Highway Shutdown Need Advice

[LakeJohn]

My 1967 BJ8 ran perfectly for 2000 plus miles in 2007. This week, May 6, The car ran strong for 45 miles of highway driving and then lost power and stopped. I got it restarted but the problem immediately reoccurred withing two miles. To the untrained eye, the problem seems like fuel starvation.

I know that the floats are working and the banjo filters are clean from an inspection in early April. The fuel tank is new in 2007 as well as the fuel pump (non-standard NAPA). The car also has an inline fuel filter - new in 2007 after tank replacement.

What am I missing for an adjustment on the roadside? I know that the fuel pump is active from hearing it before starting the engine. My only current option is towing from a convenience store where the car is now sitting.

Jack White

 

[Randy Harris]

I had the same issue a number of years ago. Here's what my problem was: An obstruction in the fuel tank. As the car proceeds the obstruction (in my case a metal washer had fallen into the tank from a Monza style gas cap that fell apart)is sucked up into the fuel line/gas tank strainer from the tank. This of course starves the carbs and the car dies. At this point the obstruction naturally falls back down into the bottom of the tank until the next time you hit the road. For me this went on for months until I finally had enough and had the tank cleaned out and found the culpret.

Randy '66 BJ8

 

[ArtQ]

Depending what you mean by "lost power", the other option is an electrical problem. I recently had a problem that sounds similiar. After driving for awhile, the car would stall and though I could get it running again, I could not get any real speed or throttle response. After changing or checking all the usual villains( coil, points, condenser, distributer, spark plug wires, etc), we found that the high voltage wire from the coil to the distributer cap had been burned at one end.

 

[AH100M]

Don't neglect the battery cut-off switch in the boot. The white wire shorts out the ignition coil when the switch is in the "OFF" position. My switch failed such that it shorted the coil in the "ON" position as well. Went to pick up a pizza, started to drive home, car died. Drove me nuts for about 10 min. until I found I had no spark from the coil. Replaced the coil, still nothing. Checked point gap - fine. Then I ripped off the friggin' second white wire from the coil and everything worked fine. Always carry a spare coil, points, condensor, spark plug, cap, ignition wire, fuel pump, carb. needle, piston, head, gearbox, ...

 

[AUSMHLY]

"Always carry a spare coil, points, condensor, spark plug, cap, ignition wire, fuel pump, carb. needle, piston, head, gearbox, ..."

I like the way you think AH100M!

 

[Dave Russell]

You are starting to think like Dale of Triumph fame.

After all - The cars really need 200 to 300 pounds of extra ballast in the back & you can't be too prepared. Don't forget lots of tools.
D

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

This same problem happened to me. After several attemps to fix it and finally figuring I had it fixed I took it out of town on the highway. It car died after about an hour on the open road.

Culprit was dirt in the sump of the fuel tank.

BTW: Look up a thread about this same problem. I "won" the troubleshooting award(whatever that is) because I figured out the problem another owner was having.

The fuel lines also have junk in them after years of use and it appears that it doesn't take too much restriction before the fuel pump decides it can't handle the pressure and dies. It usually does come back up after it cools down.

Several years later I had a restriction at the top of the fuel line under the jump seats and that one ended up being totally blocked and a section of the fuel line had to be cut out.

 

[nevets]

had similar problem, turned out to be loose (adjusting) screw that secures the points to distributer plate.

 

[Johnny]

"Always carry a spare coil, points, condensor, spark plug, cap, ignition wire, fuel pump, carb. needle, piston, head, gearbox, ..."

I like the way you think AH100M!

I might add ROTOR to your lists. BTW just bought the new premium rotor from Moss, worked great!!! I seemed to have a "miss" at times and sluggish idle too. Replaced the rotor with the new one and VAVOOM!

 

[HEALEYJAG]

If the fuel pump is "racing" and never stops.....vapor lock.....

My V-12 Jag would do this when I accidently put gas with and alchohol additive.