TR2/3/3A TR3 has me stumped, it runs then dies over and over and the exhaust system was pulled

Thank for reading this. I am stumped.
Yesterday, I got my TR3 out for the first time this year. It had a quarter tank of gas so I filled it up at the gas station and headed home. A few hours later, I drove it to dinner (4 miles round trip). It ran well and idled nicely. An hour after that, I drove it to a scout meeting, it ran a bit rough, but we made it. I pulled into the driveway and a hump in the middle of the driveway pulled off both mufflers. I opened the hood and discovered the throttle linkage between the two carbs was loose. I tightened it and the engine ran, just louder. Two hours later, I tried to drive home with the exhaust system in the rear, but the car ran poorly so I turned back into the driveway. The car starts and runs, then it just dies. Sometimes for a few seconds other times for 20 seconds. It will not idle.

Today, I went out with a new fuel filter and double checked the float needles for blockage. No blockage. It starts and runs for a few seconds up to 20 seconds, then just dies.

It has air and spark so the issue must be with the fuel. I seem to be getting fuel going into the fuel pump. If i use the lever on the fuel pump, it pumps fuel. I have an in-line fuel filter and I can see the fuel flowing, but do not know of it is enough.

Tomorrow, I am taking an electric fuel pump out with a gas can and by-passing the car's fuel system completely. I will hook the pump up to the fuel line at the carbs. Is this the correct next step?

Am I missing something? If the mufflers are not in place, will it effect how the car runs? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

Sam

I'm guessing that running the engine without the mufflers will affect the engine performance since there's no back pressure. I think this could be the cause of the symptoms you describe.
Why not just reinstall the mufflers and see if it runs better before changing to an electric fuel pump?

Is it possible you crushed the fuel line on the hump in the driveway?

I would have thought it would run with the mufflers off but would be loud.

David

If you do something major to a car, then immediately start having problems, it's a safe bet that the "something major" is the cause.

Gee whiz, you tore off the freakin' mufflers! So the first place to look is the exhaust system. My guess is that you have a blockage somewhere, resulting from the accident. Get under the car, take a close look at the remaining bits of the exhaust system, and I'll bet you find something else damaged (or loose and damaged) causing a partial blockage. Look for dents in the pipes or a broken joint, especially where the pipes connect to the header. Also the hit to the exhaust system probably gave the engine a goodly yank, so that might have had some effect--maybe the reason why the carb linkage was loose.

While you're at it, check around for anything else that might be damaged. I also think that a crimped fuel line could do this, and you should check brake lines as well.

Driving my TR 6 1973 on a back road California out of Reno NV. I came to a rock in the road not wanting to hit oil pan i went to pass. side hit EX pipe dent, hole, main gasket all damaged the down duel pipes. The car was loud no problem with back pressure. How bad was the fuel filter? My fuel lines are mostly on the side of frame or above diff. Going with pump and another filter mine has a filter that is clear and cleanable saves time and money. You say first drive in a while how long? Pulling muf. off did more than under car look for electric problem lose wire points check motor mounts with lifting bar any bolts at show movement front to back. You may not get good fuel at the carbs drain before car fuel pump. Caution when working around cars and fuel keep a fire ex close. NOTE any time LBC's are parked for a long time store with these steps.
Fuel tank full or empty all fuel. add gas additive for moisture build up when parked with full tank ( you may have water in tank that got picked up ) Keep battery tender on battery. Check all tire pressure and spare. Catch drips looking for any leaks fuel oil water. Carb links were most likely lose before. Check for foam in oil at dip stick water can form in oil also. check carbs mounts you may have a vacuum leak also. And last start ounce a month run to normal temp or ten minuets. It is sad to see so many in this BLOG that can not find time to drive there LBC's at least to store and back now and then. A simple trip to Reno for me is a 100 mile round trip just to club meetings. Get it fixed Fall color is out now. Madflyer

Get Hagerty Insurance with the tow package; it is cheap, like 200 a year full coverage zero deducible. I have it and used it twice many years ago once for a coil and cannot remember the other, but heck I would want to look under the car before I did much and getting under a tr3 takes work, and I would think not on the side of the road.

The first step is the carbs need to be re-balanced after they separated, and likely need to be tuned to the correct mixture. Start there and you should be able to get your idle back. If you don't put the mufflers back on soon, you will do damage to areas under the car not intended to get blasted by hot exhaust...so that should also be a priority.

It sounds like a clogged fuel line to me also. Maybe take your fuel filter out for a while and replace it with piece metal tubing. Sometimes those filters look clean and those old gas tanks are always shedding. I once had something similar, I think it was body putty dust turned into a small ball and rolled back and forth in the filter. The filter was one of those glass ones; hard one to find, but got it just by changing things that were cheap and obvious. The early cars had screens in the bowl assembly.
steve

I agree with John. If you found the link between the carbs loose then they are are probably badly out of sync. Start there.

The carbs probably need to be rebalanced and adjusted, but I doubt that will cause what you are seeing.