For those who would like to know:
I think I have now officially tracked down the problem I've been having
with my fuel supply randomly cutting out.
As you may remember, I has suspected a short in the positive lead to the
pump. This has proven bogus.
The reason for this is, the car quit on me the other night (finally), so I
got an opportunity to examine the various components in aciton while the
problem was happening. We managed to make it to a parking lot, and with my
wife sitting patiently on the curb (had to get to the battery compartment
to check the pump's state; easier than crawling under the car.), and a
mini-maglite in my hand, I went to work.
First, I started the car again to see if I could duplicate the situation.
Tick tick tick...the car ran for about 2 minutes, sputtered for 15 seconds,
quit. I had my hand on the pump during this test, and it wasn't running
the whole time. The bowls were now empty. I was actually happy, as now I
could really troubleshoot! Next, I tested my "wire short" theory buy
hooking up a pair of mini-jumpers I had fabricated earlier directly from
the battery to the pump. It only ticked a few times. I started the car,
and it soon died. Wire short theory thrown out, I now suspected the pump.
Smacked the pump with the blunt end of a screwdriver...no dice. Unhooked
my jumpers, hooked them up again. Not a single tick. Tapped the positive
jumper to the terminal intermittently. Tick once. I now ascertain that I
have a newly-rebuilt faulty pump! (approx. 1000 miles).
Luckily, we were close to the inlaws' house, so I was able to get the car
there and leave it. I took the fuel pump with me. When I took the plastic
housing off, I found pitted, blacked points. Ah Ha! I hooked the pump up
to a 12V with my jumpers with the housing off, so I could see the action.
The points were arcing (sp?) rather badly. I don't know my electrical
stuff very well, but I don't think there is a diode fitted; just a
capacitor.
So...I was off to consult my VB catalog for the relacement part numbers.
Low and behold, my pump didn't look like either of the pumps shown! The
bell housing is right, and the pump body, but the area where the
valves/hoses hook up was totally different. *Grimace* It seems I've been
had. I went to the guy who put this pump on and asked him about it...
"Oh...it's from an MG...it's just an older model." Needless to say, I
picked up a brand new, proper fuel pump, and was credited the fifty clams
he took from me for the mystery pump. At least he did that right.
As I got in my car to head home, rolling my eyes, I thought, "Srike two."
This isn't the first time this guy's done something no-quite-so kosher
IMHO. I had him paint my rostyles for me once. He left the tires on,
oversprayed all over them, and then used some "tire-black" stuff on the
tires. It's like a rubber/tar paint. I argued with him over that for an
hour. His opinion was, "The end product looks good; who cares how you get
there." I'm more of the philosophy, "Do it right, or don't do it at
all...I'll find someone else." Meanwhile, this tire-black crap is starting
to crack...
Anyone know of a good MG mechanic in the Akron, Ohio area?
|