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BWillis

Jedi Knight
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I've been trying to figure out whats causing a drivability issue with the Bugeye and have reached the point where I need some help.

When I drive the car it seems to run fine until it reaches operating temp (about 185 on the gauge). At that point or shortly after while driving at any speed the car seems to just cut out. At first I thought it was a sticking jet/needle. I recentered today and still have the same problem.

Could it be an electrical issue? While thinking about it at dinner I wondered if the advance in the dizzy could be hanging?

Have any of you seen this?


Thanks for any help.
Ben
 
3 things I would check. 1. check the distributor cap inside and make sure there is not moisture of any kind in it. Sometimes heat can cause condensate to form on things 2. The condenser might be bad if you still have points. 3. The coil may be cutting out when it gets hot.
 
BWillis said:
1. The cap is dry.

2. Condensor is new (125 miles) but it could still be bad.

3. Coil. A real possibility. What would be the best coil to use on a stock 1275 with points?



Ben
Click to expand...
About any 12 coil should work for a test Ben, I would just buy a cheap one or borrow a working one and see if that solves the problem.
 
Ben -

I had the same problem on my big Healey a few years ago. It turned out to be a bad rotor. It would fail only after the car warmed up, and not every time. I do not know if this is your problem, but I thought I would at mention it as a possibility.
 
I bought a cheap tool at Harbor Freight that plugs in line between the spark plug and the cap that is used to check spark. It has a small light bulb inside that glows when the plug fires.....if there is an ignition problem then you will see it in the bulb.

Here is the link:

https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=36258


For a buck, it's cheap enough to have in the toolbox and has helped me more than once to differentiate between a fuel and a spark problem.
 
Ben
When you buy the coil just be sure that the coil does NOT require a ballast resistor, should be marked as such.
Bill
 
I would guess coil as well.
 
Okay,

I tried a new coil and rechecked the timing etc. Let the car warm up and took it around the block at a constant speed to simulate the operating environment that it seems to fail at. As I was turning into the driveway it died.

I shut the key off and decided to check the float bowls. They were almost dry! So I disconnected the fuel line and ran it into a bottle. Im only getting a trickle of fuel from the pump.

I guess I've found the problem! The electric pump that I used only has 125 miles on it from new. Maybe it went out? Maybe the filter from the new tank is clogged? I dunno yet as I had to call it a day but at least I know where to look now!!!

Thanks for the tips, guys.

Bugeye Ben in SC
 
My first look would be at the filter (You DO have one in the system before the pump don't you?). And one after the pump too?
Bill
 
Well, at least you found something Ben. Thats good. If its a new original type fuel pump, you can take it apart and see if there is something going on in there. I put an extra fuel filter between the tank and the pump that is clear and I can see if it is cloged or anything. Its a clear glass type that can be taken apart and cleaned. I put this on before I did my tank with the red coat, so hopefully now nothing will get in it at all. There is a filter screen in the tank but you can't get it out without cutting a hole in the tank. That is what I had to do. You are on to the problem now at least.
 
Ben,
It will all look different in the morning...sleep on it.

If you suspect the pump, tank, filter(s), or fuel lines, at least the diagnosis is pretty straightforward.

Disconnecting the fuel line out of the tank and before the first filter (you do have a pre-filter don't you?) would be my first item. Good flow? If so, reconnect and move on to the hose just past the filter and before the pump; disconnect. Good flow? If so, reconnect and move on to the hose just past the pump; disconnect. Ignition on...pump running? Steady stream? If so, move on to the connection just before the next filter, or carb (should be a filter) as the case may be. Same drill as the previous.

Now, if all those give a good flow...that's a different matter...but my bet is that you'll find the problem to be either trash in the first hose, or a faulty pump...in that order.

Ray
 
My setup is like this

New Tank-> Filter-> New electric (non SU)Pump-> hard lines to front-> filter-> pressure reg-> carbs.


I havent had a chance to test the hoses yet but I did notice that I can hear the pump begin to 'strain' when the float bowls are full and the valves close. This sounds just as it did when I put the pump on from new. The flow itself is just very low.

Can anyone recommend a good pump other than the one from Moss?


Ben
 
I really have never had a problem with the Facet pumps!!
 
I vote for a Facet, too. Don't get it from Moss, unless you want to pay twice what it would cost elsewhere, plus shipping overcharge. Try JC Whitney or maybe Summit Racing.

Did you check the flow ahead of the pressure regulator? If the adjustment is off or slipped, that might be where the restriction is. I'm a little wary of pressure regulators. In general, they work well only within a range of flow rates. In a LBC, the flow starts and stops as the float valve opens and closes, and I'm not sure how the regulator might respond. Might be better just to have a pump that puts out the right pressure (2-3.5 psi).

Also, I had a LOT of trouble with fuel filters. Bubbles formed in them, and would not blow through easily. Eventually I got rid of the one at the carbs and now have only the one ahead of the fuel pump. Hard to see why you would need two, anyway.
 
Heh, the same one from O Rilys for $40.
 
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