Typical

[Steve]

My car is usually reliable, however went out in it last night and it broke down. Seems to be a fuel problem. Does any one else have a problem if the fuel runs low. It seems as if I have an air lock, it will run on tick over but as soon as yet put your foot down it cuts out.
Steve

 

[Danny]

yeah I drilled 2 holes in my filler cap... no problem now!

Danny

 

[Phaeton]

Steve,

Do you have a fuel filter somewhere, could be it's blocked if been stood over winter.

Alan...

 

[Steve]

I've been using it over the winter and it has all been fine. I have a breather pipe from the top of the tank and there is a fuel filter and there is fuel in it, but it only seems to get half full. Last time it happened (a few years ago) the only way I could get it sorted was to manually fill the carb and back fill the pipes to make sure there was no air in them. Don't know if that was the problem but it seemed to work afterwards. Just trying to get it sorted without taking things apart.
Why does it always happen when a show is coming up?

 

[Phaeton]

How about oil in the dashpot?

Alan...

 

[Steve]

Right
I've changed the pipes because they were starting to crack, at the same time I have changed to an electric pump. There is oil in the dash pot.
It started after a few turns, left it ticking over on the drive for a bit. Then decided to take it for a run around the block. Got about 100 yards and it cut out.
Pushed it back to the house and put it away.
Help

 

[Danny]

ok

so lets think what have you changed prior to this?

ooooh have you taken the air filter off and seen how far you can get?

are the vacuum hoses effective?

Danny

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Yeah, check the vacuum advance hose because if that's leaky or not on properly then your dizzy won't be able to spark correctly when you gun it. It could be something else dizzy related too ???
Max

 

[Phaeton]

Steve,

If you think it's fuel related, put some petrol in a can & divert your fuel line into it away from the filters & existing system & try that. But as Max says if you have points, new set, condenser & plugs is another place to start.

Alan...

 

[Mini Mad Max]

How does it cut out though, is it:
a) your at low revs go to add power and it cuts out
b) you can pootle pretty nicely about using low and medium rev range but as soon as you gun it at full throttle it dies.
Both could be caused by the fuel mix being to lean but the second one could be electrical as well.
Hope that is of some help,
Max

 

[Danny]

oooh when mine is cold it does not tick over its a bitch to start maybe over choked?

Danny

 

[Steve]

Thanks for your thoughts guys.
I have not been able to work on the car today but will be trying some of your suggestions tomorrow. I have already bought spark plugs, rotor arm, contacts etc ready to get on to it first thing in the morning.
I will let you know how I get on.
Thanks again.

 

[Steve]

Been working on the Buggy most of the day. Bad news.
I have changed the plugs, put a new rota arm in, no points (that I could find)never used a distributor like this before. Took the bottom off the carb then made sure the petrol pump was running, Fuel was coming through.
Made sure all hoses, pipes were blown through and clear. Put it back together and turned it over. Started fine ran on tick over fine, revved it up and it was still fine. So I went for a run and I got about half a mile and it cut out. I started it again and crawled very slowly home (cutting out a couple of times on the way). Since then I have only been able to start it and let it tick over. Some times it will tick over fine and some times it will cut out after a short while.
Don't know what to do next.
Please Help.

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Ok... telling my dad this now he smiled and said he had the same problem once on his mini. He says it was due to a leaky inlet manifold. When the engine is cold it works fine, but once it warms up it isn't as the inlet manifold starts to suck in warm air off the exhaust manifold and makes the mixture very weak and so when it's warmed up and it cuts out, it will do it again and again untill it's cooled down.
To fix it, it may need either a new gasket (probably not, but i'f you do decide to get new gaskets then it may be a good idea to use hylomar gasket sealant when you bolt it all back up) or to re-tighten the nuts on the headstuds really tight. He also said that sometimes there could be a slight difference of thickness of the flanges of the inlet manifold and the exhaust manifold (being bigger) and so even if the inlet manifold seems like it's nice and tight there may be a gap big enough to suck air in.
What ever the problem of those three, sounds exaclty like the same gremlins that my dad had.
Hope that helps,
Max

 

[Steve]

Thanks Max (and your Dad).
I will try anything to get it running before Stoneleigh.

 

[Phaeton]

Might be inlet gasket but as you've not taken it off I would be surprised, what you could do it once started & warm spray inlet with WD40 if the engine note changes then it's leaking. CAREFUL not to get too much on exhaust manifold. Which carb have you got HIF or HS

Alan...

 

[Steve]

Alan
I have the HIF carb.

 

[Phaeton]

I think it's likely to be a blocked jet, but what do I know, I've replaced, plugs, leads, dizzy cap, dizzy arm, coil, airfilter, fuel filter, pipes, rebuilt carb & paid for 2 rolling road sessions to try to find out why mine decides to cut out when it wants to.

Alan...

 

[wurzell]

Assuming that youve exhausted all the "normal" problem areas, might be worth taking the bottom plate off of the Hif Carb...
Sometimes the sediment well fills up with crud, this can cause problems with the mixture, etc...
Also, these Carbs are renowned for problems to do with the Jet and Float. Easy to remove these, common sense stuff, check that the float is not punctured (hold it under water and look for telltale bubbles escaping), check how bad the actual Jet has been worn (it will look oval) as the Needle is sprung to one side, against the Jet, and they ALL wear out eventually..
Also check that the Float Needle Valve is not badly worn, and seals properly when closed, or your just dribbling Fuel into the Carb/Engine, makes them run massively rich all the time..
Also, a lot/most? Hif's have a bi metallic temperature strip/bracket fitted, which alters the bias/angle/position of the Jet at certain temperatures, all to do with the viscosity of the fuel at certain temperatures.
When Engine is cold this sets the Jet in one position, which then alters automatically as the temperature rises, and the Fuel viscosity lowers..
These regularly cause all sorts of Fuelling problems, Burlen Fuel Services at Salisbury can supply all these Carb parts.. 
Clean/swill out everything with clean petrol, refit it all, big black rubber 'O' ring seal to close it all up.. 
New Jet, Needle, Float Valve & Seat, gasket/seal, etc, all reasonably cheap and cheerful....

 

[Danny]

ooooh that also reminds me on teh way to newark one year with simons! The needle kept jaming shut!

Danny