Wilsons Sandbox

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 1999 4:07 pm**

Apologies. It's not my intent to hog space, but I've got a problem.
About a month ago, during a rallye, I experience fuel pump failure.
I whacked it a couple of times, but it refused to work. After trailer-
ing the car back to my garage and letting it sit for several days, I
discovered the pump was working again. So I drove it again for roughly
30 miles when, during a night drive, it failed again. Fortunately there
was a freeway offramp and I was able to coast into a parking lot. By
now I was not very happy with this pump. The car was put back in the
garage where it sat for about two weeks while I pondered the situation.
Today, on a hunch, I turned the key on. The pump is working again!

If anyone has a clue about what's going on with this Lucas pump, I'd be
most grateful if you'd advise me on what the problem is. I'm at a loss
to explain this one.

Cheers, Skip

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 1999 5:00 pm**

Skip...try cleaning the points on your Lucas pump, if corroded they will
work for a limited time then give up as the points get hot. Clean them
and you may be lucky..if not change the pump!

Regards Geoff

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 1999 5:29 pm**

Skip,
Is it possible the gas tank filler cap is not venting and the pump is
stopping when it pulls a vacuum on the tank. Later, air leaks in
and then the pump works.

Bill Traill

Bill

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 1999 6:23 pm**

Hi Skip, you may have a partially plugged tank suction filter or line
and/or plugged fuel filters in the pump or carbs. Also check the gas cap is
venting. Any of these conditions will allow the pump to operate for a time
then stop as the suction becomes too high for the pump to operate against.
Standing for a time allows the fuel to seep through the obstruction and the
pump may operate again for a short time.
Next time the pump quits, check the pump temperature, if its very hot,
probably a plugged line/filter.
Otherwise, the SU pump may just be old like the rest of us and needs to be
rebuilt or replaced.
Bob

----------

> From: Skip Burns
> To: mg-tabc@eGroups.com
> Subject: [mg-tabc] SU Pump Puzzle
> Date: Tuesday, November 30, 1999 7:10 PM
>
> Apologies. It's not my intent to hog space, but I've got a problem.
> About a month ago, during a rallye, I experience fuel pump failure.
> I whacked it a couple of times, but it refused to work. After trailer-
> ing the car back to my garage and letting it sit for several days, I
> discovered the pump was working again. So I drove it again for roughly
> 30 miles when, during a night drive, it failed again. Fortunately there
> was a freeway offramp and I was able to coast into a parking lot. By
> now I was not very happy with this pump. The car was put back in the
> garage where it sat for about two weeks while I pondered the situation.
> Today, on a hunch, I turned the key on. The pump is working again!
>
> If anyone has a clue about what's going on with this Lucas pump, I'd be
> most grateful if you'd advise me on what the problem is. I'm at a loss
> to explain this one.
>
> Cheers, Skip
>

Posted: **Wed Dec 01, 1999 7:23 am**

Skip:
I would bet that the fuel filter at the bottom of the gas tank is the
culprit. It's one of those things that never gets cleaned because it is so
inconvenient. I cleaned mine last spring. It was so full of decades of crud
that I don't know any fuel got through it at all.
Ken TC 4147

Skip Burns wrote:

Posted: **Wed Dec 01, 1999 7:50 am**

Yep, sounds all too familiar. The strainer at the fuel tank outlet on my TC
was so cruddy I couldn't believe it could pass any fuel at all. Fact is, I
didn't even know there was a strainer there until it stopped up completely!!
I never have found any mention ot his strainer in any of my books..
Regards,
Carl Fritz

Posted: **Fri Dec 03, 1999 3:07 pm**

Hi guys,
I had the same problem after flushing and sloshing my tank.....The strainer
clogged and gave new meaning to "what the f**k NOW!!!!"
Ray McCrary
"Speed is Life"

----- Original Message -----
From:
To: ;
Cc:
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 9:42 AM
Subject: [mg-tabc] Re: SU Pump Puzzle

> Yep, sounds all too familiar. The strainer at the fuel tank outlet on my
TC
> was so cruddy I couldn't believe it could pass any fuel at all. Fact is,
I
> didn't even know there was a strainer there until it stopped up
completely!!
> I never have found any mention ot his strainer in any of my books..
> Regards,
> Carl Fritz
>
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