7 replies to this topic

[peasoup39]

Progress on the big restoration of my 1978 Clubman estate continues apace.

Tried to fire up the engine toiday to no avail. Squirt of spray start would get it to run for a few seconds but then nothing.

Checked the float chamber. Empty.?. Engine not run since rebuild so give the fuel pump a few taps. no defference.  Used the compressor to pressurise the tank with float chamber open and all i got was air comming through to the float. Yes i have put plenty of fuel in. Only thing i can think of is the pick up pipe inside the has either fallen off or become perforated.  When i had the tank off i cleaned it out to make sure there was no rust inside . There was not signs of rust and no sign of a broken or rusted pick up pipe inside. I would not expect it to rust as it spends its life immersed in petrol..

Anyone had similar problems or got suggestions as to what to try next

[absx2]

Sounds like the pickup pipe has broken off or corroded

Try blowing through the carb end of the pipe and listen for bubbles

Are you sure the union is done up tight as it needs to be perfectly sealed to work.

Failing that it has to be an issue with the internal pick up pipe.

[mini-mad-mark]

Ah - I may be able to assist having had the same issue.

 

Have you moved/removed the external fuel pipe from the tank?  The internal pick up pipe (L shaped pipe) in my old tank was a loose one so moving the external fuel pipe union (whilst I was connecting the flexi pipe) turned the internal pipe so it was pointing up into air and not down into fuel. 

 

I didn't realise it was loose as it was sort of gummed in with thread sealant from the external pipe union that someone had used previously used

 

As mentioned above if you blow down the fuel line you should hear fuel bubbling in the tank (remove the filler cap!) If you don't hear it (assuming you can blow through so the fuel line isn't blocked) then your pipe is in air not fuel.

 

Remove the union and fiddle with the internal pipe until it points downwards but how you know if it is pointing vertically down.....

I actually took the tank out so I could see what was happening properly to the internal pipe by looking through the sender hole.

 

Then my tank got a leak and in the new one the internal pick up pipe seems to be fixed/welded

[mini-mad-mark]

and in the new tank the pick up pipe has a mesh filter over the end which the old one didn't (as it had to pass through the female union)

[peasoup39]

I think you may have hit thw problem. Only BMC could have come up with such a stupid idea of not fixing the pipe in the only position it can work. I had to tap the thread in the tank to clean it so i may have moved the pick up. Really annoyed as i have refitted the tank and from what i assumed would be a tricky job it turned out to be very straightforward. However if it solves the problem its an easy fix.to take it out again.

Thank you for that information

[cal844]

We had to suck the fuel through from the carb end, it worked to get the engine running.

Yes not very good if you get it in your mouth BUT if you don't have a vacuum bleeder then you'll not be able to get the fuel through

Edited by cal844, 23 August 2022 - 04:28 PM.

[peasoup39]

Super mini mad was right or in my case almost right. Stripped out the tank and found the pick up pipe was loose except it would not turn as there is a baffle plate from preventing it from turning . However as it was loose it would allow air to be sucked through rather than fuel as this was the point of least resistance. Now sealed the end of the pipe very carefully with epoxy resin to make it airtight so hopefully will solve the problem.

[peasoup39]

Problem solved. The pipe being loose at the top was alowing air to be sucked up rather than petrol. Sealed the pipe in the union with epoxy and i now have petrol coming through.Even better news is that it was the first real engine start after complete rebuild and it is running like a watch. After 2 years work it should hit the road in the next 2 weeks