1931 Lasalle won't start.

[michael1972]

I have a 1931 Lasalle that won't start after three weeks of not starting it, can anyone help?, I would hate to upgrade the drive train with a modern one.
Thanks

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Mike when my 1929 Roadster doesn't start and I know I have spark....it's probably a fuel problem.

Do you have the vacuum fuel pump mounted on the firewall?

If you do, open the plug on top of the pump and use a small funnel and refill the canister/pump with fuel.

Give it some choke and it should start......then at the end of your drive close the petcock at the bottom of the pump to hold fuel there for the next drive....

Mike

[michael1972]

Ok Mike, I'll try that this weekend when I get to my garage, I'll let you know how I make out, thank you for responding.
Mike

[houseboats1]

Hello Mike
When your car does run are you driving it out on the road? or just starting it up in the garage. The problem I have had with my 31 Cadillac is inside the vacuum tank (Not sure if you have had it apart) there is another bucket shaped can with a float set up inside it, on the bottom of the can is a small flapper valve that maybe sticky and not opening all the way or as much as it needs to. How that works is the can fills with fuel lifts the float up shuts off the vacuum and the fuel flow stops. when the fuel level drops in the can the flapper valve in the bottom opens lets fuel out into the main tank that causes the float to drop opens the vacuum port and fuel starts flowing again. Like Mike said turn off the small tap on the bottom of the tank. Does it have the glass bowl? Also if you don't have fuel leaking there should be enough fuel left in the can to start the car nextime you wan't to start it. You can take the plug out of the vacuum tank and put fuel in but you shouldn't have to, its a good system if its working properly. You should also check how much vacuum you have at the tank, also if the vacuum is a bit low you could ad an electric fuel pump and an adjustable fuel pressure valve. You can email me direct if you wan't to. peakav@bigpond.com
Cheers

[michael1972]

No start gentlemen, I put a little gas in the canister, opened the petcock and tried to start, engine turns over, but won't start

[michael1972]

*UPDATE*
I filled it up the canister a bit more and she fired right up, but she's leaking a lot of fuel from underneath the engine somewhere, i'll have to get under it to see where exactly she is leaking fuel from :/

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Hi Mike....good news you got her to start!

You can see in my crappy picture of the firewall mounted fuel pump that fuel enters the the canister at the top and then gravity feeds down to the carb under the intake.

Check the fuel line at the bottom of the pump for leaks......possibly the needle valve in the carb isn't closing and is flooding out of the carb...

That would look like fuel leaking out of the bottom of the motor...

The ethanol fuel we use will gum up everything it touches if left sitting too long...

Keep punching Mike....your getting closer to getting her on the road again.

Mike

[michael1972]

she will be on the road this weekend weather permitting.

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Nice LaSalle Mike!!

Did you find the fuel leak?

Mike

[michael1972]

Thanks Mike, I'll check for it this weekend, should be easy, I hope. Thanks

[michael1972]

Ok, so when I open the petcock it leaks fuel from underneath somewhere, can't seem to find where it could be leaking from underneath the engine.

[Hilarius]

As Mike B. has written: it is most certainly the needle valve in the carb not closing rightly, thus flooding the carb and the carb running over.
The valve might have stuck from long standing and after freeing up doesn't close as it should, anymore.
I experience it almost after every winter that the car won't start. Now I have learned that unscrewing the feed line and giving it an ever so slight blow of compressed air frees the valve and she runs happily the rest of the year.
Hilmar.

[harry s]

The other thing to note is when the carb runs over into the valley the fuel is channeled through a tube to the ground.      Harry

[michael1972]

Yes, it is exiting out the exit tube underneath, Harry i will try your method with the compressed air and see hoe it works out, thanks for the info gentlemen.

[fishnjim]

Looks like they're going to have to re-write the Archie Bunker theme song...