bo dawg 518 #1 Posted March 15, 2011 My 79 C-161( k 341) is not getting gas to carb. I am getting gas through the tank shut off valve, there was gas in the line when I pulled it off the valve. But at the inline filter I have about half way down the line to the carb is dry, I took the line off before the filter and no gas. I can get tractor starting when I shoot gas in carb till it runs out and dies. I done this several times hoping to pull gas up through the line, but still nothing. So.. what do you all suggest? Is it a fuel pump issue, or pluged line or something? Is there a trick I've never had to incounter before obviously? I'm lazy and don't want to just start replacing everything when it may be something simple I'm over looking. The thing was running when I parked it last fall, and now it wants to be stupid. :thumbs: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 16,299 #2 Posted March 15, 2011 Because the fuel needs to go from a tank that is under the seat, to a carburetor that is higher than the tank, the gas needs help. Therefore, you have a pump. I would do a complete fuel line assessment. Remove the fuel line from the intake of the pump, loosen the cap on the tank, hold the fuel line lower than the tank, and see if the gas flows out by gravity. If not, work your way backward until you find the problem. Could be a collapsed or clogged hose, clogged filter, bad shut-off valve or even a clogged vent in the cap. Better still, don't waste time. Get a 6 ft. piece of fuel hose from your local auto parts store and replace it all from the tank to the pump. If that doesn't work, then you have a pump problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sorekiwi 761 #3 Posted March 15, 2011 I've had occasions when the pump wouldnt pull the fuel from the tank until the line was purged of air all the way to the pump itself. I did as Bob suggested -pull the line off at the pump and let fuel gravity feed right to the pump, then reconnect it. Once I've done this, I've never had a problem again, so I havent looked into it any further. I dont know if the pumps were getting weak or what. But once they started pumping fuel, they were fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JC 1965 1,532 #4 Posted March 15, 2011 I would do as bob said, replace the line from the tank to the fuel pump, then use suction to pull the fuel through the line from the tank ( a turkey baster works great ). When you get the fuel to the pump, reattach the fuel line to the pump. attach a small piece of fuel to the out flow side of the pump, then crank the engine over. If gas comes out the pump is working if not the pump needs to be checked out or replaced. hope this helps!! :thumbs: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bo dawg 518 #5 Posted March 16, 2011 Alright, I got her running again boys. Thanks to you all suggestions. I didn't replace the hose (although I should have, getting hard) but replaced the filter, just for kicks. I did have to pull hose out of tractor to check for flow from tank then re-installed and attached filter to it. Check rest of line to pump and it was dry but clear. Hooked it up to other end of filter and lowered it down to get flow Then hooked up to pump and tryed starting, nothing Took hose off other end of pump to carb and it was dry. At this point I'm thinking fuel pump bad. So I left supply line hooked up while I pulled pump off and lowered it down to see if gas would flow and yes it did. Then I worked the pump lever till it squirted gas out on each pump. Fastened it back up and tryed starting...still nothing Then when ready to give up I tryed 1 more time, shot another hit of gas in the carb, turned key and poof...spit gas out the carb so tryed turn key again and presto! she's a running. Now there is a pin hole in the carb hose spraying gas...but it runs, who cares! I will replace that tomorrow. But wow... never had go through that before to get running after winter storage on any tractor I had. Could be the pump starting to weaken maybe But should be ok for now. Thanks guy's Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trouty56 567 #6 Posted March 16, 2011 Hey Dawg...way to go!! Maybe that pinhole let all the fuel drain back to the tank...I guess it could have. Bet you feel a whole lot better now. :thumbs: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bo dawg 518 #7 Posted March 16, 2011 I sure do I must have made the hole removing the clamp and pulling on the hose to get it off the nipple. It didn't leak before, but hose is hard and dry rot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3970010 0 #8 Posted March 16, 2011 ive had the shut off complety clogged with rust but with the fuel pump i just poured my raceing 2-stroke oil into it witch gave it a great prime and cleaned the valves with that oil. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JC 1965 1,532 #9 Posted March 20, 2011 :thumbs: I have not been on here for a few days but glad to here you got it running. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kary 2 #10 Posted August 15, 2019 I have a similar problem, I get fuel up to the pump but after that I get nothing. I took the line leaving the pump off tried to start and got nothing. I took the pump off and lowered it below the tank and it spits a tiny amount when I try to start it. Also the part of the pump that sticks into the engine is all oily, is that normal and does this sound like a bad pump? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 18,689 #11 Posted August 15, 2019 (edited) The lever that is oily goes into the crankcase and rides a lobe on the camshaft so being oily is OK. How did you lower the pump below the tank and still have it mounted on the engine. if you pump the lever up and down you should feel suction on the inlet side of the pump and a bit pf pressure on the outlet. side Welcome to red square.. Edited August 15, 2019 by pfrederi 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 60,083 #12 Posted August 15, 2019 2 hours ago, Kary said: I get fuel up to the pump but after that I get nothing. Fuel pumps have three moving, an inlet check valve, an outlet check valve and a diaphragm. If any of these parts fail the pump won't work. What year and model are you working on? Some pumps can be rebuilt, others are throwaways. Show us a picture of the pump please. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oliver2-44 10,734 #13 Posted August 16, 2019 Replace those old hoses and run a few tanks of gas with SeaFoam in it to help clean everything out 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 9,985 #14 Posted August 16, 2019 My C-125 used to be a beggar to start if not run for a while. So I fitted a primer bulb to the line. The C-121 was the same, so that's got a primer bulb now. Two or three squeezes and away they go. I need to get one for the C-81 one day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites