1988 Allegro engine starting problem

[bob1553]

I have a 1988 Allegro.  I haven't used it much this summer and haven't kept up with starting it to keep the house batteries charged.  I went out today to crank it up and charge up the batteries.  Of course the house batteries were dead, but the engine started up right away.  It ran for about 10 minutes and then quit.  I attempted to start it again, and it would turn over but not start, like it was flooded.  I also heard a clicking noise in the rear under the floor.  The noise stopped when I turned off the ignition.  I had my wife come out and turn the key without turning the engine over and could still hear the clicking noise underneath.  It would stop in less than a minute.  I hooked up a battery charger to the house batteries and charged them enough to start the generator, which started and ran fine.  In fact it's still running and continuing to charge the batteries.  So the question is, why won't the engine start?  Is it a fuel pump thing?  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[driftless shifter]

What engine? Throttle body injecetion?

 

[bob1553]

It's the old standard GM 454 carburated engine.

 

[Dan Walters]

Could be an electric fuel pump failure.

Dan

 

[driftless shifter]

Pop off your air filter assembly and and see if any gas squirts into the top of the carb. The gas will come out of nozzles, squirting near the center of each bore as the gas pedal is pumped. If no gas try this, tap or rap the carb sharply where the fuel line enters it. sometimes the needle valve sticks. Start engine by pouring a couple tablespoons of gas down the throat of the carb. You need to open choke plate first by poking gently on one side of the plate, it pivots open one way. Try to start. If it starts and stalls immediately try again by pouring a bigger dose of gas down the carb. This is giving it a chance to push gas into the carb, if the problem was just a sticky needle valve. If engine shows no signs of life pouring gas in the carb the problem is probably no spark.

If engine wants to run with poured gas replace fuel filter(s), frequently 2 of them.

Don't know if carbed Chevy trucks had mechanical pumps on engines and a tank pump or electric pump on a frame rail, or a tank and frame rail with no mechanical but look for cracked sections of rubber line on the suction side of pumps.

If none of these get you running you either need a fuelpump or your system is crudded up with varnish and goo.

Bill