Stranded in Coburg Ontario, fuel pump related

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Cdntiger

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Hi,
I'm on my way back from the United (great time, 56 Sunbeams at the show on Saturday!) and my pump quit or is blocked with junk.
I got the car off the highway by tapping on the pump with a screwdriver handle while driving with the access door open.
It's a holiday here and I don't have flare wrenches with me, so I got a hotel.
Spoke with Rick at SS (always a great guy) and he said to undo the fitting at the T at the crossover pipe and stick a nail in there to clean out any junk if it's blocked so I can get home, if it's not blocked just jury rig a generic pump.
In the morning I'll buy some flares and open the feed line at the pump to see if there is good fuel flow.
The problem is that when I look at the fitting at the back, I'm afraid that it's never been opened and that if I try and undo it I'll damage it...
Any ideas?

All the best,

Paul


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conked out tiger

Hi Paul, I would first remove the pump input fuel line to see if you are getting gas flow to that point. If not then like you say it's probably getting clogged where the line meets the crossover tube.

Removing that line from the tee is a pain, the 5/16" tube is of course sandwiched under that trunk flap and after the first bend it runs up against the vestigial alpine spare tire depression.

Of course you are certain to get drenched in gasoline in the process of removing it.

The most important thing is to remember to have fun.
 
Flame Out

You should avoid dropping cigar ashes while playing with the fuel lines. :O
 
What a Bummer!!

Paul,

It's always a pain when a car breaks down while travelling. Makes it hard to do repairs when you don't have your garage or tools at hand.

I know it is basics, but is your fuel pump electronic or does it have the original contact points? If it has the points, cleaning them up or replacing them might be all you need. Back in the 70s there was no electronic conversion available for the AUF fuel pumps. When my fuel point points would start sticking, I would steer my car over the Botts Dots marking the lanes in the road. The resulting vibration would shake the points loose and the pump would start pumping again. Unlike you, I could not open the fuel pump cover plate and hit it with a hammer or wrench, since mine was mounted in the trunk.

Did you inspect your fuel filter? I know some folks do not like the original style, clear plastic filters due to concerns about the plastic failing and causing a fuel fire. But if you have one, look at it. One would think that if gunk were plugging up the T coming off the fuel tank crosser, some of that gunk would have made it to the filter. You might have a plugged filter without the T being plugged, so check whatever filter you have also.

One last thing - for safety sake be sure you open up any fuel lines in an area free of open flames or sparks. Many years ago, I know of a person burning down their house when spilled gasoline from their car in the garage was ignited by the pilot light for the water heater in their garage.

Good luck!
David
 
Home again!

Hi guys,
Thanks for the input, happy to say I made it home!
I went online and found a British car club that had two members in the vicinity of the small town where I was stuck. I was able to get one of them on the phone, he referred me to the shop that works on his B. I limped the car over, but unfortunately the shop was too busy, but the owner did open the fuel lines for me at the pump to confirm fuel flow.
When I was leaving the B owner showed up, he had wanted to sure I was able to get there OK, total stranger, wow!
I went and bought a generic electric pump and the B owner graciously invited me to his home to install it.
Took us about an hour and a half, it aint purdy, but it got me the additional 250 miles home.
View attachment 7760

So tally for the trip;

1450 miles total driven to the United and back.

Five miles from home departure last Wednesday, right side headlight door flies off at 65MPH and gets flattened by a truck.

Three hundred miles from home, blowout in the middle of nowhere Ontario 12;30am, car towed CAA 90 miles to Canadian Tire near Ontario departure meet for the following morning, arrive 3:30 am, get four new tires installed when they open at 7:30, make the departure meet.


Saturday at United five miles from hotel tank may have run dry, fuel pump quits and there is crap in thee filter. oh and the spedo also quits.
Nice people from Maryland grab their trailer and come bring me back to the hotel. Change filter and get pump going again, fine Sunday and for the first four hundred miles on Monday.


Six thirty Monday afternoon with five hundred miles done and two hundred fifty miles to go, pump dies near small town Coburgh Ontario, finally get the car home five thirty PM tonight, phew!

Now to buy a new SU pump...

All the best,

Paul
 
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Pretty typical Tiger Tale...makes for good story telling at the next gathering:)
 
SS Different Sunbeam

My first Tiger came with 2 budget brand fuel pumps. While neither let me down the always carried spare has been on two other cars.

Amazed that a clip on headlight ring stayed on that long. Mine left within a 150 miles from purchase.

We have a thread that relates to suggested spares and tools to carry other then a AAA card:)
 
How old were the tyres? Once old tyres get some heat and pressure into them they don't take much to have issues, we often forget about tyres on the classics as we don't do that many miles on them.
 
I am sure it is very frustrating right now but in time it will be an amusing story. Glad you made it home safely. My trunk looks silly with all the spare parts I carry...fuel pump, belt, tools, fluids, tire, clamps, hoses, etc.....hopefully I never need them.
 
hottigr said:
Pretty typical Tiger Tale...makes for good story telling at the next gathering:)
Click to expand...

There were several similar stories told at the TEAE united. Great event, with the most Sunbeam many of us had ever seen in one place.
Many thanks to those who put endless hours of work organizing this event.
 
Stranded in Coburg

Hey Paul, you really earned that hard luck plaque at the banquet. Maybe they will let you hold onto it for the next United based on the return trip....

As for fender flares, Wolf's Mk2, the yellow one at the far right of the pic, that he has had since 67, has fenders he flared in the early 70's.

Ron
 
stranded

I counted 86 cars in the line up at the show and with the ones parked in the parking lot we were at a hundred cars. if I remember correctly we had 170 people for the picnic after the show. this was double what I originally told the show when we started planning this event last fall. I also saw a white RHD tiger in the lot Thursday .
 
canbeam said:
Hey Paul, you really earned that hard luck plaque at the banquet. Maybe they will let you hold onto it for the next United based on the return trip....

As for fender flares, Wolf's Mk2, the yellow one at the far right of the pic, that he has had since 67, has fenders he flared in the early 70's.

Ron
Click to expand...

Yup, glad to be home Ron, also grateful for the help that you and the others provided along the way.

Paul

Some flares for cobrakids.

Wolf in his MkII, then some other guy from the Saturday show who apparently thinks his car is fast or something... :D

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One good thing to do when you will take out the generic fuel pump , do not forget to clean the pump with gaz stabilizer , so next time you will need the pump , hopefully never again , she will be working , had a brand new carter pump in my trunk( Spare) , loan it to a Triumph TR6 friend , he give back to me 1 week later , put it back in my trunk . 5 year later needed the pump again for a friend with an MGB .
the pump was Jam . !!!!!

Gilles
 
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