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Post by mike on May 22, 2019 5:43:50 GMT
Hi everyone-
Driving my 1967 Morris 1800 from Cardiff to Wolverhampton last week, first journey in a year, at the junction of the M5- M42 the engine died. Quite scary having to coast across 3 lanes to the side [no hard shoulder] with a dead engine. Highways Agency towed me to the safety of hard shoulder and AA relay took me to next services. Patrol man turned up and diagnosed fuel- went under the back and said there was power to the pump as he had a spark!!!
He had car running and left- I drove back towards M5 and same again engine died. AA relay then picked me up and took car and I on to Aldridge trimmers where it now is.
Question is there any kind air intake into the petrol tank to relieve vacuum? I can't get to the car until the trimmers finished - know the pump should be ok as it has only done a few hundred miles since rebuild.
I would like to praise the Highways Agency for their help they really dp a great job.
Any guesses anyone
best wishes
Mike
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Post by andrewa on May 22, 2019 19:13:28 GMT
I have no idea if the tank is vented or not so not much help!
Some more description of engine dying would be helpful - did it just cut out, splutter and then give up or something else.
May well just be muck in the fuel line/carburettor so a clean out and in line fuel filter may do the trick.
I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along before too long!
Good luck
Andrew
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Post by Penguin45 on May 22, 2019 23:41:44 GMT
Everything Andrew has said is correct. The tank has a breather coming up which should be visible in the top of the fuel neck as a small tube. It sometimes spits a bit of fuel when you fill the tank. The rubber seal in the cap should have a small breather hole in it.
It's such a simple set up I'd be looking for blockages at the carb. If you haven't got a fuel filter in the line, fit one regardless of whether that's the problem or not.
Chris.
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Post by mike on May 23, 2019 5:20:40 GMT
Thanks guys
The car just died, no spluttering etc and it has a fuel filter. Bit frustrating at the moment as its at the trimmers but trying to gather information for when I can collect!!!
Take care
Mike
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Post by andrewa on May 23, 2019 6:13:21 GMT
Oh no - thought it might be simple!
I've had similar over the years and it's been on different occasions - overheating coil, ok when cool and then gives up the ghost (but normally manifests with hot start problems), intermittently duff fuel pump, fuel pump mounted incorrectly, play in ignition switch and more often than not something simple like a loose electrical connection. Are you on points and condenser or electronic?
If you're convinced it's fuel, what's the pump and where's the filter....it might be crap in the tank so a filter between tank and pump might help.
If I were you I'd start at the battery and work through and rule out all dodgy connections, suspect components and so on and go from there.
I hate these sorts of problems so you have my sympathy as they seem to have a mind of their own and only manifest when you least want them and then refuse to replicate when trying to fix.
Good luck.
Andrew
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Post by foglaursen on May 23, 2019 7:56:51 GMT
Symptoms are the same as you get with a faulty electronic ignition. Peter  |
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Post by mike on May 23, 2019 8:15:55 GMT
P.S.
Forgot to mention that AA man checked spark at plugs and found good healthy spark!
take care
Mike
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Post by snoopy11 on May 23, 2019 10:30:05 GMT
If it’s got plenty of fuel in the tank and it’s showing fuel in the filter I would assume it’s getting fuel to the carburettor from the pump.
I would look in the float chamber and see if there is dirt in the bottom of there. It won’t take much to block the outlet and pipe to the needle.
If there is a blockage in there this would reduce the symptoms you describe as the engine will simply be starved of fuel.
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Post by paddymk2 on May 24, 2019 3:04:31 GMT
Hi Mike - that kind of vacuum thing did happen to me once in my old Renault 12 on the M5 just after the M42 junction (maybe its the road.)
The car stopped; power died off - like running out of petrol.
The very nice AA man came along opened the petrol cap and it quickly started.
It never happened again and I don't know if he wiped dirt (rust bucket) out of the way.
I'm not sure if it was a known issue with those cars or if it was just on his list to check. It would be interesting to know if you cleaned up around there and if the breather tube can collapse or shift(?)
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Post by mike on May 24, 2019 5:36:01 GMT
Thanks all for help and support- its so frustrating at the moment I'm in Cardiff - car in Wolverhampton at the trimmers cant go and have a fiddle until they finish. Will report back when I am able to track down and [hopefully] fix the nproblem
best wishes
Mike
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Post by dave1800 on May 24, 2019 7:24:27 GMT
Still don't rule out ignition issues. I have had experience of a car that had a good spark when tested with the engine not running but it wouldn't start. After taking apart most of the fuel system I changed the coil in desperation and it started straight up. The failed coil also showed the correct resistance on both primary and secondary windings. Usually an instant cut out means electrical but fuelling is often associated with a few seconds of spluttering. Electronic ignition failures can occur if the unit or coil overheat and can recover when cooled down again. If you have a tachometer fitted it can go wild just before the unit cuts out. Good luck David P.S. Forgot to mention that AA man checked spark at plugs and found good healthy spark! take care Mike |
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Post by rosieuk on May 24, 2019 7:36:10 GMT
I had one experience with an SD1 2300 that sounds almost identical. It just stopped stone dead - no warning - on the way to either a wedding or a funeral I can't remember which. Somewhere 30mph in Ipswich.
It turned out to be the rotor arm on the distributor had broken inside. It's a bit different to yours since it wouldn't restart. I'd also be looking at something electrical other than fuel.
Was the engine running unusually hot at the time?
Id look at coil & condenser and engine earths. We had a weird problem with a Vauxhall Carlton 2.2i once - it would stumble on hard acceleration - turned out the fuel pump earth had broken and the mech said the fuel flow was causing static in the body of the pump and driving it haywire.
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Post by mike on May 24, 2019 9:36:22 GMT
wow
When I can have access to car will check all suggestions will pack spare condenser, points, rotor arm coil and HT leads.
One thing I realised is that I don't carry a Hi-viz waistcoat in the car will rectify not expensive but well worth it- hope you all have hi viz protection in cars- also recently fitted a hazard warning light set up also well worth it.
Happy motoring
Mike
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Post by andrewa on May 24, 2019 16:50:54 GMT
Hi viz good idea - even more so now that hard shoulders are seen as an anachronism and are an endangered species in our neck of the woods - such wisdom - like making old cars MOT exempt!
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Post by rosieuk on May 24, 2019 18:22:40 GMT
Hi viz good idea - even more so now that hard shoulders are seen as an anachronism and are an endangered species in our neck of the woods - such wisdom - like making old cars MOT exempt! It makes little matter on the MOT - neighbour girl downstairs is driving around on a broken front spring and has brake lights out |
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