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Unreliable 4 TL...

L

Laban

Enthusiast
Messages
7
My -81 TL (845cc, Zenith 28 carb, Ducellier distributor) keeps on letting me down:( It starts easily, but after driving a few kilometers it suddenly stops/cuts out. No hicking/burbling, just loose power and stop. Have had this problem since I bought the car. Before it always started again after a few minutes. But the two last times it wont start again until next day. Tried to spray "start-gaz" directly into the carb, but still wouldnt start (plenty of spark from the ignition). I bought it from a friend, who never had any problems with it. The car has stood still for a years time after I bought it, but always started easily in my garage.
I bought/refitted a brand new carb, coil, rotor arm and condenser - didnt help at all :confused: Grateful for any advice here.
 
Sounds like a fuel blockage. Next time it happens try pulling the choke out. If that works it's a main jet blockage.

Do you have an in-line fuel filter fitted? Worth fitting one of them. The filter in the tank can also become blocked - removing the fuel line from the carb and blowing into it will unblock that (temporarily).
 
It sounds like the tank is air locked, take of the filler cap and drive it .or when it happens open the cap you my here it sucking air .
 
Have tried to open the tank filler cap when it stops, but didnt hear it sucking air, and it didnt start last night after the cap was removed. Worth at try though to drive without the cap.
I tried to start it with the choke pulled out last night, but it didnt start (actually had to call a tow truck :( ) I will fit an in-line fuel filter. Didnt know that it is a filter in the tank. Is it easy access, or do the tank have to be removed to check it?
 
The filter in the tank is inaccessible. It is part of the fuel sender and requires removal to access. It's not at the bottom of the tank so blowing down the fuel line should be effective for cleaning. Worth trying that once but don't remove the tank at this stage.

Could be a whole bunch of things. If you unscrew the top of the carburettor when you have the problem and there is fuel in the float chamber then the tank or filters on the way are not the problem. Could still be the main jet - I am not familiar with the early carbs, but the later 1108cc ones tend to work on choke when the main jet is blocked.

Does the problem happen randomly or does the engine have to be hot? How many km from home have you driven before it happens? Is it always the same or similar distance or does it happen when the engine is hot, only after stopping, after driving slowly in traffic, at speed? That might help narrow down the problem.
 
Will try to blow down the fuel line. The engine have to be hot, and it stops after about 4-6 kilometers. Can happen both at slow speed or at cruising speed, but usually when I start slowing down speed before a turn. Last night when I had to be towed back home the guy on the tow-truck claimed that there was no fuel in the float chamber. But the car wouldnt start even when he sprayed start-gaz into the float chamber.
 
Laban said:
Will try to blow down the fuel line. The engine have to be hot, and it stops after about 4-6 kilometers. Can happen both at slow speed or at cruising speed, but usually when I start slowing down speed before a turn. Last night when I had to be towed back home the guy on the tow-truck claimed that there was no fuel in the float chamber. But the car wouldnt start even when he sprayed start-gaz into the float chamber.
Click to expand...

hei Laban-hvor i landet holder du til? -er selv i Østfold og har en komplett Zenith forgasser jeg kan låne deg så du får prøvd en som garantert er ok .. Pm meg så kan vi avtale nærmere om det er av interesse.. -R.
 
By "Wont Start even when Start Gas is sprayed in" do you mean doesn fire atall or just wont run ?

Regards,
Andrew
 
Can you hear the starter working ok? so if no spark it has to be electrical/ignition..
Checked grounding/contacts/condenser? -R.
 
Might be worth trying a new set of Plugs and Plug leads see if that helps ? (Anyone else think this would help ?)
 
I had a similar problem (which developed in the same way as yours) a while back, turned out to be a tiny hole in the fuel pump diaphragm, this in turn ruined the plugs, replaced both and problem was solved. Might be worth trying another fuel pump as it's an easy swap, worst case you'll have a spare one.
 
The starter works fine. I have fitted a new condenser, and checked all contacts/ground. Got plenty of spark.
Plugs and plug leads are new.
Yes, guess the next thing to replace is the fuel pump. Surely I'll find one on ebay.
 
Try running a tempory petrol tank under the bonnet, like a gallon can with a pipe to the pump, be carefull tho, make sure its tied down to something, not the manifold, :eek:
Reg
 
Good idea. That would help confirm/eliminate the fuel pipes/rust from the tank as the problem.
 
I'd agree with your original post and check the distributor! Have you changed the rotor arm recently?

I had a Morris Oxford until recently and it plagued me with exactly the same problem for months until I realised it was the rotor arm earthing once it got hot!

I found an old stock original replacement and put that on and I never had a problem again!

I'd be checking the rotor arm replacing with another part.

The new parts that we can buy these days are very very cheaply made in places like India and they do not have the correct qualities that they should have!
 
I've changed the rotorarm and the distributor cap. They are made in Italy, and the quality seems to be OK. I agree that there's a lot of junk products on the market today :) This week I will also refit a brand new fuel pump (original quality), and a new in line fuel filter.
 
Undo fuel pipe where it connects to carb and turn over engine with ignition.If it pumps petrol then its not starvation.If it's not starvation check tappets.
 
Mr. Laban.
I had trouble whith the tankcap on two of my cars....

I took a saw an make a track so that the air came in to replace the spent fuel.

norsk:
Ellers kan det være mye rust i tanken. Jeg kuttet opp lokket på tanken på størrelse med en håndfull og loddet på et lokk igjen av en zinkplate. Da kome jeg til for å få renset tanken.
Det var før jeg fant den egentlige feilen: Tanklokket!

engelsk:
Otherwise, it could be much rust in the tank. I cut up the lid of the tank about the size of a hand full and soldered on a lid of a zinc plate. Da kom jeg til å få renset...
That was before I found the eksact fault!


Tor
medlem i renaultklubben, amazonklubben og pvklubben.

Tlf: 911 44 666
 
trodde ikke den forrige kom med så derfor en liten kortversjon...
sag et spor med baufil under pakningen til tanklokket så det ikke blir undertrykk.
Det var et vanlig problem på 70- og 80-tallet....

tor
 
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