Terraplane or TERRIBLEPAIN fuel issue

Hudsonrules

I have been on this about this car and an ongoing problem with fuel delivery. It has been sitting for awhile even though it was presented that it was run and driven regularly. I have had it running, runs great when it runs. Had the carburator rebuilt, they replaced the float with a simialr one. Put the carburator on, drove the car a little, fuel pump quit, replaced the fuel pump with a "rebuilt" probably fifty years ago. It worked for a short time, then no fuel to the carburator. Bought and installed a electric fuel pump from NAPA, intalled a regulator, then the carburator acted up. Took it back to the shop, I provided the correct float and installed the carburator again. Go to start the car, and the electric fuel pump would not work. Worked fine earlier. The Terraplane has been to a few shows transported on a car trailer, winched on, pushed off. I checked the ground, switch hot wire and even by passed the switch with a wire direct to the pump. Nothing! This pump was very expensive, over $100. and it is made by carter. It is grounded positive as is the car. I am about ready to put the car in the air, pull and get the fuel tank cleaned, replace the fuel line and get a updated mechanical fuel pump. Any one have any ideas or sujjestions on the electric pump problem?I have gottes lots of good advice on this forumand really thank all the help. Have a great day! Arnie

Uncle Josh

Well, as the owner of a 36 Terraplane, having had many of the same problems, here is my 2 cents.



Drain and drop the tank. Rinse it out a couple of times with some kerosene, which will render the fumes relatively un-explosive, then wash it out with detergent, and dry it with the blow end of a shop vac.



Cut a 4 or 5 inch round hole (depending on the size of your hands) in the top of the tank over where the pickup tube is, with a Dremel tool and cutoff wheel.



Get in there with a putty knife, wire brush etc and clean up the crud. Depending on how much rust you find, you may want to rinse it several times with Muriatic acid and clean with a solution of (Arm and Hammer) washing soda.



Otherwise, you can get a kit from Eastwood which does about the same thing, but has a sealer also. Since you have the hole in there, you can paint the sealer inside with a brush.



Make sure the pickup area is clean and dry. Sometimes there will be the remains of a screen around where the pickup tube goes. Replace the piece you cut out by soldering in place, or use JB Weld.



Blow out the lines good, and either get a new filter unit for the glass bowl at the inlet to the fuel pump, (WIX 33943)

or put an inline filter between the tank and the pump.



Get the pump rebuilt (Dave Kostansik etc.) with modern alcohol-resistant diaphragm, or get a new diaphragm and do it yourself.



Set the float 1/16 to 1/8 lower than specs (per Geoff Clark) to compensate for the newer lighter gas.



Put some aluminum foil or something between the exhaust pipe and pump to act as a heat shield.



If you keep the electric pump, put it on a switch and use it only for priming after a period of non use, or in case of a vapor lock which I have never had since doing the above.



No more fuel problems. Drive and enjoy.

Park_W

Arnie, I had the same problem with one of those expensive Carter rotary-vane pumps when I let the fuel in my Hornet go bad while it was undergoing rehab. The bad fuel locked up the pump, so when I was ready for the road again and turned it on, the motor burned out. Ouch!

Uncle Josh

Ayuh, I had about 6 gal of stinky gas when I got the Terraplane. What to do with it?



Thought maybe I'd cut it 50-50 and burn it in the old Wheelhorse. Next morning the beast wouldn't start for the first time in 40 years. Fuel pump poppets were stuck fast.



Wound up dumping a gal at a time in the burn barrell with paper and pouring a 10 foot fuse. Fffffft, Whump! It was great and I got rid of it., lol