I'm still working on getting my TR3A, "The Pocket Rocket" back on the
road.
I have been having some ongoing problems that seemed like low fuel flow.
I replaced the new fuel filter once already and cleaned a lot of junk out
of the sediment bowl a couple of times. Sunday I took her down the
freeway to the next town to fill the petrol tank. On the way back she
died on the freeway. Since I had a LONG wait for help and some tools I
did some trouble shooting. It came down to there being no fuel flowing
between my full fuel tank and the fuel pump. When I disconnected the
fuel line at the input of the fuel pump there was barely a dribble.
I had my TR3 painted in two stages. The first stage saw the engine bay,
inside of the wings, boot, fuel tank area, inside of the doors, underside
of the boot lid & bonnet, underside of the front valance, the underside
of the body, underside of the front & rear scuttles & cockpit area
painted. Basically I had the whole inside of the car painted. I then
installed the engine transmission, fuel tank, front valance and wings
with just a couple of bolts & no stripping. The car went back in for the
rest of the body prepping and to have the exterior painted.
The cap was not on the fuel tank during the time the outside was being
prepped and painted. I had some tape over the opening. Well evidently
it wasn't enough. Also evidently I should have cleaned it real well
after it sat in the shed for a couple of years before going back in the
car.
I removed the fuel tank and hosed the inside, rocking the tank back &
fourth to get things in suspension. I found a lot of sand, particulate
matter, dead sow bugs a big chunk of spider web, a piece of bark & who
knows what else.
I took the compressor and blew out the fuel line.
I drained it & blew dry the interior until it was DRY and reinstalled
everything. The car seems to run a lot better with a clean fuel line.
The milestone?
When I got everything back together and running, I loaded the jack, lead
hammer and spare tyre for the first time in 10 years. A running car
should have a spare & a jack.
So far she has been out on five outings. She had to be flat bedded back
home twice. Not a good record. But both times it was for fuel
starvation related problems. So that should now be taken care of.
Bit by bit....
TeriAnn Wakeman If you send me direct mail, please
Santa Cruz, California start the subject line with TW -
twakeman@cruzers.com I will be sure to read the message
http://www.cruzers.com/~twakeman
"How can life grant us the boon of living..unless we dare"
Amelia Earhart 1898-1937
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