julian

My girlfriends 1987 XF with a carbie (std issue weber) refuses to start about one time in ten and once or so each day just stops.

It will start again only if fuel is poured down the carbie but she is going nuts.

I have taken the fuel line off the carbie (but not as it is happening) and there seems to be lots of pressure as it gushes everywhere when the engine is turned over. There is no filter as such but the little gauze basket where the line meets the carbie is clean. Should I replace the pump or is something else causing a vapour lock or something??????

TopGhia

These intermittent things are hard to diagnose. Is it a "hot start" problem or does it do it when engine is cold?. Does it cut out instantly or splutter then stop? I suspect the coil if it happens when hot, but can't say for certain. Change your brand of petrol. Is the float valve sticking?
Sometimes these girlfriends have no sense of adventure!

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"I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always."

julian

Fuel down the carbie fixes it so I dont think its the coil. I dont relish pulling the whole carbie down to look at the float valve but I guess its a good bet and I will investigate this. Thanks.

TopGhia

May as well put an in-line filter in while your at it.

__________________
"I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always."

WBT56

When it does it, is there fuel at the accelerator pump port? Have you popped the filler cap to see if the tank is in vacuum? I'd be checking for spark first off when it does it next, here's why. I have seen XD-XF cough and die.Crank over-nothing. Organise fuel, stick down carby, away she goes. Turns out it was a temperature related fault causing dizzy to die. Ten minutes later she's good to go.

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TopGhia

If you want to test the coil for heat failure, get your girlfriends hairdryer and give the coil a good warm up. See if it starts when the coil is hot. And as WBT56 said, check for blocked petrol cap vent

__________________
"I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always."

T3man

I wouldn't expect there to be pressure in the fuel line at the carby if the fuel cap was the problem. It really sounds like a sticking needle valve - try just tapping the carby around the fuel connection next time before you pour fuel into it just to see if it frees it up - if it does then you are in for a new needle and seat, simple.

Or easier still find a girlfriend with a Ferrari - at least when it plays up you can have some fun test driving it - oh, I forgot you've already got one heheheh.

TopGhia

Hey Julian, maybe you could get your girlfriend a little silver hammer to tap the carb when it stops. (Like Maxwell). But T3man is probably right, not a real serious problem. Let us know what it was.

Cheers

__________________
"I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always."

julian

Thanks guys these are good Ideas and I will test them out this week.

julian

Still havent got to the bottom of the problem. I have tried the easy things like tank vaccum and checking spark, hitting carbie a few times with spanner. Im now working on a theory that the problem doesnt occur with a full or near full tank (Cigarette papers in the tank??).

Im loosing faith in the car anyway as now water is dissapearing out of the radiator daily. I think in one of her fits of temper with the car she has reved it in neutral too high when cold and done a head gasket. Trouble is shes a single mother on the penson so I get to fix everything.

Whats the use of having a nice new tickford when you still have to work on old clunkers. Still I like having a girlfriend.