68 Ghia no gas from fuel pump

[dshawirwin]

Ran out of gas. Fuel gauge HAD always worked properly. But I'll admit upfront to my stupidity for running it bone dry.

Refilled tank but not starting. Took cap off top of fuel pump seeing it's getting gas. However not getting any gas into the fuel pump filter(new one recently installed) that's conneted between pump & carb. ( And after reading other posts will look to move it late) Both lines before & after filter are good. Primed carb w/ a little gas which starts engine but then quickly dies. I even sucked some gas into fuel filter from top hose!
Car's been running great till now!

Thanks for any help offered.

[fes]

Sounds like a blockage at the drain/filter screen at the tank, probably a result of being sucked dry..
How much fuel is in the tank now? You are going to have to remove passenger wheel and get at it. Have a drain bucket ready and some rags..
There was a post here recently from someone who's filter screen was hard as a rock with debris
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'68 Campmobile-Pedro
'15 Golf-Stella Blau
'56 Oval-The Turd (for now)

[mfemenel]

Yep, that was my post. I literally just had this exact same problem 2 weeks ago. Possibly one of 3 things, fuel pump, or fuel line from tank to pump, or, rarely, a worn pushrod that works the pump. Since you ran out of gas, let's assume it's the screen, but here's what I did to troubleshoot. Fes was very helpful, thanks again man! Glad I can pay it forward.

Get a small soda bottle or something that will hold gas and put a small amount of gas in it, enough to submerge the end of the fuel line. Disconnect the input from the fuel line to the fuel pump where it comes in from the firewall and stick input line to the fuel pump into the bottle. Have a helper start the car. If the fuel pump is working it should drain down the bottle as the fuel pump sucks it in. If it doesn't, your fuel pump is dead. If it blows bubbles your fuel pump intake and out lines are reversed. If the fuel pump works, you'll need to get under the gas tank, drain the fuel tank and remove the screen and inlet. Check the screen and see if it's plugged up. I was able to get mine cleaned up with some gentle tapping and some carb cleaner. When we get to the winter I'll replace everything. While you have all the fuel out, take some compressed air and blow out your fuel lines from where it connected to the tank. This should blow everything blocking out. Also, make sure you have disconnected the fuel inlet from the fuel pump. That should clear out your soft and metal lines. If you are this far already, maybe a good time to change out your soft fuel lines for some newer ones (5mm inside diameter, try NAPA, O'Reilley was useless) and if you have a fuel filter in the engine compartment, relocate it to under cylinder 3 over the rear axle. Reconnect everything, try it again. Also if you have a fuel filter, this is a good time to change it. That way you know that anything in there is new gunk, not residual. This should get you going.
If that still doesn't get you going, there is a possibility that the pushrod that works your fuel pump is worn down enough that it's not pushing enough fuel.. but that's the last thing I'd check after the basics outlined above.

I was able to drain the gas pretty easily by jacking it up far enough to get a 5 gal orange bucket from Home Depot under it and later used a siphon from HF to transfer it to a proper container. The wife was oh so pleased with my bucket of gas in the driveway
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'79 Westy FI/AC/Auto
'78 Tin Top FI/Manual
'71 Ghia Coupe Project - FOR SALE!