TR6 TR6 goes, dies, goes, dies, Etc

[Tinster]

This is a continuation of my mechanical pump thread.
Before I started pulling out fuel pumps, I thought better to start at the gas tank. My in-line, plastic, Fram fuel filter is located about 8" from the tank, in the fuel hose before the steel fuel line that runs to the pump.

I pulled the clear plastic filter and the paper was very dark orange color. Held vertically, if I fill the fuel intake side with water; nothing comes out the outflow side. Does the fuel pump suck fuel thru the filter or do I have a clogged filter that maybe every 15 minutes dribbled enough fuel to start the car and drive a few hundred feel. Thank- I really hope the filter is the problem.

d

 

[Andrew Mace]

Dale, I vote for clogged filter, based on your description!

 

[tdskip]

Agree - filters are cheap and non-disruptive to fix. Start there!

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Not sure but don't chance it. Put a new one on and see what happens. Hopefully that will do it. With the filter off and gas line disconnected will gas flow freely from the line. If not then the gas line is clogged. I've had to replace the entire gas line on two TR6's last year. Both cars had sat for a while and the gas varnished up inside the line. Its not that bad of job if you can put the car on a lift.

Marv

 

[Tinster]

Not sure but don't chance it. Put a new one on and see what happens. Hopefully that will do it. With the filter off and gas line disconnected will gas flow freely from the line. If not then the gas line is clogged. I've had to replace the entire gas line on two TR6's last year. Both cars had sat for a while and the gas varnished up inside the line. Its not that bad of job if you can put the car on a lift.

Marv

I have two spare filter already. Have replaced the entire fuel delivery lines at least 3 times, new fuel tank, sparkling carbs. Yes fuel flows freely.I am trying to diagnose why my car goes, dies, goes, dies, Etc.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Well you could certainly undo the fuel line at the carbs, stick it in a bottle, crank the engine & watch for fuel flow.

Put out your cigar whilst doing this.

Know that with a mechanical pump it isn't going to come out like a fire hose -- more like a small artery with a mild spurting action.

 

[kodanja]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...

dirt in yur tank, or something restricting the flow

 

[Tinster]

Well you could certainly undo the fuel line at the carbs, stick it in a bottle, crank the engine & watch for fuel flow.

Put out your cigar whilst doing this.

Know that with a mechanical pump it isn't going to come out like a fire hose -- more like a small artery with a mild spurting action.

Thanks George- I have watched my mechanical pumps spurt fuel when I was measuring how much the pumped in a 30 second crank.

d

 

[Tinster]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...

dirt in yur tank, or something restricting the flow

Tank is just about brand new bill. With a flashlight I see nothing sitting on the bottom.

d

 

[Gliderman8]

I would pull my dizzy cap and have a look at cap and rotor, also the wires.

 

[Geo Hahn]

...I have watched my mechanical pumps spurt fuel when I was measuring how much the pumped in a 30 second crank.

The the problem would seem not to be aft of that point. If it is fuel I would look to the carbs then the valves. But there doesn't seem to be any evidence that it is fuel related other than the original prime suspect was the pump.

Isn't it axiomatic that most carb problems are caused by the ignition?

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

If there is always no gas when it dies, perhaps their is no vent for the gas tank?

 

[Tinster]

I would pull my dizzy cap and have a look at cap and rotor, also the wires.

Elliott- that was the first thing I did. Cleaned the points, installed another of Jeff's fine red rotors and checked all the ignition wires. Nice spark getting to the plugs, cranks real nice.

Fuel starved- I've got the car an jackstands and am installing new fuel hose from the tank plus new fuel filter.

Then we will see- after I install the battery and hook everything back up.

thanks,

d

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Back to the gas flowing freely, how long have you let the gas drain? I worked on a friends TR this fall. His car would go approximately two miles then die. He would let it set for a few minutes and then crank right up, then go for another two miles. I changed out the pump and it still did it. Gas would flow for a few seconds then quit. I tired to blow back thru the line to the gas tank, it did for a second then nothing. Main line was clogged with varnish. Changed out the line and ran like a champ. BL, see how long the gas will flow. At least a gallon.

