I had a similar problem on my MGA. It turned out to be a leak between the
gas tank and the fuel pump (a broken nut on the inlet fuel pump fitting).
It would never leak fuel (air was being sucked in and not much fuel was
going in). Does your fuel pump continue to run after the car dies? This
would indicate the air sucking thing. If the pump shuts off, it could be
the pump. It could also be that crud in the tank is blocking the fuel
line. Let me think about this a minute. I don't know if the pump would
run or not if something is blocking the inlet on the pump. Anyway, I
would check from the fuel pump back.
Just my $.02,
Tom, '60 MGA 1600
On Wed, 16 Jul 1997, Jason F. Dutt wrote:
> I've sent a message about this problem before, and got some good feedback
> that what appreciated. Unfortunately, I'm out of ideas, and the problem
> still isn't fixed.
>
> To sum up the situation:
>
> Turn the car on, fuel pump runs, car starts. Car runs for approx. 3-5
> minutes, then it behaves as if someone is literally squeezing the fuel
> line. It sputters and coughs, won't idle, but will respond (however
> pathetically) if the accelerator is depressed. Soon after, the accelerator
> will have little to no effect, and the car dies. I can then turn the car
> off, then on, and the fuel pump runs like mad (every time), filling up the
> float bowls. The bowls must be empty at this point, because the pump runs
> for quite a while. I can then start the car again. It will either keep
> running indefinately, or die again in 3-5 minutes.
>
> Some more info:
>
> 1) It is intermittent. If the challenge surfaces, it will continue until
> the car has sat for a while, and then may or may not happen again.
> 2) It doesn't seem to be affected by temperature, as the car has done this
> when cold or hot.
> 3) The most the car has run since this has started is about two days, with
> stops (turning the car off for a while, and then starting it and going
> again).
>
> Things I have already checked:
>
> 1) Float / Float needle. They didn't seemed to be gummed up, but I
> rebuilt the carbs anyway (doesn't hurt, as they were pretty dirty), and put
> in a new grose jet.
> 2) Fuel tank venthilation. I'm not sure if I did this right, so tell me
> if there's a better way. I disconnected the hoses from the carbs that lead
> to the carbon canister, and took off the gas cap. The car still died.
> 3) Power supply to the fuel pump. The pump is a newly refurbished SU
> AUF300 model. I checked the leads and supply with a voltmeter. The
> battery was old and kind of weak, so I replaced it.
> 4) Fuel line blockage. I disconnected the line at the carbs. Turned on
> the key, pump operated. Blocked the flow with my thumb, the pump stopped,
> and resumed when I released it.
>
> I'm plumb out of ideas. I want to say its the fuel pump, but I've had that
> challenge before (hence the new one), and the symptoms were different. As
> I said before, the pump runs EVERY time I turn the key on after the car has
> died.
>
> Help please!
>
> Regards,
>
> J
>
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