funny solution to a fuel problem...

Unknown

Been futzing with my recently acquired '54 Super Jet. Had me stumped all this week because the carb was not getting fuel. I was checking all kinds of things... leak in the fuel line, blocked line, bad pump, etc. Someone added an electric pump.



Finally the light bulb went off! The previous owners had the battery installed backwards, with negative ground. The first thing I did when I got it home was switch the battery around to proper positive ground (and I re-polarized the voltage regulator and generator).



So after looking at all possible fuel problems for why it would not start I started wondering if maybe the fuel pump was running backwards! If the guy that installed the fuel pump was also running the backwards battery it would make sense. So sure enough, I swapped the electrical connections on the fuel pump and she fired right up! I felt a bit silly...



Now I can finally move on to other mechanical issues... need to look at the clutch next because the gears grind and you have to be a bit rough getting it into gear.

Park_W

You evidently encountered a pretty uncommon case. First, an electric fuel pump with a motor rather than a solenoid actuated pump, and second, one where the motor was of the type with permanent-magnet field poles, which WILL run the other direction when polarity is reversed. Not many devices use this type motor, fortunately for us polarity-swappers!

hudsonguy

Reminds me of the time I'd wired my electric cooling fan mounted in front of my radiator backwards. Instead of a 'pusher' it became 'puller'. Then, when I'd turn it on as my heat gauge started to rise, it would proceed to REALLY raise the temp. immediately as it was starving the radiator from ANY air!



Kind of embarrassing, but it certainly was an easy fix once I figured out what I'd done.



Doug