Towed home

[Darrell_Walker]

On my way to work on Friday, I stopped to mail a package. When I came out to start the TR8, it stumbled a bit, and quit (it ran fine on the way there). I continued to try to start it, it would hit here or there for a while, but soon wouldn't even do that. So I called for a tow.

It was a quick job to determine the fuel pump wasn't pumping, and not much more to figure out it was getting power. So I pulled the pump and filter out, and found quite a bit of rust in the fuel filter (which is after the pump). I then pulled the fuel pickup from the tank, and found the sock/filter on the end missing.

I'm guessing there is some crud jammed in the pump, or that passing all of the other crud didn't do anything good for it.

Probably the right thing to do is to pull the tank and clean it, but I don't want to do that right now as it also means pulling some of the exhaust system (and dropping the rear axle), and I need to replace the exhaust system sometime soon (but not right now).

So I'm going to replace the in-tank filter, and hope it will keep most of the crud out of the pump, get a new pump, and of course replace the external filter. And new fuel lines back there for good measure. When I drained the tank (via the pickup), not even a pinch of rust came out, so maybe most of the loose stuff has already passed.

I managed to snap a picture of the inside of the tank, and it doesn't look too bad. When I do get around to cleaning it, for a daily driver, should I just clean it, or also seal it? I hear mixed opinions on sealing. I used the Hirsch sealer on my 4A over 15 years ago, and it seems fine.

 

[tr8todd]

Your facing the same question every TR8 owner in the past has had to deal with. You won't know the true extent of the rust until you pull the tank and try to clean it. Remember, the rust comes from the inside out and at the lowest spot where water will accumulate. If you all ready have the tank drained and the pump out, you might as well finish the job. The nasty part of the job is done. Dropping the rear end and the exhaust isn't that big a job.

 

[Darrell_Walker]

Dropping the rear end and the exhaust isn't that big a job.

Well, a PO had the exhaust welded together, so it will be a bit bigger job than usual.

 

[DNK]

Darrell, What's this?

 

[tdskip]

Bummer - I bet you can do a work around however. She wasn't used much before you got her if memory serves, so consider this sorting her out.

 

[Darrell_Walker]

Darrell, What's this?

Hi Don,

That is the fuel pickup and return. You can see a bit of the return hose on the left, and the reddish/brown thing is part of the filter that is supposed to be inside the tank.

-Darrell

 

[Darrell_Walker]

Bummer - I bet you can do a work around however. She wasn't used much before you got her if memory serves, so consider this sorting her out.

Yes, not unexpected, though it would have been more convenient if she had decided not to start at home!

 

[Darrell_Walker]

Hi Don,

Does this help?

-Darrell

 

[Darrell_Walker]

Here is a more or less intact filter.

 

[DNK]

You have an in the tank pump?

 

[Darrell_Walker]

You have an in the tank pump?

No, it is the stock, external FI pump.

 

[DNK]

So your saying that inside my tank is one of these??

 

[Darrell_Walker]

If you have a stock FI tank, yes.

Does your tank have one or two holes?