I have a 1977 corvette that has been sitting 2 years. I can't get it stated.?

Question

No fuel is making it's way to the carb. It turns over great...but there is no smell or feel of gas in the carb.
Could a fuel filter harden to the point that it will completely block the gas entering the carb...or is it the fuel pump

Answer 1

First off, check to see if you have any spark for the plugs. You need a second person here. To pull off a plug wire and hold it close to the plug end(about 1/8 inch gap between the wire end and the plug end. Then crank over the engine. If you do not see a blue fat spark, then the points or the coil need checking next, to be sure stuff is working there.
Once you have spark onto the next.

Fuel does not harden, as for gelling up or varnishing it won't do that either(otherwise you would have to dump your lawnmower gas every winter. But most likely it has leaked backwards down to the fuel pump and is no longer right at the carb. and what was in the float bowl would have evaporated.
As you got the air cleaner off, drop a half cup/cup of gas directly down the carb and see if it fires up(while you hold your foot on the accelerator to the floor)as that dump of gas will have flooded it and you want to dry it out. It will fire and run the fuel pump somewhat faster than cranking it over. It may run out of gas before it catches and runs on the gas in the carb(maybe not there yet.) Give it another shot of gas and try again.(and maybe again). Don't overdo the doseage or it will flood.
DO NOT USE STARTER FLUID. THAT IS FOR DIESEL ENGINES WITHOUT SPARK PLUGS. And that stuff is hard on an engine.
Gas has enough of a bang.

Answer 2

Fuel pump may be a little dry - have you checked for fuel at the pump? They have trouble pumping air. If there is gas at the pump - the pump could be at fault. On a small block chv the pump should be mechanical - mounted on the RHS of the block in the front - follow the fuel line down from the carb. I am not sure if the 77 vette uses an electric pump - but I doubt it. On a stock quadrajet carb the filter is a sintered metal deal on the carb inlet. I doubt its a filter.

When I store mine it takes a lot of cranks to get the gas to the carb. I fill the carb trough the carb float vent to get it to fire. Once it fires a couple of time it'll draw the gas to the carb and run if the pump is OK. Start with some fresh gas in the tank as well.

To check for gas at the carb - pump the accelerator and you should hear it squirt and see the gas squirt into the primaries

Answer 3

I hope for your sake that you are not using the fuel that was in the tank for two years. In such a case, will gum up the carbureator and maybe give you a sticky valve scenario. after a few months of storage fuel begins to lose its explosion property, and starts to turn into gum and varnish. This is what I have done, I ran a fuel line from a 5 gal gas can with fresh gas to the fuel pump after my car sat for 6 months and the float was stuck down on my 81 olds. until i could drain the fuel tank.
Change the oil before you do anything else. Probably not a bad idea to remove each sparkplug and spray a penetrating or fogging oil into each cylinder before any more cranking, to aleviate any risk of a stuck piston or scoring the walls.

try dumping a little fuel inside the carb and starting it and see if it will fire if it does, check the fuel pump, or lines, if it won't fire with a little gas down the throat, then you have a spark issue.

Answer 4

Yeah. There could be a hole in the rubber or steel gas line, bad fuel pump, bad filter, or gummed up carb, or maybe all four. Try CAREFULLY pouring a dab of gas in the carb, then try to start it. If it tries to start, put some fresh gas and a fuel pump on it. It not, try a new rotor button in the distributor. Then try the gas trick again. These can be real head scratchers. It could even be a bad ignition switch or the gang plug that connect all the wires together near the steering column (plugs into the fire wall). Have fun.

Answer 5

There just isn't enough suction in the system to pull the fuel up. Most mechanics will manually prime the carb and pump the throttle from the engine side to pull the gas up. But if your gas is also 2 years old, it's turned to varnish/sludge and you don't want that in the engine. It's best if you can drop the gas tank and clean it before firing up the car again. You can also purchase 'starting fluid' from an auto parts store to give it a blast into the carb to get it started. Just don't use it all the time.

And if you've been trying to pull the gas up, do change the fuel filter - it's now full of that same sludge.

Answer 6

try pouring gas in to the carb while ur turning the engine over if it runs then u know u have a problem with the fuel reaching the carb i would change the fuel filter and drain the gas tank if its been sitting for 2 years the gas in the tank is most likley dead a tune up as well plugs and wires if the car ran when it was parked it shouldent be to much trouble to get it running good luck

Answer 7

Well, there are two ways to check this. One, turn the key and listen for a high pitch noice. It's likely to be the fuel pump priming the carb. Second, yes, the fuel filter can get clogged with the car sitting for so long. Debris will settle and the fuel pump will suck gas from the bottom. This can also clog your fuel pump. Also, debris, if big enough, can clog fuel lines.

Answer 8

replace the gas in the tank to start off and then the fuel pump and fuel filter and it will probably fire for you if it is getting spark.

Answer 9

check your fuel lines, if no gas going in carb disconect and start the car to see if line is clog. also check timing it could be off. if these action are working take your carburator for a checkup. sometimes a car its not use for acertain time they develop sediment in the gas tank and when you start the car it pulls into line the sediments .also check your fuel pump.

Answer 10

from what I fairly have heard, this is the 2011 thought corvette. thought the probably hood that it will pop out in 2011 looking like that may not too super. maximum ideas do not make it to production. plus, they screwed up the classic tail lighting form of the corvette, a style they have saved for the final 50 years. nonetheless a totally appropriate vehicle regardless of the indisputable fact that.