Frustration... Are these always so bad?

[pedroelmalo73]

I am almost at the end of my rope, I do not know if it is my wife's constant nagging, or the way I cannot seem to catch a break on my Ram. I mean, I did a valve job, new gaskets everything torqued down to specs. Then, the mechanical fuel pump decides to fail and not let me start the truck. I have a electrical fuel pump that I had taken off, I just do not know where the f... it is.
So I decide to order the exact same pump that I had taken off, the electric one, it comes, exciting, goodies in the mail, good weather on Thursday, around 90 F. I follow the wiring instructions + to + from ignition switch, ground to ground, that is the black wire right? I guessed wrong, I get no power to the pump, its already plumbed, bolted down. Nothing...

I decide to check power, get the meter out. I got 11.98V WTF!!! No power to pump. Made in china crap, so I reverse the wires, pump turns on I get happy, but there is still now fuel to carburetor. Pump is very hot by this time, no gas through it. I take everything off again, plumbing and everything, take pump out to battery, extend the wires and do a test (I know, I should have tested before hooking everything up... but I was excited) Again, + to + black to black, nothing...WTF right? reverse them, and pump turns on, makes noise but does not pump. But, when black wire is off, fuel spits out. Is it an intermittent pump? Anyway, it was late and I was tired.

So tired, that I decided to order the mechanical pump. If the new mechanical pump fails I will have no more reasons to believe... The truck runs, if I put gas in the carburetor, like my dad taught me, she runs, until fuel runs out. The way I understand the pump works with the cam correct? The lever moves up and down making the diaphragm pull gas from the tank and pushing it to the carburetor float tank. Am I correct?

New pump arrives Thursday. New carburetor gaskets, new fuel pump and gaskets. The whole process takes about 30 minutes, I will have everything prepped.


What do I do if the new pump does not pull/push fuel? The fuel filter coming from the tank is new, two months old.

Sorry for the rant. It is just frustrating at times, the nagging wife does not help with her "I want that thing out of my garage it smells like gasoline..."

[Merrill]

Buy your wife a respirator to filter out the gas smell and drop me a line if you run into any snags. You could also suggest to the wife that she not go into the garage at all.... either one might work, but what the hell do I know.... I'm just an Engineer lol. I don't guarantee my availability at all this week because I am prepping for SPOCOM, but I may be able to help if the timing is right.

[R.L.]

I know how you feel, I just spent a ton of money on tune up stuff, new starter, shocks, put fluids in everything that has fluid in it, new brake shoes, pads and rotors. Drove it about a month and the igniter fails. I knew it was in the fire but was it a 100$ coil? or what? Fixed it and fell in love with it again. The frustration will pass, it's all part of living the no new car note dream. Keep the faith brother, even if you have to pay someone else to fix it, it's still cheaper than a new car note and all that insurance.

[pedroelmalo73]

Ok, parts came in, pump pumps, now she is running waaaaay rich. Black smoke cloud in garage had to bail...

What did I do wrong? Wife is threatening to sell her in a yard sale, the Ram and me have to show she can be awesome.

Any advice?

[ragragtimetime]

is there a fuel pressure regulator inline?....ie:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...g&mode=overlay

[pedroelmalo73]

No regulator. And not really a lot of room for one. I don't know if I can fit one there. The pump is between 3.5-5psi.

[pedroelmalo73]

OK, I know I shouldn't say this, but I AM DONE. Frustration has won, I don't have the budget for a shop. I am just going to let her go at the best offer I get. Now i think my starter is out, and I say think, because my battery is charged, I even tried jumper cables, I got power. But I don't even get a clicking sound from the starter... I am beyond having lost my patience... Anyone? Any ideas?

[Merrill]

PM me with contact info. I have a bit of free time today.

[pedroelmalo73]

Well, the starter issue turned out to be an unplugged wire to the solenoid. That was easy to check and fix, I just wish I had more time than I do, but with only one of us working is hard, I have to work double sometimes.

Anyway, my truck now runs, the carburetor seems to be all out of sorts again. I have three adjustment screws correct? I was told by a friend to leave my choke all the way open, I don't know if that is good advice or not.

Every time I start her, there is a cloud of black smoke, and she still runs rich. Also, after its been idling for a while, the rpm's go down and she stalls and dies. And I have to find a coolant leak somewhere under the carb, it was just too hot to get under her while I discovered that. Tomorrow is a new day, I have hope now, trying to convince my wife that we as a family always need a truck.

Merrill, I might take you up on that offer if I can't figure out the rich carb issue. I just need to save some money to come see you.

[ragragtimetime]

i'm not sure if this thread "fully applies" to the 1987 (2nd gen)...but it may give you some ideas:

http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...-for-smog-Help