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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - carb or fuel starvation problems?

Dear all,

I have a midget 1500 that has given me intermitent trouble on the fuel or Carb front. i can drive of a while with everything going fine but once in a while the car almost dies out then recovers once i have stoped or slowed down i have had one brakedown lately as i had no fuel getting to the carbs, things i have done,
new fuel pump (mech) new flexable fuel lines, old copper line i have left in, taken off the carbs and cleaned and checked them, checked that the float in the float chamber is not stuck, seems okay, after all of this it fired up first time but on taking it for a test run if anything the initial problem seems worse, does any one have anything else i could try

regards scottish douglas
df mccabe

I think what you need to do is when it happens again inspect for the problem. Is the pump ticking? have you fuel flow if you remove the pipe at the carbs ETC ETC.

No doubt someone will say is your fuel cap vented? which you should check.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Hi Douglas,
When fitting the new fuel pump, did you check the length and angle of the lever arm against the original? There are at least two variants, plus some installations use a spacer between the block and the pump body. Wrong combination of parts affects the pump stroke and volume of fuel delivered.

1500, Bob.

Guy
Guy Weller

oops should have spotted 1500 Midget, forget the ticking.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Thanks chaps, first time i have used the forum, Peter, i will try the venting as on one occasion i took the lines off and could not get the fuel to run out of the open fuel line. i checked the length of the lever arm as i replaced the pump, i am however thinking of refitting the old as it has made no diffence anyway, i also have a full set of spare Su 1/2 that i will clean and put on to see if it changes or affects the symptoms.
df mccabe

Douglas,

What is the condition of the heat shield between the carbs and the exhaust manifold?
Deborah Evans

Douglas,
Next time it happens, pull over and run back and open the fuel filler cap. If there is a whoosh, it is not venting properly. On a US-spec unit, it would be a problem with the emissions control stuff, but I am not sure whether you have the same stuff on the UK-spec Midgets. You might also try blowing air (not by mouth!) back through the fuel lines (but NOT through the fuel pump)to clear any debris that might be accumulating.
David "a little fuelish" Lieb
David Lieb

The heat shield is in good order and judging by my run out today the engine never got the chance to reach warm before causing issues
df mccabe

what carbs do you have...the duel Su Hs4 or the stomberg zeinith 150?

How full was your tank today on your drive

Prop
Props Black Hole

I have Su carbs and the tanks was around a quarter full
df mccabe

Hello, Douglas.

I back-flushed the fuel line on my 1500 by using a can of air, such as you'd use to blow fuzzy stuff out of a computer. I disconnected the incoming hose from the pump, inserted the skinny tube from the can, sealed it with a couple of fingers, and hit the button. I had my fuel tank out at the time for cleaning, and the blast of air shot fuel about six feet beyond the rear of the car. So it got a pretty good flushing! You may also want to check for crud in the tank.

Best of luck!

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Dear all,

thanks for all the advice, i am now up and running and the little thing performed well, the last two things tried, unfortunatly i did bothe of these together so don't know if both added to the success of not but changed both Floats and as per gryf sugestion tried the blow back on the fuel line which i think is quite possibly a little gem,

As i new commer i am glad i found the forum and will try to participate on a more regulare basis.

regards

Douglas
df mccabe

This thread was discussed between 21/08/2009 and 22/08/2009

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