Here's the skinny on my beast.

1983, F250 7.5, automatic.

It wouldn't pass through DEQ, wrong carb.

Replaced carb. Ran fine. But not having tags, I didn't drive it. But I know it ran fine. As it's not my main driver, I haven't necessarily been too concerned about it.

I had a mechanic adjust the carb, and it ran strong. Moved it out into the street probably a month ago (?). It has plenty of gas, and sits in the street nose down.

Today i decided I would try to start it. It turns over plenty fast, but doesn't catch.

If I put starter fluid in it, it will turn over and catch and run until it dies when the starter fluid obviously dies off.

I'm wondering if it's a fuel pump or fuel filter issue. The filter occasionally hums when I start (and sometimes will stay humming after i turn off the truck), but mostly doesn't hum.

Earlier, when I was fixing the truck (from a previous operation) I tried replacing the fuel pump (?) solenoid (? I think thats the name...little green box in the engine compartment), but that didn't make a lick of difference.

I think once I get the beast fixed, passed through DEQ, I'm going to sell it. It's not like I dislike the truck, it just turned out I don't need it like I thought I would.

Any suggestions (from my vague descriptions)?

I'm hoping it's fuel pump, because it would make sense. Could it be the sending unit? I know both my tanks barely read accurate (and I just remembered that the previous owner said that when the truck is using the BACK tank, that it would not work great on a hill unless you had a majority of a tank in it).
dan

 

Easy way to test the fuel pump (I'm assuming it's electric since it hums) would be to disconnect the fuel line and stick it into a bucket or something to catch the fuel, then have someone turn on the key to see if it's pumping...