I’ve installed the reproduction fuel tank on my ’53 CJ3A. There is at least a gallon of fuel in the tank, yet nothing comes out the fuel line. A coat hanger stuck up into the tank goes in about 2.5 inches before hitting metal and comes out dry. Anyone know how these are made?
Had to copy/paste to see the post.
As posted, all things in working order, the pump will draw fuel easily.
There has been discussion on other forums of replacement tanks possibly not having the pickup. However, with your line disconnected (no dripping) and inserting a coat hanger and hitting a restriction both suggest you have the pickup.
I would suggest blowing backwards to see if you can hear bubbles. If you hear nothing but don't have restriction, maybe the gas isn't covering the intake of the pickup. If you can't blow, perhaps compressed air. There's a remote possibility the line is plugged. Try this on the fuel line first before connecting to the tank to ensure the line is free.
Back in the day, we used to syphon gas with a hose. Not recommended, but the same principle (maybe using a hand pump syphon) to see if fuel will flow with enough pull. How old is your fuel pump? You could use a short hose and small container to see if the fuel pump can pull gas into its bowl. There's a section in the Service Manual outlining pressure tests on the pump.
