Help please - no petrol

[woolfie1948]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions but it appears that sometimes the simplest ideas are best.
It occured to me in the small hours of last night that if it was so easy for me to suck petrol up the tube leading to the pump it should also be easy to suck petrol out the pump from the outlet pipe, and if johnh was correct the pump did not like sucking air this was a simple way to prime it.
There was a delay in trying as I had clear up the back of my v70 as the top came off a 5ltr tub of magnolia emulsion and did not improve the look of the grey leather upholstery and carpet!
I pushed a clear tube on the pump outlet and watched as I easily sucked air and petrol into the pipe, waited for the air to bubble out and the petrol level to drop, and sucked again until no more bubbles only petrol coming up my tube.
I then assumed the pipe to the pump, and the pump, were full and petrol could not run back to the tank so could take my time connecting the pump to the carbs.
To my relief he engine started first time and has been running all afternoon.
The only thing to try to work out now is if I originally ran out of petrol (faulty fuel gauge showing 1/4) or I had petrol in the tank and I really needed to by that new pump. Any ideas to test it without running it dry?
Jonathan

[Audrey Old]

Only a quick one Jonathan: some years ago one of the short flex pipes from the two-way T-piece just before the carbs became blocked/perished internally on one of my cars. Only one carb received fuel, and then not much, as both pipes were probably original (they were cloth-covered).
I changed them both and no more problems......
Just a thought.

Paul

[john h]

Originally Posted by woolfie1948

The only thing to try to work out now is if I originally ran out of petrol (faulty fuel gauge showing 1/4) or I had petrol in the tank and I really needed to by that new pump. Any ideas to test it without running it dry?
Jonathan

Don't tempt fate! I'd just leave the new pump on and keep the old one as a spare.

Glad you got it sorted.

John

[woolfie1948]

Thanks John.
Good to see your latest update on your project.
I hope that new pump will stay on now - it was on and off so many times I broke the gasket so hope it does not leak oil now and have to come off again.
However what I meant to say was I now need to test the fuel gauge so I don't run out again if it's reading wrongly.
It is almost down to 3/4 now so should take about 15ltrs when I fill up. If it takes around 30 I will have to assume that it did run out when it was showing 1/4.
Jonathan