A close escape….

Discussion in 'The ones who never made it back' started by Dr a, May 2, 2022.

  1. Weekend in the north lakes, bit of a test run to make sure all is good after a fuel hose replacement job and post winter disinterment.

    All went well for the 1st 100miles or so, then headed to shap abbey and onto Haweswater. Having approached the single track valley of one lane and no phone signal we started to encounter a mild hesitation. This was no great shakes. Checked the vac advance hose was on as it was light throttle only.

    Some 3 miles later up the single track lane of doom we really stuttered. Like proper. In fact we stopped. After a little while and restart we got rolling looking for a safe place to start fiddling. We made the car park at the end (about a mile) using pure downhill momentum… having got there had a rummage around and all seemed fine. Running clean again, so set off up the hill. Made it 400yds and dead as a door nail.
    Pulled the filters and the left hand carb is dry. Not a sausage from the pump jets.
    Not a problem I have a pair of IDF rebuild kits in the box of handy Marmite. Stripped and rebuilt the floats.
    Sorted it’s running! Set of up the hill to catch Claire who was walking out to find signal. 400yds dead as a door nail.
    Illegitimate child.
    Realised we have a fuel starvation issue. So let the pump prime the float bowls and drove out to the hotel in 400yd sections.
    AA man came and pulled it apart with me. Blocked on the tank exit. Quick blast with an air line got us running and we’ve made it home with a little yella van in tow.

    so…. Is it fixed or do I need to pull the tank? Which means an engine pull? So should I do what….
     
    Merlin Cat and Coda like this.
  2. Coda

    Coda Supporter

    Filters are clean then? I'd personally be a little worried there's a load of crud in the tank. Have you run it down to empty recently?
     
  3. Yep. So I could change the lines out….
     
  4. DamonW

    DamonW Supporter

    Have you recently replaced the fuel sender by any chance? As my bus had similar issue and turned out to be a label left on the sender that came off over time and blocked the fuel from tank
     
    Merlin Cat and Dr a like this.
  5. Strip tank out and clean it. check sender etc. while you're there...for peace of mind. You don't want to be in that situation again.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  6. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    I had that blocked filter starvation thing. Noticed the petrol dribbling out of the tank side of the filter had a brownish tint. It would starve out after being driven hard up a hill, die for an hour, then run again.

    On one occasion I cleared it by blowing through some PVC hose in series with the fuel hose from above tank level.. it chose baking hot days to conk out, one time had to complete a 3 point turn across an A road using the starter motor..

    Ended up finding my fuel tank had rusted internally and pinholed in 4 places on top. So end result.. short term new fuel filter. Long term new tank.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.

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