Newbie
08-01-2006, 07:06 PM
Finally got the 57 running long enough to take a spin. I had Thought I cleaned out the old fuel line by removing it and squirting a bottle of B-12 Chemtool down it, letting it soak for a few hours and then blowing all the varnish out with an air hose. Apparently that didn't do the trick. After I hooked the line back up and started the car it ran for about 10 minutes and then quit. I wasn't getting gas to the carberator. Thankfully a friend who knew a bit about old cars came by and suggested I check the fuel line again. When we did we found large clumps of what appeared to be semi-soft varnish. We figured I didn't clean the line well enough and some varnish around the bends in the gas line had not been cleaned out but broke loose when I started the motor back up. I removed the lines again thinking I would clean them yet again, but the next morning decided to just buy a new line to make sure there was nothing to stop the fuel from getting to the carberator. Ran out of time last night so finished installing the new fuel line this morning. Tried to strat the motor with no luck. Frustrated I sat down and tried to figure out what I should try next. Then it struck me, I put a second in-line fuel filter in just ahead of the fuel pump so I could see if there was any bad stuff coming from the gas tank. I double checked it and discovered I had put the fuel filter in backward. Ah, I thought, there is the problem. Corrected that and still the motor wouldn't start. I called the Napa parts store where I had purchased the fuel line since the gentleman there seemed pretty knowledgable about old cars and repairing them. He suggested I take off one end of the fuel line and blow down it. Seemed odd to me, but I took his advice (but used an air hose). Hooked up the line again and put a bit of gas in the carberator and she fired right up and stayed runningfor about an hour and died. More junk in the filters. cleaned them out and she started fine again. There is still a few pieces of debris I can see in the filters and figure I will let the car run each evening for an hour and clean the filters till they seem to stay clean. I will get some pictures tomarrow and post them. All I have done to this beauty, apart from the motor work, is clean and wax her. Had a second key made last week and the locksmith said he knew the previous owner and said he had purchased the car new from the local chevy dealership. When I was getting gas today I had a gentleman come up and ask me if my car used to belong to Mr. Hightower (the former owner, deceased, I purchased the car from his daughter) I said yes. He also said that Mr Hightower had purchased the car new. This may be a one owner, vehicle, It had been parked since Mr. Hightower stopped driving it in January 1997. There is an interesting story to go along with this car and it's former owner, but I will save that for another time.
Steve in Arkansas
Steve in Arkansas