Help! Car ran out of gas and won't start.

[Ptero]

1973 240z

Ran out of gas on the way to a gas station. Put gas in but car won't start. Fuel filter looks totally empty.

[SteveJ]

Since you ran too low, you could have clogged the pick up or the line going to the filter. Also, if you have the electric fuel pump in the tank, the screen could have been clogged with junk in the tank.

If that is the case, you might want to consider getting your tank boiled & recoated.

[Ptero]

Tank was just boiled and coated. Had it running for a while already and drove it around to about 15 minutes until I ran out of gas.

[Ptero]

Also, the new tank is from a '71 so it doesn't have the electric fuel pump.

[SteveJ]

If you have access to compressed air, blow air through the line from the engine bay back to the fuel tank. Be sure to have the gas cap open when you do it. There is always the chance that there was something in the tank to get sucked in if you were running out. The only other thing I can think of (This is just a SWAG since I've never messed with this.) is that could the pickup have fallen off so that it is not able to pick up gas?

[Ptero]

Put some gas in the float and got it running. Fuel pump started to pull fuel in and could see it in the filter. All is good.

[5thhorsemann]

Try putting a small gas can right at the mechanical pump to be sure it is drawing fuel. Pump could have given up the ghost.

[blue 72]

I had the exact same problem. Cured mine by spraying starting fluid into the carbs. That got the engine to run long enough that the fuel pump pulled gas back up to the filter and everything was fine after that.

[240ZGL]

You might need to prime the lines. When I first did mine, I had to pull the line off the rear fuel filter I put in and siphon the gas into the filter before it would start to flow

[5thhorsemann]

I like blues idea, but before you do the starting fluid trick, fill the bowls (assuming you have round tops) thru the bowl breather fittings. That should make it run long enough to make it draw the fuel from the tank. You can also put a primer ball in line before the pump and prime the system from the front.

[EScanlon]

These are all good suggestions if simple starting fluid in the intakes won't get it started, but the OP in post #6 mentions he's resolved the problem.

His notice that the tank being from a 71 would not have a fuel pump is in error as the electric fuel pump for the 240's were all external to the tank.

E

[FastWoman]

It's good that the problem is resolved. Here's a suggestion, though, somewhat related to this thread... kinda...

Use an electric fuel pump with a kill switch on it. That will allow you to...

-- starve the carbs when you're going to let the car sit for a week or more, so that the ethanol gas won't take its toll.

-- prime the carbs prior to starting the engine.

-- prevent theft of your car when the fuel pump switch is turned off (best done if the carbs are starved first).