Hello all,
On my MGB, I decided to add an easy anti-theft measure to my
car - a toggle switch on the power line to the fuel pump. I use a
battery cut off switch, but since the battery is in the trunk, it's
not always convenient to prevent theft by cutting the switch -
especially when I run into a store for a second.
I figured that it would be a good idea if I included a jumper
wire in my console just in case - you never know when a switch like
that will fail! Either way, I left the car in my garage at home
with the switch off and went to bed. When I woke up in the morning,
I found my dad under the hood of the MG. He wanted to move the car
to hose the salt off of it, but couldn't get it started. He had
spark, he said, but no fuel. He suggested a new fuel pump until I
hit the switch and fired the car up. So, the installation seemed to
be a success...
Until today. I pulled into my spot at school and wanted to see
how fast the car would shut off when I shut off the fuel pump. I
figured if I ever flipped the car and still had enough presence of
mind, I could kill the fuel pump and maybe prevent a fire. I hit
the switch and then waited for the car to die. And I waited. And
waited, even revving the engine up with no effect. I shut off the
car and tried to start it - the pump was off, and the car wouldn't
start.
So, I'm wondering if there's enough vacuum created by the carbs
to pull the fuel from the tank, or are the float bowls just that
darned big? OBTW, I have an aftermarket electric fuel pump.
For anyone who cares, I did hide the switch, though it was
really tempting to mount a toggle switch on the console marked "Fuel
pump shut-off - flick up for operation" And of course, the switch
would only close the circuit in the down position...
Michael S. Lishego
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/3706/
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