After taking the TR6 out of hibernation, I had a problem today.
When driving on the highway, I started slowly losing power; classic
fuel-starvation symptoms. Eventually I lost almost all power, but
it would occasionally fire a bit, then it came back and was fine.
I assumed fuel filter (I'd replaced it a few days ago, and it had
caused this sort of problem in the past). The filter was clean,
though (glass w/ replaceable element). It happened a few more times
on the way home, and I popped the bonnet (while idling) to check it.
The fuel filter was around 1/4-1/2 full, and on each rev of the cam you
could see the level go up and down ~1/2 inch. The car idled fine like
this (note that the idle is high currently, but couldn't sustain power
for long).
Two possibilities present themselves: one, most likely, there's crud in
the line or the pickup, which got jolted free and then eventually got sucked
in again. Two, the pump is dying. There's some indication there may be
a slight external leak, but that might have been over the last several
months (i.e. exceedingly slow leak). The level does bounce up and down,
and the engine runs, so that implies it's vaporizing in the filter due
to low pressure (and a warm day, a long highway run, and winter fuel).
The tank is ~1/3 full (verified). I'm going to fill it when I leave work
(extra gravity-feed pressure may help push fuel past and/or dislodge the
crud). I plan to pop the line at the tank, and try blowing it out (and
verify that the tank feeds freely).
Any other ideas/comments? Any good way to check a fuel pump? Or perhaps
I should just replace it on general principle (it's probably the original
1970 unit with circa 60,000 or more likely 160,000 miles). Should I blow
it out from the filter end (I guess) or the tank end?
A hint - store an old car with the tank full. I will next time.
Aside: I got a nice convertible forearm-sunburn taking a friend to the
airport.
--
Randell Jesup, Scala US R&D, Ex-Commodore-Amiga Engineer class of '94
Randell.Jesup@scala.com
#include <std/disclaimer>
Exon food: <offensive words no longer censored - thank you ACLU, EFF, etc>
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