1950s priming the fuel line

[ToddHaugen]

I have a 1958 Eldo and it has bot been run for some time.  I am attempting to start by opening the fuel pump and filling with premium fuel.  My expectation is eventually the fuel line would start feeding fuel but this has not yet happened.  So is there a way to prime the fuel lines so the hard work is done by another pump or something?

[TJ Hopland]

You could try getting a 'marine primer bulb' which is an inline hand operated fuel pump.  Thanks to some regulation they are now like $30 but will do the job.  Pick up some extra line and splice it in between the hard line off the frame and the fuel pump.   It should push through the fuel pump and get the pump innards 'wet' which if its not too bad should revive it.  You can leave it in there for testing.

Having extra hose on hand will also let you try sucking from another source to eliminate the lines and tank as an issue. 

[Jon S]

Leave the fuel pump alone. You will destroy it. Just pour a little gas in the carburetor and reattach the air cleaner. Once it starts, the fuel pump will self prime and keep the engine running. You may have to do this several times. Make sure air cleaner is on before starting cycles!

[Julien Abrahams]

I would also second what Jon said. Just fill the float bowl of the carb with a little syringe or something. Then start the car. Once it is running, the fuel pump will start to push fuel.

[Chopper1942]

If it has sat with fuel in the tank for a long time, I would drain the fuel tank before trying to start the engine and install fresh fuel in the tank. You can either siphon out as much fuel as possible or if you have an air compressor, you can remove the fuel line at the fuel pump, attach a hose to the fuel line, put the hose in a 5 gallon gas can, remove the gas cap, set the air pressure to about 30 psi, use a blow gun with a longer end, and stuff a rag in the fill neck around the blow gun nozzle, and pressurize the fuel tank. This will get almost all of the old fuel out of the tank.

Instead of pouring gas into the carb to try and start the engine, I would use either choke cleaner or mass air flow cleaner. Just spray it into the carb and crank the engine. Once it starts to run, continue to spray until the carb gets fuel and the engine runs on its own.

[59-in-pieces]

Does the 58 gas tank have a metal horseshoe tube vent at the rear of the tank like a 59.
If so, you may not be able to build pressure in the gas tank to force fuel through the fuel line that leaves the tank to the fuel pump.
I don't know the setup for 58 but if you look at the rear of the fuel tank you may see the vent pipe I described (see pic).
If so, also plug it up and pressurize the tank as Larry suggests.

Hope this helps.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[ToddHaugen]

@Jon S Why would putting fuel in the fuel pump damage the fuel pump, you just pop the top off and fill each of the bowls and close it back up and it seems to work fine?  As in it pumps the fuel through the fuel filter.  Sorry, I am a bit of a nubee with this part of the system.