I'm thinking there's crap floating in the bowl that gets shaken up every time I hit a bump. I'll check it when there's a little more light outside. I caught a hotel room.
800 mile roadtrip
- Thread starter MCPObr44
- Start date
-
yeah, first place i would go after a fuel filter change. Junk floating around plugging a main. Open the top of the carb and I bet you find the culprit.
Jarlaxle
Well-Known Member
Hehehe, nice~Did you have to chase the room very far?
, I'm here all week...
Okay fellas.... I'm home. The grand total covered was 1788 miles. That's from going to Fresno, heading down to San Diego, and then back home.
I'm pretty sure the fuel pump is on it's way out. That's why I was having that surging issue (fuel starvation). On my way home, it would start to starve around a quarter of a tank. Then at half. Then at three quarters full. And my max speed while it was surging got slower... and slower... and slower. I managed to limp all the way home, filling up the tank as often as possible so I could maintain a reasonable speed. With the tank full, I could happily cruise up and down hills and keep up with traffic, so it's not a carb issue. It's 100% for sure fuel delivery issue.
I'm so done with mechanical fuel pumps.
Otherwise the trip went pretty well. I got around 22-23 to the gallon, and burned 1 quart of oil over the whole trip. My hind end is unbelievably sore, my right leg is cramping up, and I think the water pump started chirping somewhere near the end. It's amazing to think that VGG does this all the time... with far junkier cars. Then again the man does open his videos with a disclaimer.
Pictures will follow, just as soon as I order the developing chemical kit. As for the car, I predict a complete rebuild of the fuel system, bumper to bumper. I'll redo the entire system so it's a fuel return style with electric pump, which should solve some hot starting issues it's always had. It'll get new hard lines, just in case a pinhole is causing this issue. And finally, I'll bore scope that tank again and see if I picked up some gunk somewhere from a bad gas station.
Happy new years!
Glad you made it safely.
Don’t be too quick to write off mechanical fuel pumps. They give you notice.
I’ve had an EFI electric pump just shut off with no warning. I was in the left lane and pissed off several drivers getting to the right (only) shoulder.
Don’t be too quick to write off mechanical fuel pumps. They give you notice.
I’ve had an EFI electric pump just shut off with no warning. I was in the left lane and pissed off several drivers getting to the right (only) shoulder.
j par
Well-hung Member
Electrical or mechanical you can throw an extra one in the trunk with the tools to switch it out.,
Glad you made it back..,
Glad you made it back..,
It’s sounding like the sock on the pickup is plugging up
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
I think you mean hoses...
diymirage
HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
right you are, i fixed it
Jarlaxle
Well-Known Member
OK, this is a weird one, but: is your tank and pickup original? If so, it might be the problem. I have seen once where the fuel pickup in the tank came loose and would not reliably feed the pump below a certain point. (And boy, was THAT a head-scratcher.) Also...how close are your fuel lines to anything hot? (Exhaust, transmission, radiator hoses.) Today's crappy gas doesn't like heat, especially at high altitudes. (Rodeo, NM is at 4200'.)
Though...if it is the pump, a replacement (Carter) is about fifteen bucks from Rock Auto.
The pickup and sending unit are new. I replaced it not long after I bought the car. The tank is original, but it looked pretty clean at the time so I didn't feel the need to replace it. Not rusty or anything.
I did that mod where I did away with the factory hard line that ran across the front of the engine, and did a loop over the top. Not sure who recommended it... probably slant six dan. It's nice because I can put the line anywhere I want, away from all the heat. As a desert rat, that mod was mandatory.
Also... do you mean this carter pump? 1971 PLYMOUTH VALIANT Carter M4844 Carter Mechanical Fuel Pumps | Summit Racing
Notice it has one review? That was me. Yeah I know it says Ann, that's because I borrowed my mother's credit card to make the purchase at the time. Summit racing is weird like that. Suffice to say the pump didn't last very long.
Jarlaxle
Well-Known Member
Actually, it was the one for half the cost on Rock Auto. I forget the PN.
Very likely the same exact pump though.
Had a dead bug in the long fuel line, it pluggd the line when it hit a curve inlne.
Scamp Rhonda
Well-Known Member
Bet that was a bugger to figure out.
"Bugger". Hah, you kill you!Bet that was a bugger to figure out.
I used to fix lawn equipment, etc. Occasionally, I'd run into (usually a lawn tractor) that would run and stall, repeat. The problem would be a bug in the tank that would sometimes clog the tank outlet. (it could also be, actually more often, a plugged cap vent.)
-
