First of all, thanks to everyone for their advice and suggestions!
Having made it home, only to experience the very same indicent as I pulled
into the driveway, here's what I was able to figure out. I think it's a
combination of fuel delivery and battery. Here's what I've found.
1. The battery is indeed all but dead. The car died in the driveway before I
could get it into the garage. I checked all the connections, everything was
fine. So, I figured I would simply swap out the battery with a new spare I
have lying around. Car started right up.
2. I do, however, think that fuel delivery is also at play, and here's why.
The Tiger has died only when I've been driving on a hot day for about 1/2
hour, and exactly when I'm pulling into a parking spot -- in other words,
right when I'm doing some very slow forward and back three-point parking
exercise, and hardly moving. This is also when the pump starts making an
outrageously loud noise. So here's my theory. A prior owner of my car, when
installing the modern fuel pump, installed a rubber fuel line that dangles
about four inches above the passanger-side muffler. Now, there may be sludge
in the tank that is sucked into the pump, causing it to labor (of course the
piror owner didn't install a filter between tank and pump). The pump starts
working hard, drawing more electricity at about the same time that engine RPMs
are low and the car is running off the battery and not the generator.
Alternatively, fuel is vaporizing in the low-hanging line, causing the pump to
labor and draw more electricity, with the same result. With a new battery in,
I wasn't able to repeat the problem.
Soooo, I'm actually going to switch to a deep cycle battery, install a fuel
filter, a heat shield on the muffler, and also make sure that dangling fuel
line is farther away from the muffler.
Thanks again for all the guidance.
B.
Bill S.
2005 Lotus Elise
1968 Triumph TR-250
1965 Sunbeam Tiger
1965 Austin Healey 3000 Mk III
www.TR-250.com
Tedious but unavoidable disclaimer follows...
NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential
information. If you are not the intended recipient, or believe that you have
received this communication in error, please do not print, copy, retransmit,
disseminate, or otherwise use the information. Also, please indicate to the
sender that you have received this communication in error, and delete the copy
you received.
IRS CIRCULAR 230 Disclosure: Under U.S. Treasury regulations, we are required
to inform you that any tax advice contained in this e-mail or any attachment
hereto is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid penalties
imposed under the Internal Revenue Code.
Thank you.
|