Marv

 

[Brosky]

I would take the bolt out of the top of the mechanical pump and pull the cover and look at the screen. It may be blocked from crud that got through, but hopefully, the filter did it's job and it did not. If it is blocked, so is your electrical pump and it may need cleaned as well.

I would not start with the ignition stuff until you get rid of all traces of this contamination. That's how repairs go bad, jumping from one thing to another without resolving the root problem of the failure.

This problem started after you got fuel, from what you said. It ran fine before that, so why mess with the ignition????

You have an orange color crap in that. That is not normal gasoline up here, so get that all fixed and you will resolve your problem.

Stay focused, fix one thing at a time until it runs right by starting at the tank filter and working forward. Dirt in the fuel does not ruin rotors or knock points out of adjustment.

 

[Geo Hahn]

If there is always no gas when it dies, perhaps their is no vent for the gas tank?

That's an interesting notion. Though it usually takes quite a number of miles before a non-vented tank will stop the engine I suppose on a really full tank it could happen much sooner.

Easy to find out, drive with the cap loose or drive til it dies then undo the cap and see if it restarts (after a bit of cranking).

 

[Deleted member 8987]

This is a continuation of my mechanical pump thread.
Before I started pulling out fuel pumps, I thought better to start at the gas tank. My in-line, plastic, Fram fuel filter is located about 8" from the tank, in the fuel hose before the steel fuel line that runs to the pump.

I pulled the clear plastic filter and the paper was very dark orange color. Held vertically, if I fill the fuel intake side with water; nothing comes out the outflow side. Does the fuel pump suck fuel thru the filter or do I have a clogged filter that maybe every 15 minutes dribbled enough fuel to start the car and drive a few hundred feel. Thank- I really hope the filter is the problem.

d

Never, as in ever, use water in a fuel filter.
The viscosity is different, and, one you do that, you can never use it for fuel again, if there was nothing wrong with it.
The orange indicates rust.
My Jag, took about 5 filters, dozens of tanks of gas, multiple carb cleanouts before it became reliable.
Blow on the finlter.
Put the inlet side (from the tank) in your mouth, clamp the lips down, and blow AWAY from a flame source or your wife.
If you look like Dizzy Gillespie, it's bad and plugged.
Yes, the pump will suck some fuel through a plugged filter, and run, die, run, die, etc.
Check the filter every month, and change it regularly, until the carp (sp) is all out of the fuel system.

 

[TR3driver]

Never, as in ever, use water in a fuel filter.

More importantly, for the common (cheap) paper element type filter, the water will cause the paper to swell and block off the pores. Water in the fuel is a common cause of filters "clogging up".

And if you have fuel delivery problems with one of those paper element filters in the system, my very first action would be to replace it and try again. When I was a kid, my Dad didn't believe in replacing them every year "just because", and I can't count the number of times I've had to poke a hole through the element just so I could get home.

 

[Tinster]

Grand Success:

Please, not meant to offend anyone. I am not so auto mechanics stupid as to run water thru a gasoline filter and then put in back in my car.

Total sucess today. I bought a beautiful TR6 Fram fuel filter that was was made in Israel not China or India. Yisrael- I now have 2 penpals in Israel !

Installed the new fuel filter plus new fuel hoses. Pulled out my new choke cables, turned on the electric fuel pump and the car cranked right up and held RPM. 1200 rpm cold idle/800 rpm warm idle, held 2500 rpms until I shut down the engine.

Switched everything back over to Paul Rego's wonderful OEM, restored, mechanical pump. Warm engine started instantly and held 800 rpm- reved and held 2500 RPM, no problem. Shut down engine. I think problem is solved.

Lesson Learned today. I live on an island that gets frequent volcanic ash and 6 months of Sahara desert dust. Note to Self: Change fuel filter every 6 months.

Thanks all for you kind imput.

 

[Andrew Mace]

You have an orange color crap in that. That is not normal gasoline up here, so get that all fixed and you will resolve your problem.

Unfortunately, that's almost exactly what I see in my filter and sometimes in my pump and float bowl...a very fine, reddish-orange "silt"!

More importantly, for the common (cheap) paper element type filter, the water will cause the paper to swell and block off the pores. Water in the fuel is a common cause of filters "clogging up".

Maybe this is off the wall, but what about a good bit of water in that last tank of gas? Enough to help block off the filter? Just a thought....