8 replies to this topic

[deviant]

Very quick question.

 

Mini conked out on the way home a few weeks ago.

 

Whilst on the side of the road, I checked the usual things as to why it was not firing.

 

- Strong Spark

- Turning over

- No fuel to cylinders

 

So yesterday I decided to have a quick look at why there was no fuel. 

 

- disconnected the fuel pump outlet, turned over - fuel present

- disconnected the fuel inlet to the carb, turned over - fuel present

- removed the float from the carb, turned over - fuel present

- put everything back, turned over - fires for a second or two, then dies off

 

One mate has recommended rebuilding the carb, which I am happy to do, but before setting aside a day this weekend, is there anything else that's worth a look before doing so? (i.e. blasting everything with some carb cleaner?)

 

Thanks in advance.

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[6joshh6]

I had a similar problem when my mini drew a load of rust up from the tank and it clogged up the bottom of the float bowl. I'd drain all the fuel out the float bowl. If it is blocked up just give it a good clean and make sure you get a new fuel filter to stop a repeat performance.

[lrostoke]

Have you emptied some fuel out of the float chamber in the photo, because nowhere near enough in there ??..

[finch661]

blocked jet! quick test is pour a tiny amount of petrol down the carb elbow and see if it fires. if so then the jet is blocked.

 

as said above rust in the tank goes into the carb and blocks the jet. put an inline fuel filter before the carb!

[Carlsmini]

My friend had a similar problem. Turned out his fuel line/pipe was blocked. He cut it off and it was so blocked, the petrol just dripped out of the pipe rather than pouring through.

Good luck tho.

[deviant]

Thanks for the responses guys. Could well be a blocked jet. I'll get an inline filtered ordered up. 

 

I have not emptied the bowl, that's how much was in there when I removed the float. 

to clean the crud out of the jet/float bowl, is it a remove the carb job?

 

Thanks again.

[lrostoke]

you've not got enough fuel in your float bowl.

 

When you remove the float lid and crank over does fuel come out then, and how much, should be quite a lot.

 

If you remove the large dome on the carb, you can pull out the piston/needle unit. You'll then see a hole in the middle of the carb where the needle came out..

 

With the lid off the float chamber use some sort of aerosol cleaner and squirt it down the hole, should clean any grudge back towards the float chamber.

 

I've got an air compressor so I use that :)

Edited by lrostoke, 10 July 2013 - 01:39 PM.

[surfblue63]

As there is not much fuel in the float chamber I would make sure the float need is not sticking/or blocked. Once checked you will need to check the float needle gap and adjust as required.

 

Nice load of info here on carb maintenance and repair.

 

http://sucarb.co.uk/...ion-adjustments

[deviant]

Thanks very much for the help guys. 

 

After the earlier suggestions, I cleaned out the float bowl, emptied half of carb cleaner into the float/float bowl and connections, tried a few more times and still no luck.

 

I then had an idea of filling the float bowl with fuel, so after a quick trip to the petrol station, filled up the float bowl and replaced the float. 10 seconds of turning over and the car kicked into life (running slightly rich). It then all settled down and ran on idle for a good 5-10 minutes whilst I had a cup of tea. 

 

So, looks to be mostly sorted. I will, however, probably still do a carb rebuild (or at least replace the float bowl gasket as it's knackered).

 

Thanks for all the help!