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No fuel supply - pump, filter problem?

iMacThere4iAm

iMacThere4iAm

Tom Long
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750
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Morecambe
Felicia broke down yesterday, getting worse for a few minutes until she cut out and made me push the rest of the way home. :roll:
I thought she might be out of petrol, so I filled her up but she still won't start. The fuel filter between the pump and carb is empty and there is visibly no flow through it.
I suspect blocked filters or a problem with the pump, but how can I test it? I will check the filter in the carburettor inlet; are there others I should know about?
 
You can open the fuel pump w/o removing it.
Inside you'll find a little filter as well. That one might be clogged.
When I've done that on my F6, I was surprised how much dirt has built up there.
Now I run a two-filter setup. One right in front of the fuel pump, one at the usual place between pump and carb.
I use cheap plastic inline filters to better see when I have to replace one of them.

HTH!

David
 
There's a filter in the outlet of the tank. Try blowing air into the pipe from tank to fuel pump to unblock it.

There's another filter at the inlet of the carb - unscrew the union that the fuel pipe goes into and the filter is inside that.
 
She's running again :)
No issues with any of the filters, except the one in the carburettor isn't there.
I think the source of the problem is a tiny closure spring, missing from one of the two check valves in the pump, so it struggles to operate unless full of fuel. I primed it by sucking fuel through from the carburettor hose and that was all it took :)
Thanks for your help :hug:
 
If the spring is missing then it's possible the problem will return, but what's most intriging is where did the spring go - the mind boggles!!
 
I've just had the same fuel starvation problem in Pearl after not running her for over 18 months. She started, ran rough for 5 or so minutes, then stopped. Saw there was no fuel coming into the filter between the pump and the carb when trying to restart. Took the fuel pump out - all clear. Tested it on the bench, worked fine. Blew back down the fuel line until I heard loads of bubbles from the fuel tank, then blew again (to be sure, to be sure). Connected the fuel pump to the fuel line from the tank and tested by hand - pumping like a good'un. Refitted pump and she fired and ran no problem, so the problem in all likelyhood was the fuel tank filter being blocked.

Questions? Can you access the fuel tank filter? Can you get to clean out the fuel tank? And is whatever blocked the tank filter likely to block it again, or is it a function of not being used for 18 months?

Look forward to all thoughts on this from the team.

Chris
 
From my dismantling of the fuel tank when stripping my car down for chassis work, the filter was a fine mesh bag on the bottom of the pickup pipe in the tank and came out with the sender unit, which is combined with the same.
My sender unit was knackered and so I replaced it and threw the old assembly out. The replacement doesn't have a filter and so I'll install a line filter somewhere accessible in the feed when I get around to recommisioning after the rebuild.
The really bad news is that its a tank out job to get at it again, unless you feel like carefully cutting out a section of the floor with a monodex type cutter and then fabricating an access plate over it!
 
Its not too bad, just long winded and providing that the nuts aren't seized, fairly straightforwards.
I took mine out when the body was off, but as far as I can remember, you will first have to remove the bolted in cross member at the rear edge of the tank, that also supports the spare wheel carrier and then release the long mounting bolt from the front flange of the tank that bolts right through into the car along the front edge of the boot floor. Then the whole lot should drop down and rest on the torsion bars, leaving enough space for you to disconnect the sender wire and the fuel pipe and then with a little fiddling around, drop it all out.
Before you do any of this, remove the spare wheel, and then syphon out the contents of the tank, or use the drain plug in the bottom to empty it into a suitable container. Discoonnect the filler and breather pipes.
Installation is, as Mr Haynes would say, a reversal of the dismantling procedure.
You will also need a second pair of hands to help undo the long bolt through the rear floor.
 
Needless to say, you need to jack up the car and support it properly before you attempt any of this. I'd suggest a good overnight soaking of all fixings in Plus Gas too, if they look at all rusty.
 
Hi Barnfind, thanks for that, I will save that job for a rainy day if I get anymore trouble but at least I know it can be done without it being too complex if a little long-winded - sounds like you just need patience and determination!

Chris
 
I think the pump needs replacing as it's been giving me more trouble. I'm a bit unsure about the different spares available; how do I tell what's god for my LHD GTL?
 
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