Intermittent fuel issue - IIA/2.25 petrol/weber 34ICH/mechanical fuel pump

[cgalpin]

To avoid hijacking a related thread on warm start issues, I will start one for an intermittent fuel issue I have been having.

The truck always idles great, starts right up (unless warm start after a short stop, see http://forums.roversnorth.com/showth...4690#post84690).

However, in a seeming random fashion it will go from running great to having no power without the choke all the way out. By no power I mean even in neutral if you blip the throttle it will stutter like it's not getting fuel. I have noticed that it can start happening by simply hitting a bump (my springs are rusted/stiff and the rear will bounce easily). It can last a long time in either state, or switch back and forth relatively quickly like in alternating trips).

It will seemingly randomly self correct as well. Just recently I was idling or at near idle for a few minutes while my daughter was practicing parking, and although it had been in the "choke on" mode up until that point, I tried without it and it was fine. Not sure when exactly it self corrected but it did.

Because it is intermittent I am hesitant to blame the carb, although I have a rebuild kit and if it comes to it I'll rebuild it. It has a generic Purolator filter right before the carb and I recently replaced it but the problems still occurred after. It's the clear kind and usually it sits about half full. The old one looked well used but no obvious signs of dirt in it.

The truck is running fine at the moment, but while doing other maintenance I did notice a bunch of crap in the fuel pump sediment bowl which I have since removed.



If you have any idea what the yellow looking material is, please let me know.

Other than inspecting the tank for issues, does anyone have any suggestions?

TIA,
charles

[yorker]

That really looks like you might be losing the lining in your tank(if it has been lined with something like Kreem). Or someone filled the tank with a jerry can that was losing its lining some of them had a cream colored lining.

[cgalpin]

Thanks, I'll check out the tank sometime. Any advice on the best way to do this? It looks like the only decent sized hole is the filler neck, so I'll need to drop it to get a good look. The fuel level gauge hole might be big enough to get a peek in I guess.

[yorker]

you can peek in the pickup tube hole or the gauge float hole too. They would be easier.

[cgalpin]

The pickup hole looked tiny and I didn't want to disturb the gauge since it all works so well right now I'll do the gauge hole I guess.

[giftshopduane]

That really looks like you might be losing the lining in your tank(if it has been lined with something like Kreem). Or someone filled the tank with a jerry can that was losing its lining some of them had a cream colored lining.

+1

Good luck getting it cleaned out, if it's the case I'm not sure how its done. New tank cheap from RN. It certainly would explain a lot.

[jonnyc]

Take the whole pick-up tube out and see of there is a screen on the tip. It might need cleaning, as well as flushing out the tank. Is there a drain at the bottom of your tank? If so, I would drain and flush it out. I've never seen that much crap come out of a tank before.

[stomper]

As others have said, peek in through the pick up tube hole with a flashlight. drain the tank, and see what you have left. Some people have had good luck with droping the tank, and placing a chain inside. then just shake the tank until you are exhausted. Clean and refit.

[cgalpin]

Thanks guys

Yes I'm definitely going to have to do this but it might be a couple of weeks before I get a chance as I have to finish up work on my defender first and want to have one running while I work on the other.

But my problem came back yesterday. Not 100% sure if it was the reason, but it was at highway speed on a bumpy section of road, so it certainly sounds like it's crap in the fuel.

I'll let you know once I get back to it.

[martindktm]

HAve you opened the top of the carburator to clean the bowl inside? Weber 34ich has his main jet at the bottom and can get dirty pretty easy.

[Partsman]

HAve you opened the top of the carburator to clean the bowl inside? Weber 34ich has his main jet at the bottom and can get dirty pretty easy.

This is true, and if you're sucking junk out of the tank, it can certainly be a major contributor to your problem.

[cgalpin]

No, to be honest I have been hesitant to open it up as I don't want to make things worse . I did pull the idle jet and check it.

When my defender is back on the road I'll bite the bullet and open it up as well as check the tank. No point cleaning the carb if there is still gunk in the tank.

I am not sure how much fuel you would normally see in the filter but yesterday I checked the level before starting and it was extremely low. But it started right up and even after idling for a bit the level didn't increase. I assume this indicated a clog somewhere downstream, or the pump failing. But as I said it was running in it's poor state and even blipping the throttle the engine stuttered. I revved it up good and proper a few times and it cleared up. Mid way through a short trip, she started running poorly again which I guess means gunk making it to the jets again

[ghettoct]

i had a similar problem with my ex-mod 109, it ended up being a partial occlusion at the pickup tube, fuel line connection on top of tank, took the fitting off and had some rusty bits caked on, with a small hole that would occasionally clog and cut fuel off, when i shut engine off the hole would open or clear just enough to start and run but when i got up to 55 mph it would suck it close and starve fuel.

tank is now clear for most part but my pick up tube had no screen on allowing small rust up. took a pick up tube scren off an old mustang sending unit and put on end.

good luck on your fix.

[cgalpin]

Well, I looked in the tank and although there was some rust, it had nothing like the stuff I found in the fuel bowl (it is not lined), and the fuel was crystal clear. I pulled the tank anyway and shook a chain around in it for a bit. Admittedly the only chain I had was rusty so I think most of the rust came off it, but the exercise did produce some rust. I was amazed that the fuel I used to rinse it with never cleared and the rust has remained suspended in it, even after several days.

I really don't think this is the cause of my problem and don't want to try line it or anything right now. There is no filter on the pickup tube but I don't think there is room for one either. I'll check the right angle joint where the plastic tube fits and make sure it's clear next, otherwise I'll look to the carb next.

Could my fuel pump be failing?

Here is what my tank looked like prior to cleaning



And this is after. It doesn't look any better, I know

[SafeAirOne]

As rusty tanks go, that one's not too bad at all.