Okay, fixed all the fuel delivery problems, we have gas up to the injectors.
Got the new pump with it’s billet aluminum pulley (ugh) installed and bolted it up to the engine, put the belt back on and tightened everything down.
Hit the starter, fuel pump runs, engine turns over … but doesn’t even try to start.
Since Michelle is standing there waiting for something great to happen, I decided to try the starter fluid again. Okay, engine runs on ether! I give it a few more shots/starts and on the last one I got a hint that it tried to start, just one little pop after it had used all of the ether. Hummm… I went around to the passenger side and opened the Schrader valve on the fuel rail, some foamy fluid come out. Go back and squirt some more ether in the throttle body and fire it up, much stronger pop this time. Repeat the ether/start cycle a few more times and then open the Schrader valve again. More gunk comes out, in fact a fair amount! Back to the ether and this time I get several pops after it uses up the ether. Four or five more trys with the ether and then back to draining the fuel rails. This time after an initial surge of gunk and foam I get clear gas out of the valve. I clean everything up and then try the ether again, I will be damned, its running on one cylinder! I let it run, of course its rougher than hell, but suddenly we have two, then three, then all eight! Again really rough idle but it is running!
I let it warm a bit and then I drained the fuel rails again, but this time I just hit the starter and it started without the ether! Happy dance time! Still running rough but getting better. Let it idle until it warmed up enough that the electric fan came on! The fan runs about 3 to 4 minutes then shuts off after the engine cools to 195. I am liking this! I let it run for about 15 minutes with the fan cycling on and off and the engine getting smoother all the time.
I finally shut it off and raised it on the lift to check for leaks etc, and to tighten the manifold to head pipe flanges. No leaks! Everything looking good! Lowered the lift and drained the fuel rails again, clean gas this time.
Cleaned up the spilt gas and then got in the wagon and started it up again. Now it is running very smooth. Okay final test, put it into gear, reverse, works!, neutral, works – no brakes so I have Michelle stop the wheels with her foot. Now Drive! Works as does second and first! No clunks or grinds. Rear end sounds good as well. Woot!
Major good news! The light at the end of the tunnel, is NOT, the 5:45 to Yuma!
Frankenwagen is Alive!
OH! Almost forgot, the mufflers and tailpipes are not hooked up yet. You are hearing the engine running with only the catalytic converters installed. It will be a lot quieter once the mufflers and pipes are on.