I recently acquired a 96 camaro that I will working on to be my main source of transportation. When i first started working on it I put in a new battery, disconnected the fuel lines, and turned the car on to empty out the old gas. When the key is turned on i can hear the pump start but no gas is coming through the fuel lines even after filling the tank. The engine will run only if I continuously spray in starter fluid. Also the fuel gauge stays at full no matter how much gas is in the tank. Does anyone know what might be the culprit for this problem?

 

Was it running when you bought it? How long did it sit that you felt it needed the gas drained? I assume you would not drain old gas tank though the filter, so you disconnected the lines before the fuel filter?

 

It had been sitting for 11 years without being started and the fuel filter has been replaced as well as all the other fluids and oil filter. And yes I disconnected the fuel line before the filter.

 

Maybe the inlet screen at pump inlet is gummed up from old gas?
Or maybe put a hand vacuum pump before the filter and see if vac pump can siphon fuel?
Tank vent working?

 

I siphoned the gas through the fuel lines with my mouth and it came through fairly easy so im pretty sure theres not much gunk in the lines. There was no gas at all in it when i recieved it so i think there shouldnt be too much gumming in the filter socks or lines.

 

i would suspect the fuel pump is toast.

 

Your sure the lines are clear and you can hear the pump running, you have gas in the tank and nothing is come out. The fuel system is a very simple mechanical system.The issue is in the tank. No one can tell you if the pump is bad or if its a hose in the tank sucking air or if the whole assembly just fell a part. Most likely is the pump veins/inlet are just loaded with varnish.

Even if the vent was plugged the pump would start to pump fuel and then die out. You could remove the cap to check it. Depending on how much you have tried to start it the pump should probably be replaced either way. These pumps use the fuel running through them to cool them, no fuel causes overheating. Even mild overheating can cause a 23 year pump to fail in the near future.

Check out the hatch method for replacing the pump. Only takes about 20 minutes. DONT but the cheap airtec autozone assembly. You will regret it.

 

should not be able to blow back into the tank very easily. should be a one way valve in the pump. if its free flow something is way wrong inside the tank.

 

If you have to change the pump (Im about to, ugh), look into going through the floor above the tank. I learned about this here.

 

could be the check valve too try turning the key 3 times for like 5 to 10 seconds without starting it the see if starts ,drove mine for like 2 years like that ,was just slow at getting there once running fine