Colwise Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hi all, Just bought a Caterham 7 1993 - 1700x flow with twin webers. having picked the car up with great excitement & trepidation I set off only to come to a coughing & spluttering halt just 4 miles later! After flattening the battery trying to restart, the car was jump started & ran absolutely fine for about another 4 miles. Again flattened battery, again jump start, again coughing & spluttering to a halt. Seems like fuel starvation to me. Tank was very low on fuel, before fill up, but fuel filter was clean - although not full of fuel as I would have expected. Anyone else encountered this problem? Do I just need to fit a new fuel pump? Cheers Colwise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavena Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 This may seem to be obvious (so apologise up front) - have you tried filling the tank up - the level may simply be very low on the pickup. When you stop it pulls in just enough for a few miles - then you run out of fuel and it repeats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clousta Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I believe that you have a split in the fuel hose from the tank to the carbs, probably before the fuel filter. I was almost ready to order a new fuel pump when I found the problem. it happened to me. On Thursday at the Ypres Lotus Day fuel starvation problems reared their ugly head on the third stage. I diagnosed that the electric fuel pump was on the way out and it appeared to be heat related. We got recovered home. I put the car up on axle stands and had a good look underneath. All appeared in order. Then I noticed that the fuel hose to the fuel pump inlet looked very slightly darker (possibly damp). I poked the hose with my finger and got a fine spray of petrol back. The hose was split and must have been sucking in air. Fuel/air mix made for a noisy fuel pump and fuel starvation at higher revs. Once stopped the carburettor bowls would refill and the engine would run again for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colwise Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 Thanks for the replies - Lavena, your answer is just what I first thought, but after filling up with fuel the problem was just the same! Clousta, this sounds like the answer. When I get back to my car (it's 200 miles away at the moment) I'll be checking the fuel hose. Many thanks. Colwise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keybaud Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Does your tank breath properly? i.e. When you remove the cap is there a sucking sound as air is sucked in? Edited by - keybaud on 3 Oct 2012 23:21:10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavena Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 OOps - just realised you said "before fillup" - must go back to school! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john g Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Fuel pump - electrical or mechanical? Electrical, can you hear it operating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colwise Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 Thanks for answers. Sorry took a while to get back as car is garaged 180 miles away! Car was runnin at idle speed for 20 minutes with no problems! Keybaud - can't say I heard any sucking sound John g - fuel pump is a Facet electric & definitely working Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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