Fuel filter location?

[seanconnery]

*Stupid question alert*

Do our trucks have a fuel filter somewhere? I suspect a bad tank of gas to be why my motor is not starting. It ran fine last Monday (11 days), and now I don't get bupkis. I had a full tank of gas in the 2nd tank when I bought the truck and never used it. I threw the switch and ran it for 4 days, the last day being last monday. Now I can't get it to start.

[79blazer]

What year? It is where the fuel line goes into the carb. Use two wrenches to unthread the line an tada there it is. It is only a few bucks. Triple check you have no leaks, when done.

Clogged filters usually have symptoms of low power on throttle, more power when you release.

It could have water or dirt/rust in that tank. My blazer started clogging filters rapidly. So instead of replacing the filter every two days or cleaning the tank, I put in a inline filter, and left the stock one out.

[Rollie396]

I know that when my 80 sits for that long I have to pump the pedal I'd say 10-15 times before I hit the key(assuming carbed no tbi).Checking the filter is never a bad idea either.Be careful with the line nut,they round off very easy.

[Maverickc10]

Whar year is your truck?? My 87 had an original fuel filter in the frame rail on passenger side right by the door. Check it out

[old Rusty C10]

None of my trucks ever had any kind of gas filter on the frame... i believe the one mentioned above was a TBI or it wasnt original. the others did tell you where youll find the stock filter but i would follow the gas line all the way down to the tank and make sure there is no other fuel filter... when you try to take apart the fuel filter at the carb, spend the money to get the proper line wrenches to avoid stripping the line nut.. a Crescent wrench usually handles the filter housing... and make sure when you put it back together, you dont cross thread things it can be a bit of a PITA but a little patience goes a long way

to verify its the fuel filter you can either dump a little gas down the carb or use starting fluid to see if you can get it going. if no fuel is getting to it it will run til that runs out .. starting fluid also helps if youve flooded it not too badly.. the next step would be to check for spark.. let us know if it goes that far and if ya need help from there

[seanconnery]

Everyone, it's an 81 GMC. I don't know whats going on, other than it ran right as rain until I tried starting it yesterday. And thankms for the advice so far.

[old Rusty C10]

ok so 81 is carbed if its original.... try my idea and see how it goes

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

I would pull out the fuel filter and check it. What about a bad fuel pump? I would try starting fluid or gas in the carb and see if it starts. That '87 mentioned above has to be a TBI or a PO added fuel filter on the frame.

[screwballl]

TBI trucks and burbs 88-91 had it in the frame rail on the passenger side unless it was replaced/moved by a previous owner.

81 likely has one in the front or side of the carb. The stock carbs had a big nut on the front that you loosen and the filter is inside there. Aftermarket or newer carbs may have it on the passenger side of the card inline with the fuel line.

[Maverickc10]

Sorry to not mention it was TBI!!! I loved that truck.

[Corts60]

Also it wouldn't hurt to check your tank switching valve. These are notorious quiters. When these valves go bad they always default on a certain tank, usually the pass. side. So if that tank is empty, after you try the other suggestions, put some fuel in there and try it again. You can also see if you have power going to it. When the switch on the dash is on the pass. side tank, there should be no power at the valve. When you flip it to the driver side, you should have power. Just some suggestions...

-Cort

[78 Chevyrado]

Make sure your tank switch isn't in the middle; between selections. Unless it's all the way to one side, it won't start.

[MylilBowTie]

Don't forget about the filter sock in the gas tank.

[seanconnery]

Well, I still can't get it to run. I keep forgetting to mention that its a 250 inline. I found out today that it is getting fuel. I unhooked the fuel line and had my wife step on the gas and watched it squirt about everywhere but into the cup. I also found that it is not getting any spark. Now I'm really pissed off cause I have a brand new ACCEL HEI coil and module that were put on there in april. It would be very dissapointing if I had to buy that all over again, and that means that something is causing the top half of my ignition to go bad. AHHHHHHH!!@!!!!

[Corts60]

Easy killer, easy. Take a voltmeter or a test light and put it to the power wire on your HEI with the key in the "run" position. If your not reading 12 volts or the light doesn't light, then you need to trace it back and find where it lost power. If you have done any recent re-wiring, I would check there first.

It could be something as simple as fuse...

[seanconnery]

Everyone: The windshield wiper fuse in the fuse block is bad. I had my mechanic create an inline fuse holder that runs up to the wiper switch. When he did this he also told me that he tested every fuse in the fuse block and that the wiper was the only bad one. Besides, I drove the truck after that repair anyways. Is there a fuse for the ignition system in the fuse block? About half the fuse descriptions on the block are worn off. Both The spark plugs that I pulled look good and they don't appear to be drowning in gas or becoming fouled. I'm not real good with these older trucks yet so bear with me. Where is the main wire that heads to the distributor, and do I have to take the cap off to test this wire?

[Corts60]

You shouldn't have to pull the distributor cap. Where the wires are going into the cap, you will see three connectors, or two depending if you are running a tachometer. Look on the cap and on the top where the wires go in, look for the connection that says BAT. That is your power wire and that is the one you need to test with the key in the RUN position to see if it does have power. Check that and we'll go from there...

[seanconnery]

Corts60, I noticed that your sig says 1986 Scottsdale (left in Baltimore) I was born here and live here in Towson. Where are you from? And thanks for bearing with me thus far. I'm not running a tach. Like I said before, the top half is one of those gray ACCEL caps with a built in coil. I do remember seeing the BAT and tach terminals, but I think they are underneath the top. Its one of these in the pic. I'm going to try and test it at lunch here at noon.

[seanconnery]

Ok. I went home at lunch and took off the top of the dist. and took a look around. It seems that the screw that holds down the metal tab that runs to the middle of the BAT and TACH terminals had its hole reamed out and thus probably lost contact with the tab. I guess that tab is for something? Is it usually hard to line up the tiny spring in the center of the orange diaphram to the coil? I remember it being hard back in April. By the way, I was reading 11.85 volts at the BAT terminal. It it now running smooth as can be, but I guess I should replace the distributor cap and try not to hog out that screw hole? Should I also replace the rotor just for good measure?

[Corts60]

Yeah, I used to work in Baltimore and I lived in White Marsh. I used to go to Towsen a lot. I love that San Sushi Too place. I kinda miss Baltimore. Used to hang out at Fells Point a lot too. Bertha's, Admirals Cup, Horse You Came In On. Good times...

The screw you said that was "wallered" out, it screws into plastic right? If so, I wouldn't buy a new cap, just find a slightly lareger screw to replace it with and you should be golden. Also, if the cap and rotor are new, I wouldn't replace the rotor either. Every little dime counts in our economy right now.

[seanconnery]

About that screw. The tab that the screw snugs down on, is that for a ground? The bigger screw idea is intriguing, but that ACCEL top half has specific holes in it and the unit comes with its own screws. Maybe I could J-B it and redrill it?

I don't like sushi, but my wife does and she digs that place. Were you from here or did you work here before moving on?

[Corts60]

Yes that tab is for a ground, and it depends on if you want to put the time in on re-drilling it. It may be worth it to buy another cap. Hell, might as well pick up a new rotor too. I guess you were right earlier.

No I'm from Cali originally, just lived there for about 1 1/2 years.