fuel filter and the line from the pump, they were both dry. I ran my fingers along the fuel line from the firewall to the tank and didn’t find a leak.
What should I look at next? Should I pull the fuel pump? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
How much fuel is in the tank? If you aren’t certain, pour a few gallons of fresh fuel in, charge the battery, pour some fuel into the carburetor bowl through the bowl vent and attempt to start it again without the starting fluid. The top of the carburetor is divided into 3 sections, the primary and secondary venturis and the bowl vent. 2 ounces will likely be enough to overflow the bowl and let the engine start up. Hopefully the fuel pump will pick up the fuel and it will continue to run. You have checked the coolant and oil!!!
Pull the fuel line coming from the tank off the filter and see if you can get fuel to come out when you start it.
Check to make sure there’s a voltage on the connections going to the fuel pump when you try to start it.
A 92 with a carburetor? I guess since you have a fuel pump mounted to the engine, it must have one. Good chance that the fuel pump has gone dry so Rod Knox’s suggestion is a good one. Another way to get fuel into the bowl in case you can’t find the vent is to remove the fuel line from the pump, hold it higher than the carb and pour fuel into it, carefully.
As others have suggested get a few gallons of fresh fuel into the tank. It’s possible the fuel in there evaporated and that the fuel gauge float is stuck where it was left. Also does this truck have a mechanical or electric fuel pump. If electric you may have to beat on the bottom of the gas tank a few times to get it spinning again.
PS thank you very much for checking the forum first before posting your question. I wish others did the same.
If it’s carbureted with an engine driven fuel pump, CLOSELY check the rubber flex line connecting the pump to the hard-line on the frame of the truck…ANY air leaks into the fuel line will prevent the pump from drawing fuel up from the tank. Also, two year old gasoline is not very volatile. Some fresh fuel will help, but first you need to get it into the carb. If it’s injected, the pump is electric located inside the fuel tank. In a quiet place, when you first turn the key on, you will hear it run for a few seconds as it pressurizes the fuel system…
Is the fuel pump mounted on the engine or back where the tank is?
You just don’t see too many ‘modern’ cars that deliver the gas by suction, unless I’m mistaken…
Spent a very hot afternoon working on the truck. I drained the gas tank via a convenient drain bolt. (Yes, I disposed of the old stuff responsibly at a recycle facility.) Added a couple gallons of fresh hi-test. I couldn’t locate the bowl vent on the carb so I pulled the fuel line and poured a couple of shot glasses of gas into the bowl. The engine turned over on the first try and ran until that gas ran out (20 -30 seconds.) I did this over and over for about thirty minutes hoping to pressurize the system. No joy.
This engine has a mechanical fuel pump mounted to the cylinder head. My first thought is to replace that and ALL of the rubber fuel lines that run to and from it.
Is it likely that a mechanical fuel pump would go bad from sitting too long? I don’t exactly understand the concept of a mechanical pump other than it must use pressure from the cylinder head to cycle fuel. I’m a weekend warrior but I can’t think of any other culprit than the pump as the engine and carb clearly want to run properly. Am I making sense? Did I miss something?
I appreciate all the help. Note, I did change all the other major fluids and the fuel filter.
The manual fuel pump should produce a vacuum at the incoming line and pressure at the outgoing line. There are check valves at each port and if either has become corroded or gummed up and unable to seat and seal the pump will fail even if the diaphragm is intact. Pouring gasoline into the incoming port on the fuel pump might get it primed and functioning. Hopefully you have a fire extinguisher handy and are paying close attention to avoid an accident.
I’m terrified of working with gasoline this way and I do have a fire extinguisher handy. I smoke but I haven’t smoked all day because every part of me smells like gas. I just bought a new fuel pump and six feet each of 5/16" and 1/4" fuel line. I can’t work in this heat anymore but tomorrow morning I’m going to change out the pump, gaskets and all of the soft lines.
If it doesn’t work I’m going to be happy to pay my local mechanic to take over. I know my limits.
Did you replace the fuel filter? Those filters were usually plastic and could deteriorate and crack, causing a vacuum leak that prevents the pump from getting fuel. And, if you haven’t pulled the old pump yet, I seem to recall that the pump may not slip out of the head unless the crankshaft is turned to move the camshaft’s fuel pump lobe to the slack most position to free the lever. Good luck.
I have a new fuel filter about to go inline with all new hoses, pump and gas. I ran my finger along the bottom of the old fuel pump and came back with liquid (oil/fuel?) Could it just be the gasket? I’m going with a full replacement of dry-rot capable seals in the fuel system tomorrow. It is way too hot to work outside in southern Ohio right now.
I really appreciate your advice. I know how to turn the crankshaft but I never would have thought of that and you probably just saved me an hour or three of sweat and curse words. Win or lose I’ll post pack.
You should have a new gasket, two if you have a spacer between the pump and the head. At 20 years old, there has bound to have been a little oil seepage.
Just wanted to thank everyone. A new fuel pump, new fuel lines, fresh gas and a lot of cranking fixed the problem. My buddy got a great truck (only 104,000 miles on it) and I got my driveway back.
This is an excellent community. I appreciate the help.