Where's all my fuel gone?

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Sep 05, 04 7:50 pm

Suddenly developed a Hot Start problem.

stop car after a nice drive (all working well.... as well as a 318 can). Go to restart the engine but nothing, it turns round and round without firing. Look under hood, no fuel in the filter but a bit in the float bowls (accel pump works). When it does fire it just misfires and blows smoke out the carb, then back to the no firing procedure again. Finally get some fuel in the filter again, but still no fire.

It's fine when cold though.... fires first time.

What is happening? Has the fuel pump gone weak? Is the fuel evaporating in the lines due to the hot engine bay? Should I throw it away and stick a Hemi in it?

Thanks in advance.

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Sun Sep 05, 04 8:07 pm

STOP DISSING 318s!! :protest:

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Sun Sep 05, 04 8:11 pm

Make sure your pump daiphragm hasn't ruptured and you are filling your crankcase with petrol. Should be able to tell by the level on the dipstick, smelling petrol in the oil filler or poking a lit fag down there...BOOM! Is your filter after the pump?

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Sep 05, 04 8:21 pm

Yes Kev the filter is after the pump

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Sun Sep 05, 04 8:29 pm

Sounds very much like the pump then. I have a spare if you need it.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Sep 05, 04 11:26 pm

yes pump poss, but wouldnt exp;ain why it starts fine from cold

sounds like fuel boiling, or flooding . my Charger does that, have to wind it over a fair bit (holding it half throttle) when its hot.

Bit of an inherent problem with Vee engines with carbs, heat rises and gets the carb very hot indeed, when parking on a hot summers day. Not as bad when engine running because at least then you've got air passing through it .

I would stick a plastic heat insulator under my carb but my airfilters is already close to touching the bonnet! May work on yours though?

Leaking float needles can cause it to flood too.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Sep 06, 04 6:01 am

I think tuning it over all that time flooded it too, but I don't really understand how considering there was no fuel in the filter.

I tried a couple of hours later and this time I got fuel in the filter but still no spark. I think I'll have a look at those needle valves.

Guy · Post by **Guy** » Tue Sep 07, 04 4:57 am

I got fuel in the filter but still no spark. I think I'll have a look at those needle valves.

??? come on James, if you have no spark all the fuel in the world wont make it fire. Check out the wiring to and from the ignition.

As for no fuel in your filter as Kev said check out your fuel pump but also check you have no restrictions in the fuel lines they are 30+ years old and may need replacing had this on my Barracuda.

Post by **MattH** » Tue Sep 07, 04 9:12 am

Im with Guy on this, Ive had electric problems, my orange box was intermittent, checked out OK on a tester but after leaving it connected to the tester it stopped working. Some electrical component may be breaking down with heat soak possibly?? My Holden did the same too, but that was the crank sensor and you havent got one of those!!

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Sep 23, 04 1:55 pm

I tend to lean to the fuel evaporation side with this (excuse the pun). Either get it from manifold to carb or engine to fuel line. If you look at where your fuel line runs, make sure there is a heat shield between it and the block. You can also put a metering block between carb and manifold to dissipqate heat better rather than fuel line just absornbing it.

This affected my car.