no fuel after short drive

[Tscott38]

I've had the 68 440 for 18 years. 12 years ago I replaced the fuel pump and filter, but never really ran the car more than starting it every few years to make sure it still ran.  It was basically in storage while i did body work, electrical work - etc...   I recently replaced the fuel lines and gas tank, rebuilt the holley 3310 750cfm carb.  Also the fuel sending unit and filter in the tank are all new - never saw a drop of gas until a couple weeks ago.  The car now runs, but only has been idling in my driveway.  Probably a total of 45 minutes of idle time since I put 10 gallons in the tank - 93 octane.  Today I took it for its first short drive.  Seemed to do ok,  got up to 180 on the temp gauge - never higher  didn't run it too hard, but cruised at 60mph for about 5 miles.  when I was coming home, I stoped to turn around, and as i started to accelerate, it acted like it was running out of gas, and it died.  After taking off the air cleaner, no gas is coming out of the squirters.  Could I have run out of gas?  10 gallons after 5 miles and 45 minutes of idle time? The car probably has been running rich - you could smell raw fuel in the exhaust (it would burn your eyes) when it was idling and it did burn a little black on heavy acceleration, but is still ran ok - I figured I take it out and run it a while to see if there were problems I could identify.  I was  on a hill, but not a steep one when it died. So I put another 5 gallons in it and still - nothing. After it sat for 3 hours - still the same thing.  Culd my 12 year old fuel pump have rotted out after 12 years of sitting with gas in the lines?  I wouldn't think its a vapor lock issue after 5 miles on a 60 degree day with the guage only showing 180.  It didn't seem hot when I opened the hood.  I do not have a spacer, just the felt gasket that came with the carb build kit.  It sits on a Edelbrock intake and I believe the heat risers are blocked off. 

Any suggestions here would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[Dino]

That fuel pump can definitely be dead, wouldn't be the first.  Undo the line at the carb and have someone crank it, see if that pump works before anything else.

[greymag]

I have had todays fuel eat the rubber bladders out of 2 fuel pumps. The car will start & idle, but will not accelerate. The bladder will disintegrate sooner or later. I bought Carter pumps with the replaceable bladders.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Check the fuel pump pushrod for wear.....12 years is right about the time Mopar had a bad run on the hardening of the metal push rods....

[ACUDANUT]

also pour some gas into the carb and see if it wants to runs (pour only about a 1/2 cup.)

[pullrock]

I just had the same symptoms and it turned out to be my fuel pump push rod was to short.  It was 3 inches and it should have been 3 1/4.  But my car did not sit for tweleve years so I am not really sure about.  If your fuel pump diaphragm was bad you could check to see if your oil smells like gas?  just an idea.

Eric

[Tscott38]

Looks like its the pump.  unhooked the lines and no gas while cranking.  Come to think of it, acceleration wasn't that great when I was driving it those 5 miles.  When I put the pump on years ago, I don't recall changing the pushrod - I would think its the original - may memory isn't that great though.  Are all the rods 3.25" long? 

[BSB67]

Looks like its the pump.  unhooked the lines and no gas while cranking.  Come to think of it, acceleration wasn't that great when I was driving it those 5 miles.  When I put the pump on years ago, I don't recall changing the pushrod - I would think its the original - may memory isn't that great though.  Are all the rods 3.25" long? 

Yes. About 3.2"