EonBlue

So there's an autocross event being held today. I preregistered and actually got into the event this time. Beautiful day, moderate temperatures, tank is full of gas and I'm driving to the grounds with all my gear in the car. Halfway through the drive the engine starts stumbling and I'm not getting any power. "Hmm....that's a little strange" I thought, but after jabbing the gas a couple times it was fine and I continued on my merry way.

As I'm coming onto a stoplight on a main road the car starts stumbling again and dies just as the light turns red. I try cranking it.

Nothing.



I spend the next fourty minutes stuck in the middle lane of a 6 lane artery during rush hour traffic trying desperately to start my car in time for the autocross. Finally a couple guys who were considerate enough helped push my car onto a brake shop lot and out of traffic. About 30 minutes later the car decides that it wants to start and things seemed normal for about 15 minutes.

The car dies again on my desperate trip home and I end up pushing the car out traffic and onto some sideroad where it is now.



****HELP HELP HELP****


*Carter 72GPH fuel pump
*Holley FPR
*Mikuni 44PPH

-I pulled plugs: bone dry, so it wasn't flooded.
-Battery is a year old and is at 12v according to the meter

During the first 40 minutes, with the car on the "ON" position:

-I can hear the pump hum
-Fuel pressure gauge read ZERO, no pressure at all
-Loosened the banjo bolt, NO GAS
-Pulled the fuel line that goes into the FPR, NO GAS



*All signs point to the fuel pump or the connections to it*



The car is 15 minutes away from my house and even though I think I can nurse it back home ANY help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

82RXSOARER

i dont know, but maybe the pickup is clogged? do these tanks have a pickup? or is it gravity feed?

any ways, sounds like its stopped up... if you can hear the pump, and still no gas... that would be my guess.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

And the last time you changed the fuel filter was?

If a fresh filter doesn't solve the problem, time to clean the tank and pickup.

Rx Seven

iTrader: (12)

^^^ Beat me too it.

EonBlue

Fuel filter is a year old, changed it when I put the pump in. The thing is though I had no pressure at all, then after alittle while pressure is normal and everything works fine. A little while later, Kapow, zero pressure.

85rotarypower

Sounds like a problem with the pump to me. Try changing out the fuel pump for a different one if you can. I clog wouldn't cause the symptoms your are describing. Pretty much sounds like the pump is cutting out when it gets hot, or there is an internal problem with the pump that only occurs when it gets hot.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Had the same symptoms with mine when I had crap in the tank. Try a filter first, it's due anyway, and cheaper. Now days I always carry a spare fuel filter.

Take the old filter and cut it open, see if it is full of crud. If it is, drain the tank. If the problem continues, do a fuel flow test on the pump.

82RXSOARER

clog wouldnt cause that????

82RXSOARER

to me it sounds like something floating up and clogging it, then it settles till he drives, the it stirs up again...

EonBlue

Oh my god, ok I got the car home. I hit two extremely long redlights and it was absolutely nervewracking. I'll pull the pump and filter and start checking things there. Would I be able to clean the tank myself (ie. drain it, drop the tank, clean) of would I have to take it somewhere if it really is crap in the tank?

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

I don't know if your tank has a drain plug or not, guess you get to crawl under and look. Draining, dropping, cleaning the tank is a diy. A second set of hands is helpful. I had mine out 3 times before I could get all of the crap out of it, but that's what I get for sandblasting the tank and not covering the openings, thinking the sand would easily wash out of the tank, not.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

On the S3 tanks, there is a screen on the pickup inside the tank, it will split, fail and the pickup tube can plug when the pump is pulling fuel. When the engine is shut off, the crud will drop, allowing the engine to start and run for a bit, until it plugs again.

I don't know if the S2 and earlier tanks have the screen.

82RXSOARER

dude, thats what i said... 85rotarypower said that a clog wouldnt cause those symptoms.

I removed the tank on one of my cars and pressure washed the inside... i've got a pressure washer at my shop that heats up to like 150 degrees... anyways, i pressure washed it, blew it out with an air hose, let it sit and dry over night, then coated the inside with tank kote ( i think thats the name )

Werked real nice, havent had another prob yet.

EonBlue

Alright, so I pulled the pump and filter. Fuel filter looks spotless, no particles or anything.



Horrible camera, sorry.

So I guess right now the pump or something related to the pump is suspect.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Pump or pickup tube. If the pump is old, or questionable, start with that. Please let us know what finally solves the problem.

Another item you might check is the filter screen on the banjo bolt the holds the fuel lines on the carb.