electric fuel pump problem

[HuntinCuda]

Ok, so I know pretty much nothing about how electric fuel pumps work so I've come for some guidance.  I just bought a 74 barracuda that has basically not been driven since it's been restored so I'm the lucky one to find the gremlins.  Well,yesterday my car shut off and wouldn't start and upon popping the hood I could see gas laying all over the top of the intake manifold.  After cleaning it up I put the key in and turned the power on so I could turn the wheel and immediately heard the fuel pump running and just dumping gas constantly into the carb to the point it was just running out of the bottom of the carb constantly.  The setup is basically a small inline fuel pump mounted to the passenger fender wall that runs to a round chrome fitting with a pressure gauge that's attached to the carb.  I don't know what is faulty to cause gas to constantly pour in.  The pressure gauge leads me to believe that the pump is supposed to always run like that but that there's a valve to control it somewhere that's stuck open. I'm hoping someone has encountered this before or has an idea of what might be the culprit.

[72cudamaan]

Does the pump have a pressure rating marked on it? Hopefully that "gauge" has a built in regulator that might have failed. Sounds like too much pressure and it's lifting the needle off the seat and flooding the carb.

[HuntinCuda]

I'll check when I get home.  Am I correct in thinking though that the pump is supposed to run all the time and maintain a certain pressure?  So in this scenario it's probably not the pump?

[brads70]

Does the pump have a pressure rating marked on it? Hopefully that "gauge" has a built in regulator that might have failed. Sounds like too much pressure and it's lifting the needle off the seat and flooding the carb.

 

CHANGE YOUR OIL!!!!

[HuntinCuda]

Really??  So changing my engine oil will fix this?

[dodj]

Does the pump have a pressure rating marked on it? Hopefully that "gauge" has a built in regulator that might have failed. Sounds like too much pressure and it's lifting the needle off the seat and flooding the carb.

with cudaman. Often there is a separate regulator used with electric fuel pumps. If you have one, maybe it can be adjusted, but probably failed

Really??  So changing my engine oil will fix this?

No, not sure what Brad is saying there, 

[HuntinCuda]

Now that I think about it I think what he means is if it flooded that bad I need to change my oil as gas could have gotten into the oil.  I'll have to pull the dipstick and check it to see if that's the case.

[dodj]

Now that I think about it I think what he means is if it flooded that bad I need to change my oil as gas could have gotten into the oil.  I'll have to pull the dipstick and check it to see if that's the case.

Ya, that makes sense. Brad thinks further ahead than me!!

[72cudamaan]

Now that I think about it I think what he means is if it flooded that bad I need to change my oil as gas could have gotten into the oil.  I'll have to pull the dipstick and check it to see if that's the case.

Yep, bet your dipstick smells like gasoline. Might think about pulling your spark plugs as well. Don't want to
take a chance on hydrolocking a cylinder. Ouch!

[brads70]

Now that I think about it I think what he means is if it flooded that bad I need to change my oil as gas could have gotten into the oil.  I'll have to pull the dipstick and check it to see if that's the case.

Yep that's what I meant. Don't want to wash down a cylinder! 

Yep, bet your dipstick smells like gasoline. Might think about pulling your spark plugs as well. Don't want to
take a chance on hydrolocking a cylinder. Ouch!

Great idea too!

[HP_Cuda]

My guess is the floats are stuck and the fuel pump is pumping in fuel and dumping it out.

[ShelbyDogg]

Probably dirt in the needle and seat. If it is a Holley, it unscrews from the top. I unscrew them, blow them out, then put them back in. The sight screw on the side lets you see the fuel when you adjust the level.

If it was running before, your pump probably has a built in regulator.  Put in or change the filter between the pump and the carb.

[Chryco Psycho]

2 things to determine 1 the pump pressure has be 7 lbs max recommend 6 or lower or the pump with push the floats down & force fuel into the carb causing flooding , if it is above 6 psi you need a regulator .
2 assuming you have 6 psi the floats are not closing off the fuel flow so you could have a damaged float or hardened/ worn needle & seats or the easy solution is you have dirt in the needle seat assy so they need to be cleaned out as Rob said above .