mgs
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Dripping gas on foot

To: Justin Lehrer <justinl8@yahoo.com>, mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Dripping gas on foot
From: David Councill <dcouncil@imt.net>
Date: Sun, 03 Sep 2000 13:34:15 -0600
I'd be concerned. Fuel leaking everywhere. Breathing gas fumes. Chance of 
fire and/or explosion.

I've been teaching my 16 year old son to drive my BGT recently. The 71 rust 
bucket. One thing I'm trying to teach him is to listen to the fuel pump 
before engaging the starter. It should click briefly but stop. If it 
doesn't stop, fuel is probably being pumped out of the float bowls and 
should be attended to immediately. On the other hand, a month or so ago, 
there was no clicking and the car wouldn't start - the fuel pump had died. 
It all comes to listening to the car and paying attention to what is going on.

Back to the fuel leaking. My 71BGT had this problem come up a couple of 
times after the car sat for a few weeks. The floats did not shut off the 
flow of gas. When I noticed the clicking of the pump continued after maybe 
7-10 seconds, I opened the hood and rapped on the float chamber with a 
wrench. That got the fuel flow to stop. This seems to be a problem with 
grose jets from what I have seen.

In short - it might just be a sticking of the jet or float, or maybe some 
dirt blocking it from shutting off. But its still a matter to be attended 
to right away. I'll have to defer on specifics though since you have a 79B 
and my knowledge is with SU carbs of the 60s and early 70s. However, you 
should open the hood and determine if you have a fuel leak or whether your 
carb(s) is stopping the fuel flow after it has filled.

David Councill
67 BGT
71 BGT


At 12:04 PM 9/3/00 -0700, Justin Lehrer wrote:
>Yesterday, I left the key in the 'on' position for a
>bit longer than usual (the car has also not been run
>in about 3 weeks).  When I finally attempted to start
>the car and depressed the gas pedal, some gasoline
>dripped down the gas pedal and onto my foot.  Is this
>dangerous?  Should I be concerned, or does this tend
>to happen when the fuel pump works for too long?
>
>thanks,
>Justin Lehrer
>justinl8@yahoo.com
>1979 MGB (red)
>Redwood City, CA
>
>__________________________________________________
>Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>