13 replies to this topic

[Steve-O 2014]

The Mini seems to idle fine in the drive but then once its under load going down the road it will only get 1/4 mile or so and then give in on life and require towing back OR be left for 5 - 10 mins and then it will run again (tick over fine or again only drive under load for a little while on the road)

 

The fuel tank vent is all clean so its not that and there was no rush of air when taking the tank cap off.

 

The car is running an electronic pump and regulator set at 2.5 but it seems to make a horrible noise some times (yet the pump looks brand new). It makes a quiet hum when its loaded with fuel but then sometimes it makes a horrible rattle that vibrates through the car (which sounds like the pump is empty and why its making that noise). The Pump is mounted on the bulkhead near the Carb and it uses a filter before it and a filter before that filter at the tank.

 

I was going to try plumbing the old mechanical one back in.

 

I dont think its the carb as it did the same with the HIF44 that was on and now I fitted the HIF38 and its still the same

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

Thanks

 

--edit-- oh its a 998

Edited by Steve-O 2014, 31 March 2014 - 08:12 PM.

[Tamworthbay]

It could be vapour lock - check that none of the fuel lines runs close to the exhaust or hot parts of the engine. What happens is that the fuel lines get heated and the fuel vaporises causing the car to stall. It will only restart when the lines are cool enough. It can cause the noises from the pump you mention as the pump tries and fails to pump against the pressure that builds up.

[sledgehammer]

as you have tried 2 carbs , it would be rare to have the same fault - unless dirty from the fuel

 

I wonder if you have dirty fuel / water in fuel

 

also manifold heating underside of carb too much , boiling fuel (can happen with external float chamber - not so sure about internal)

 

I would pump fuel into clean container - check its clear & constant flow from pump / reg

 

another thing is the markings on the reg (2.5 psi ?) or is it a pressure gauge ?

 

if just markings - I would try at 3 psi - markings could be out , so not filling bowl when under load

Edited by sledgehammer, 31 March 2014 - 08:39 PM.

[dklawson]

I disagree about vapor lock.  You said you have an electric pump.  If this is mounted at the rear of the car it will be operating as a "pusher" (the way pumps work best).  When the pump is pushing through a hot zone as opposed to sucking through it, the fuel is much less likely to vaporize.  I also doubt it is hot enough at this time of year (even in proximity to the manifold or downpipe) for vapor lock to be a problem.

 

Which electric pump do you have that "hums"?  Facets typically click or knock when they run.  Gearotor pumps typically make a whirring sound but I would not think they are too common in the U.K.  Regardless, the pump should not change and ocassionaly make a lot of racket.

 

If you have an HS series carb, the next time the car dies, remove the float bowl lid to see if there is fuel in the bowl.  If there is no fuel, look for plugged filters, collapsed lines, plugged float valves, and possible pump failure.  Since the pump is electric it will be easy to test.  When the engine dies, remove the fuel line from the carb and aim it into a catch jar.  Turn the key to the run position to see if the pump is moving any fuel.   However, for this test to be meaningful you must first eliminate the possibility of plugged filters and kinked fuel lines.

 

If you find fuel in the bowl when the engine dies, look carefully at the ignition system.  If the distributor uses points, check and regap them as necessary.  Points can close up while driving and open just a bit on cooling to allow the engine to restart. 

 

Do you have a tachometer fitted?  If so, keep an eye on the tach when driving.  If you feel the engine dieing, look at the tach.  If the needle is slowly dropping down as the engine comes to a stop, you have a fuel related problem.  If the tach needle is bouncing radically or drops like a stone when the engine is dieing, that suggests a failure in the ignition system low-tension circuit.

[Steve-O 2014]

I think its fuel related, Took the fuel pipe off, aimed it into a jug and turned the ignition on (which turns the pump on), nothing came out for about 20 seconds where the pump made the loud knocking noise and then it went to a quiet noise (like it was primed with fuel) and a very very slow dribble of fuel appeared, If I aimed the pipe any other angle than down (eg slightly up then nothing would come out.

 

I watched this video on youtube and it flowed nothing like this one at all - 

 

[Steve-O 2014]

the fuel also has very small brown sediment in the bottom and thats after its been through 2 fuel filters before reaching the pump 

[dklawson]

If you have two fileters inline... replace them both and try again.

 

I have a coarse, transparent filter before my fuel pump to catch boulders and a fine, translucent, disposable filter right before the carbs to catch silt.  If your car's fuel tank is full of rust and/or dirt, you may have simply plugged the fuel filter.  Filters cost a lot less than pumps so it is in your best interest to start by replacing them.  

 

EDIT:  I asked earlier what type/brand of pump you had.  If you have a Facet your pump should work exactly as shown in the video you provided the link to.  There are other types of pumps that will not move fuel in such well defined spurts but all should move fuel in the sort of volume shown in the video.

Edited by dklawson, 01 April 2014 - 12:26 PM.

[sledgehammer]

wonder if the sediment is stopping the valve in the pump seating fully ,

 

slowing priming & letting fuel back past it

 

I would get the tank out , clean it out & new filters & blow fuel line out

 

Best of luck

Edited by sledgehammer, 01 April 2014 - 07:32 PM.

[dklawson]

Steve-O has started a new thread focusing on the fuel pump itself.  The link below is for the current, actively running thread.

http://www.theminifo...acet-fuel-pump/

[Steve-O 2014]

Took the rear filter off and loads of rust fell out the pipe from tank anf then fuel flowed out freely so looks like that was the problem.

Thanks

[dklawson]

Posting the final results is always very helpful for those searching threads in the future.  Thanks for posting what you found wrong!

[ukshadow]

Hi I'm running a facet pump on my estate/van 1330 with a hiff44 carb I have it mounted in the spare wheel well and when I start hitting 35/40 mph it struggles and I have to pull over and let it tick over a bit then I can set off again it's a new pump only been running it a week the tank is clean the 1st couple of days it was ok but now it's started doing this. Does anybody have any ideas as to why it's happening.

[Minigirl]

Do you have a filter fitted before the Pump?? Get a glass one fitter that can be rebuilt, this is the 3rd time I have cleaned the filter out as it catches so much rust!! 

[ukshadow]

It's just the little metal 1 that came with the pump but I will get a glass 1 like you say thanx