Sat Too Long?

Hello,

I've been making slow progress to get my car rehabilitated and finally had the chance to start it after about six months of sitting with a dead battery and without a fuel tank. I added four gallons of fuel to the tank, used a vacuum tool to suck fuel up to and through the fuel filter, then connect the feed between the engine and the filter.

The car started right up, but idled a bit rough. I figured this was normal after a fuel filter change. It's been a while since I ran the car WITHOUT the lift pump. Now I have the standard fuel sender and no lift pump to prime fuel for me. Anyway, the car stalled after a minute or two, right as I was noticing a LOT of air in the fuel hose. I thought perhaps the fuel filter needed another prime. Nope, plenty of fuel at the filter outlet.

Each restart resulted in a shorter and shorter run. Now the car won't even start. Do I have an air leak? Or might the injection pump be bad? If a bad IP, would the clear fuel line be empty, with almost no fuel in it, suggesting the IP is not sucking fuel? Or would the fuel be in the hose and just not moving? Does the empty fuel line point more toward an air leak?

How do I rule out the IP or confirm it? Perhaps start and run the car from another fuel source that bypasses the entire fuel system before the IP? The car ran fine before I parked it in January.

Thanks!

Scott

I would rig up a "IV" to replace the fuel system - have the fuel going into the IP. If it works, then start searching for the blockage.

But you can draw the fuel through the filter, right?

So while the car sat were the fuel lines at the rear covered or plugged to keep stuff out? If not I would probably discon the fuel filter and push some cleaner out through the back of the car. If they were plugged then you should be fine.

Since you have bubbles in the line I would definitely check the connections all through the system, especially the ones at the rear that were opened and the ones at the fuel filter since you replaced it, you do have an air leak somewhere. I'd also check the o-ring for the thermo T fitting at the filter to make sure it's not broken or rotted. It might be a new filter (as in unusued) but it also might have sat on the shelf for a while depending on where you got it.

You might also check to see if the one way valves at the tank are working properly, especially the supply side.

Once you find the air leaks it'll run.

Steve

Hello,

Thanks for the input:

rdkern said:

I would rig up a "IV" to replace the fuel system - have the fuel going into the IP. If it works, then start searching for the blockage.

Click to expand...

That's the plan. I CAN draw fuel through the filter. That was the first problem I suspected. But a handheld vacuum pump draws fuel just fine.

Steve Addy said:

So while the car sat were the fuel lines at the rear covered or plugged to keep stuff out?

Click to expand...

No. Unfortunately, the tank was out a lot longer than I had planned. I suppose there could be something in the hose. But, if that was the case, then it would seem unlikely that I'd be able to pull fuel through the filter, right? Perhaps there's a restriction?

Steve Addy said:

If not I would probably discon the fuel filter and push some cleaner out through the back of the car. If they were plugged then you should be fine.

Click to expand...

I'll try that if I can get the car to run straight from a jug of fuel. I'll also back-blow the fuel lines with compressed air and then reprime everything.

Thanks for the other tips. My fuel filter does not have an o-ring. I got rid of the thermo-T when I converted to a fuel cooler. Here's a photo:



Looking at that hose feeding the fuel filter, it's not hard to imagine that it could be leaking air with all the cracks in it. That hose is only four inches long and easily replaced. That'll happen first.

I have a bunch of fuel hose as well as clear hose. I'll be able to do plenty of testing and see where fuel flows with and without bubbles. After thinking this through, I'm more confident that my IP is fine. I just need to clear out the air leaks. I be really certain if the car runs with a direct connection.

Thanks for the info and priming my thoughts!

Scott

I suspect the IP seals. Hook up your mityvac to the return fitting of the injection pump (the small nippled) and clamp the large return line headed back to the filter (blocking flow). Note the presence of bubbled in the supply line versus what you are seeing in your mityvac line. If the seals are really dried out you won't get ANY flow through the filter, only sucking air.

I have a fuel bulb (for a boat tank) that I have for these instances. I hook it up between the filter and IP and use it to prime the IP by pushing fuel into the IP rather than trying to suck fuel through it.

Good luck.

I sounds like a plan to me. Isolate the problem.

Give it a go, my only concern is running unfiltered fuel...

Steve

That's been considered already. I have a clear fuel filter that I will place inline with the hose. The debris I saw in my fuel jug convinced me that was absolutely necessary. I need to clean out the jug before I refill it.

Can you disconnect the return line going back to the tank and run that to a container. Then take compressed air and send it through that line to the tank effectively pressurizing the tank which will force fuel and the trapped air beyond the IP and out into the catch container?

That might work although I don't know anything about how the tank vents to say for sure.

As a side note there are those one way valves in the fuel line that only allow fuel to flow to the filter on the supply side and to the tank on the return line, so flushing anything back to the tank via the supply line will be difficult.

Steve

Hello,

Got it started. It was a combination of two air leaks. See a video at http://youtu.be/np9uK3pEBIU

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

Scott

Glad to see her active again, I saw a set of the 14" polished wheel you had on her for a long time forsale the other day and thought of your old setup.

Thanks, Frank. I still have lots of the LeCastellets. They don't seem to sell, possibly because everyone wants larger wheels these days. I family friend's kid just got her first car, an old Honda Del Sol with 13-inch steelies. I think a set of LeCastellets will fit her hubs. So I'll probably give her a set.

Watch you start a Honda trend

Stealth TDI said:

Thanks, Frank. I still have lots of the LeCastellets. They don't seem to sell, possibly because everyone wants larger wheels these days. I family friend's kid just got her first car, an old Honda Del Sol with 13-inch steelies. I think a set of LeCastellets will fit her hubs. So I'll probably give her a set.

Click to expand...

The LeCas is the best Mk2 (and B3) wheel out there for stock size. They're the lightest and forged and I believe in South Africa they were stock wheels on the Mk2 GTI. They also look good on a VW Fox.



Steve

PS - sorry didn't mean to hijack thread....