Reply to "72red Begins"

Thanks Charles. It is snowing outside right now - a lot. I am bummed because I was going to try to drive the car this weekend for the first time.

I couldn't get the car to start after replacing the brakes so I went through my checklist, removed a spark plug - looks clean, no fuel there though, good spark (right through my body - ouch), no fuel going to carb. I just replaced the fuel pump with new and it was working so what gives? I (mistakenly) decided to order a new fuel pump. I ordered a new Mr. Gasket pump from Jegs.com - it was harder to install than the Carters pump because the housing was bigger and it was harder to attach the lower nut. In the process of installing this pump I realized that the fuel line down to the pump has to be full of fuel. The pump will not pull fuel down to the gas tank and prime itself. I used my shop vac over the end of the fuel line down from the tank to the pump - then attached it to the pump as soon as fuel began to flow - after cranking I was able to get fuel to the carb again. The car again starts and runs.

I don't believe there was anything wrong with the new Carters pump I removed, there was a slight leak in the fuel line coming out of the pump going up to the filter - this leak was where the fitting attached to the bottom of the pump - I think that as it sat enough fuel leaked out to result in a pump and fuel lines full of air - the pump could not then pull fuel from the tank and my car would not start. Lines are now all sealed up and leak free.