TR4/4A Car died at local Cars and Coffee meet

[Zitch]

I took the tr4 out for its first offical long drive to a Cars and Coffee meet in St. Louis. I started losing power at high rpms and it would come and go when I was about 3/4 of the way there 40 miles from home. I made it to the event and it stumbled into the parking lot.

Good thing there we many other British car guys there. We did some trouble shooting in the lot found out that the SU carb bowls were not getting fuel. Pulled off the fuel line and turned the key and no fuel from the electric pump. My manual pump is disconnected. You could hear the electric pump running but nothing coming out. A MG club member had a spare electric pump, I did a little parking lot surgery and replaced the electric pump the car started right up and made it back with no issues.

Here's the old pump and what I found inside.



Looks like I have a rusty tank. Any suggestions on how to clean or coat the gas tank?

Things I learned.......

1.) British car guys are great!
2.) Always bring more tools (have a kit ready)
3.) the tr4 is fun to drive even if it gave me a little panic.
4.) I'm sure there's more....

 

[NutmegCT]

Glad you made it to friendly territory!

I think you've proven that the electric pump's filter works - 'til it's totally clogged anyway. Do you have any other filters along the fuel line? Might want to check/replace those too. And the fuel bowls and jets, etc.

If it were mine, first thing I'd do is assume the tank has never been cleaned. You'll probably want to pump out the fuel, remove the tank, and take to a shop that really knows how to renew fuel tanks. Your local British car club(s) can point you in the right direction.

Tom

 

[Zitch]

I added an inline filter before the carbs after I resealed them, Just in case.

 

[PeterK]

That screw on filter protects the pump so yours is probably OK. First place to start is to drain the tank and give it a good look over through the filler pipe.

 

[justin_mercier]

i too have 2 filters in my fuel line, one just after the tank before my electric pump, and another up front in the engine compartment before it goes to the carburators. I've had fuel problems in the past due to rust / debris in the line. I replaced my tank with an aluminum custom tank, so no more rust from the tank, but I have heard good results from the POR fuel tank repair system. With that much debris, you'll probably want the tank boiled out and cleaned at a radiator shop and pressure tested for pinholes.

 

[glemon]

If you are a DIY kind of guy and the tank it not too bad you can drain it, take it out, fill with gravel or small rocks, shake the **** out of it every which way for a least half an hour or so or until your arms can take not more, or hook it up to something that can spin or shake it for a while, rinse/shake the rocks out (a little work here too because of the baffles), you should see a lot of silty rust come out with the rocks, then dry it out (I used the shop vac in reverse, hot day in the sun, turning several times works too, put her back in and all good, at least that is what I did and it worked. There are lots of youtube tutorials on this and other gas tank cleaning methods.

 

[DNK]

I found a place by asking my local radiator store.
Or you can send it out
https://www.gastankrenu.com/loc-dealer.htm

 

[TRspitfirefan]

If you are a DIY kind of guy and the tank it not too bad you can drain it, take it out, fill with gravel or small rocks, shake the **** out of it every which way for a least half an hour or so or until your arms can take not more, or hook it up to something that can spin or shake it for a while, rinse/shake the rocks out (a little work here too because of the baffles), you should see a lot of silty rust come out with the rocks, then dry it out (I used the shop vac in reverse, hot day in the sun, turning several times works too, put her back in and all good, at least that is what I did and it worked. There are lots of youtube tutorials on this and other gas tank cleaning methods.

A bit of chain works pretty good.