I think I have my previous starting issues ironed out, new starter motor and bush seems to have done the trick. The problem I have now is random cutting out while I'm driving along.

I was thinking maybe it was a sticky needle valve, so checked it out and it did appear to be a bit sticky so I replaced it. Thinking that I got it sorted, I decided to take the car to work today. It ran lovely for about 20 miles, had a little stutter but carried on and I made it to work.

Coming home, I did about 15 miles and then it cut out. I thought I'd do some roadside diagnosis, so took the top of the carb off and sure enough the float chamber was empty although the needle valve looked loose and fine. I noticed that there wasn't much fuel in the see through fuel filter. But a few cranks and the filter was full again and the car started, I drove about another 5 miles and it cut out again.

So, top off the carb again and it was empty, fuel filter empty again. So thinking that maybe it was a fuel pipe blockage I sucked down the pipe and promptly got a mouth full of petrol (I'm still doing petrol burps now). So no blockage in the fuel pipe.

So next, I took the outlet from the fuel pump and put into a little tub, turned the engine over for about 10 seconds and there was nothing in the tub, it was bone dry. Another 10 seconds turning it over and the tub was still dry. I took the pump apart and all the diaphrams look like new, the lever in the bottom was free and it made pumping noises when I pushed the lever in the bottom. Put the pump back on, turned it over and there was still nothing coming from the pump outlet.

By this time I'd had enough of roadside diagnosis, so poored a cap full of petrol into the float chamber of the carb. The car started up fine and I then drove approx another 10 miles without it stopping.

It's as though the pump isn't working all the time, but it's mechanical so not sure how that could happen.

Any ideas? :?

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Sounds like it may be Fuel lines blocked, disconnect pipe from pump to tank, try blowing down pipe, someone else listens for bubbles from tank. If bubbles: fuel lines ok, check circlip hasnt come off rod that goes through pump, allowing rod to go half in/ half out, stopping fuel pump working Sounds like it may be that.If no bubbles,pipe blocked. May be worth a try:?:

I´ve heard of people having crud floating about in the tank which will periodically float over the pickup and block it. Take a look inside with a torch and check for foreign bodies.

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I could blow down the pipe and hear bubbles, plus suck and get a mouthful of petrol. The circlip was still in place.

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I´d still take a peek inside with a torch, as it´s free floating crud that will cause a periodic problem. And it costs nothing and takes no time at all to cross off the list.

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Just a small idea: is the tank vented?
Don't know about the later pumps but my 54 pump needed some pre-pressurising when assembling.
There's a special tool for that.

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So I'm hoping I have fixed this problem now, I couldn't work out why my fuel pump appeared not to be working on the car although when I removed it and pushed the lever at the bottom it made pumping sounds and did appear to work. I read up a little bit on the push rods and read that the travel was about 5mm, my pump required more than 5mm to make it work. I dug out a spare brazilian pump and pushed on the lever and sure enough it started pumping within the 5mm of travel.

So I started taking my pump apart and noticed that the bottom ball part was pulling through the split in the lever arm, (see photos). I'm not sure if it was just a poor quality part, or is the washer supposed to be on the other side? (it doesn't feel right moving it around with the washer on the other side).

Anyway, with the brazilian pump on the car I did the 100 mile round trip to Stanford Hall with no breakdowns. :thumbup:

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Glad you got it sorted.

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I have a feeling now that the washer should be on the other side... :oops:

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