fuel leak and noooo starty.

[knewsom]

hey all, new here... I've got a 83 XLT, damn near everything in it's broke or looks like ****, except for the necessary items (rebuilt tranny, solid engine compression, great 4wd - it's a beater, but it works great, er worked great.)

OK, so had a bad fuel leak not too long ago, as far as I could tell, it was the accelerator pump in the motorcraft carburator causing the problems, as well as a leakey hose or two up there. Pulled the carb, rebuilt it, put it all back in (that was an adventure, I couldn't remember wehre some of the spaghetti went!) But I got it sorted, started, ran fine, didn't seem to be leaking fuel at all, but still kinda stank of gas.

Tonight, my old lady calls me and tells me the truck won't work, walked over to where she ditched it, I couldn't seem to get fuel to the carb - I'm guessing fuel pump. But when I had the tow truck haul it up by the rear end to put it on the truck, fuel started DUMPING out of the front end. When I got back home, I opened the hood to investigate, and the lower right widget on the belt chain (read: drivers side) with the yellow cap on it was DRENCHED, and looked like it was the only place fuel was coming from.

That thing doesn't LOOK like a fuel pump, and as I recall, the bronco uses an electric one, right? What the heck IS that widget, why was it leaking, and do I need a new fuel pump as WELL?

Sorry for the long crazy post, but I do like this truck - it's a great utility vehicle despite weighing a lot, and I'd like to keep 'er runnin'. Any advice would be much appreciated.

thanks in advance

 

[Yardape]

Sounds like the fuel pump. They didn't have electric pumps until 1986.

 

[knewsom]

Sounds like the fuel pump. They didn't have electric pumps until 1986.

AHA! Well it's off to NAPA, thank you so much.

...unless you reccomend that I UPGRADE to an electric fuel pump...

 

[Yardape]

No I'd stick with the stock pump.

 

[knewsom]

No I'd stick with the stock pump.

hmmm, the pump I saw on NAPA's website didn't look anything like the unit that was spewing highly refined dead dinosaurs... is there a fuel HEATING unit or anything like that? Or is the pump contained within a separate housing?

 

[Yardape]

Napa doesnt always show the same pump (or anything else) in pictures. The pump they show could be off a honda civic or something. The best thing to do is take a picture, kind of hard to see what you are looking at through words on a computer screen.

 

[1982 bronco lifter]

i have an 82 i might be able to see what he is talking about and get back to ya

 

[knewsom]

i have an 82 i might be able to see what he is talking about and get back to ya

Thanks man, I'm at work till 10 tonight and didn't have time to snap a photo before I came in today - I'll try and get the wife to take one when she gets home in a few hours tho.

 

[1982 bronco lifter]

what size motor is in it

 

[knewsom]

what size motor is in it

302 V8 3SPD auto

 

[Yardape]

The only things I can think of that it could be is either a fuel pump or a filter. But I am eager to see the pics

 

[knewsom]

The only things I can think of that it could be is either a fuel pump or a filter. But I am eager to see the pics

and hereee we go.

 

[Yardape]

And where was the fuel coming from?

Or do you not know, you are stating that the ps pump is covered in fuel

 

[Seabronc]

and hereee we go.

The fuel pump is barely visible in that picture. You can just see it between the power steeering pump and the bracket that holds the PS pump. It could be comming from the fitting that connects the fuel pump to the fuel line running to the carb.

Good luck,

>-

 

[knewsom]

The fuel pump is barely visible in that picture. You can just see it between the power steeering pump and the bracket that holds the PS pump. It could be comming from the fitting that connects the fuel pump to the fuel line running to ther carb.

Good luck,

>-

Ok, I THOUGHT that thing was the PS pump, but it looks quite like the fuel was coming OUT of it??? But that isn't POSSIBLE, right? It's gotta be the connection to the fuel pump, yes? and if that was bad, the pump wouldn't be able to work right and get gas to the carb?

replace the cruddy hose and everything ok?? maybe?

 

[Yardape]

That big pump with the pulley is the power steering pump. Now first of all are you sure its gas thats spraying everywhere? I assume yes so then what Seabronc said, the Fuel pump is right behind the PS pump attached to the engine, has two fuel lines attached to it. One inlet and one output to the carb. The inlet has no pressure so it will not spray, it has to be the line from the pump to the carb. check that line, make sure its okay, maybe even remove it and have a good look. Careful undoing the nut it strips very easy. There are actual wrenches made for these specifically because they strip so easily. They are called line wrenches or flarenut wrenches depending on who you talk to. You will need to take off the PS pump to access the fuel pump. Can you take another picture, from the drivers side, see if you can get the fuel pump in the picture this time, Still unsure what it looks like? Follow the steel line the comes out of the carb, goes around the distributer and in behind the PS pump, and into the fuel pump.

 

[Seabronc]

It could look like tha gas is comming out of the PS pump if it is squirting out of the fitting on the fuel pump and onto the PS pump. If you replace the steel line with an rubber fuel line, you will need a fitting on the fuel pump with a stub of steel line to clamp the hose onto. The leak may not be at the fitting so you need to find out where the fuel pump is leaking from first.

Why don't you try tightening the fitting on the fuel pump first, it could just be loose.

>-

 

[knewsom]

That big pump with the pulley is the power steering pump. Now first of all are you sure its gas thats spraying everywhere? I assume yes so then what Seabronc said, the Fuel pump is right behind the PS pump attached to the engine, has two fuel lines attached to it. One inlet and one output to the carb. The inlet has no pressure so it will not spray, it has to be the line from the pump to the carb. check that line, make sure its okay, maybe even remove it and have a good look. Careful undoing the nut it strips very easy. There are actual wrenches made for these specifically because they strip so easily. They are called line wrenches or flarenut wrenches depending on who you talk to. You will need to take off the PS pump to access the fuel pump. Can you take another picture, from the drivers side, see if you can get the fuel pump in the picture this time, Still unsure what it looks like? Follow the steel line the comes out of the carb, goes around the distributer and in behind the PS pump, and into the fuel pump.

I think this one might be a better angle for ya... My wife took these, I'll try to take better ones when I get home.

I'm sure it was gas. The only time it dumped out was when the rear end of the truck was lifted up, thereby allowing gravity to draw the fuel from the tank, this is why I believe the leak is before the pump. It didn't leak at all when I turned the key and tried to start it, and no fuel sprayed in the carb when the accelerator pump was actuated. If the fuel pump had no draw, because of a bad line, it's very possible that this could be the problem, and not the pump itself?

 

[Seabronc]

That picture is worse than the last if you are trying to get the fuel pump into the picture. The fuel pump is on the side of rhe engine block to the left of the PS pump. Easy to see if the pump is working or getting fuel, by pulling the line at the carb and turning the engine over. It should squirt out the end of the pipe.

If it doesn't then it is a line or the pump. If it does, move on, the pump isn't the problem.

>-