Fully choked and sputtering

[Shane]

A couple of weeks ago, I filled up my Healey with gas since the tank was about half full. As I drove home, it started sputtering like it wasn't firing on all six cylinders. I got it home and the following morning, she wouldn't start.

When I turn the key, I can hear the ticking of the fuel pump. When I start the car, it will just crank and crank. Even if I spray ether into the carbs, it just won't fire. I am getting spark, and the pump occasionally clicks to feed more fuel to the carbs as I'm cranking.

Now if I fully choke the carbs, it will start; although it sounds like a tractor. If I let up on the choke even just a little, it will die. I think I have a spare fuel filter around here somewhere that I'll try swapping to see if that's the issue. Although if it was, I don't know why the fuel pump would keep pumping.

Any ideas?

 

[Keoke]

Well my experience with plugged filter is. the engine will start normally and run great at idle .However if you press the throttle the engine will stop. It could act like yours but I have not had that experience. For your case it just may be you obtained some bad gas which contains water.??--Fwiw--Keoke

 

[Shane]

I didn't think about that, especially since the tank was already half full. Might run out and get some heet to run through the line.

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It's been a couple of hours after I put Iso-Heet into the tank. It will idle under full choke but when I started to decrease the choke, it sputtered again and then sounded like it wanted to backfire. Not sure if I should wait longer for the Heet to work or go another route. It just seems like not enough fuel is getting to the carbs.

 

[red57]

Hi Shane,

I think Keoke is on the right track - it sounds like water in the carbs.

I would pull the tops and floats off the float chambers and and look to see if the fuel level is right and to see if there is any water in the bottoms of the float chambers.

If you see any water in the bottom, then use a syringe to suck the fuel & water out of the chambers. Then remove the dashpots and piston to expose the jet. With a rag held over the top of the float chamber (to make sure you don't spray fuel all over the place), blow lightly with compressed air into the jet. This will push any water in the connecting passage back into the float chamber where you can suck it out with the syringe or soak it up with a rag. This way you know there is no water left in there. Obviously do the above in a well ventilated place and be careful.

If you got water in the carbs that quickly by adding a 1/2 tank of gas, you may need to drain the tank to make sure it doesn't just pump more water into the carbs. Water being heavier than gas, if the new gas you bought had water in it, the water would sink to the bottom of your tank and that's where the pickup is for the fuel line, so to me it seem reasonable that you just bought some bad gas.

Hopefully others will correct me or offer another idea.
Dave