Filler neck rusting & grit in the tank...or carb icing?

Hello all

Right, after suffering hesitation, stalling and running issues I've reached into my shallow pocket and about to get the tank and filler changed out.

My cars run like a bag of spanners since I got it, changed the pump, cleaned the carb, vapour seperator and the inline seems to still get clogged or the sender…it stops/hesitates or stalls I clean and it goes. 

I'm hoping the tank is at fault (I found an old snail shell in there and grit I can't get out- the majority of rust appears to be out too) but I'm conscious it could be icing as the symptoms are similar. Can anyone help narrow or remove this out of the equation…I don't mind sorting the tank and filler if it all goes away….but can't cope if it continues after the outlay…the mrs wants shot of it and I want to keep both the car and her

Anyone help?

Thanks
Ross 

if the tank has got grit and snails in, no doubt that is a big part of your problem. either clean it out as per the faq guide on here, or bin it and replace. then its a case of clean out ALL the fuel system, try to flush both fuel lines thru as well as the fuel pump and swirl pot etc as any cack left in it is likely to get sent straight back to the tank.  you'll also want to remove and completly strip the carb, to ensure its completly spotless.

what i would do as well is after you cleaned everything as best you can is unplug the coil black wires and crank it over for a bit, with the tank return line pointed into a bucket. keep going till the fuel returned to the bucket is clear.

save the petrol for cleaning stuff, it shifts dirt and grease like nobodys business

rubjonny said

if the tank has got grit and snails in, no doubt that is a big part of your problem. either clean it out as per the faq guide on here, or bin it and replace. then its a case of clean out ALL the fuel system, try to flush both fuel lines thru as well as the fuel pump and swirl pot etc as any cack left in it is likely to get sent straight back to the tank.  you'll also want to remove and completly strip the carb, to ensure its completly spotless.

what i would do as well is after you cleaned everything as best you can is unplug the coil black wires and crank it over for a bit, with the tank return line pointed into a bucket. keep going till the fuel returned to the bucket is clear.

save the petrol for cleaning stuff, it shifts dirt and grease like nobodys business

Thanks for the pointers will get on tomorrow…fingers crossed I'll be able to drive it for more than 5 mins without it conking out

I feel your pain mate! Johns advice is top dollar. Pretty much done the same as my filler neck top was non existent! Tank was pretty much 50% water, grit,dirt,rust and everything else that shouldnt be in there!! One new filler neck, flushed tank, 5 fuel filters, 3 carb strips Gordon now runs like a dream

Chris

Gordonthegolfer said

I feel your pain mate! Johns advice is top dollar. Pretty much I will discuss this with you and the team when we meet next week. done the same as my filler neck top was non existent! Tank was pretty much 50% water, grit,dirt,rust and everything else that shouldnt be in there!! One new filler neck, flushed tank, 5 fuel filters, 3 carb strips Gordon now runs like a dream

Chris

Well new tank in (the filler was actually ok) and on the way home (about 5 miles in) the filter clogged and I put another in. Another 5 miles tonight to and from the cinema it's happened again so in the morning I'll pop another on….how many is this gonna take
I had the car in the garage to do the tank and although they advised the lines were pumped I'm suspecting they weren't, hence the crud still coming though.
God, I think I'll start praying this nightmare stops soon!

Have you put a brand new tank on? Whats the fuel filters clogging up with? It seems a bit uniform to keep breaking down after the same time periods?

Gordonthegolfer said

Have you put a brand new tank on? Whats the fuel filters clogging up with? It seems a bit uniform to keep breaking down after the same time periods?

Just crud and looks a bit blackened (the filter element). Gonna have another look in the morning as 

Gordonthegolfer said

Have you put a brand new tank on? Whats the fuel filters clogging up with? It seems a bit uniform to keep breaking down after the same time periods?

Grit and the filter element looks a bit blackened/discoloured. The tanks a new one.
Couldn't see how the new one looks but will check in the light tomorrow- the tank also need topping up with fuel as its running real low.

errr… did the same sh…ty petrol get put back in the shinney new tank? Wouldn't put past some garages.

Heard stories of some tanks (from far east?) have paint on inside that comes off when filled with petrol……

Early-1800 said

errr… did the same sh…ty petrol get put back in the shinney new tank? Wouldn't put past some garages.

Heard stories of some tanks (from far east?) have paint on inside that comes off when filled with petrol……

No idea on the petrol front…they aren't that bad…I hope!

Tank seems ok- dont think its a cheapy- cost £160.

Gonna say some people wouldn't give it a second thought  putting the old fuel in. Might need to give the float chamber on the carb a clean up too. Id be inclined to check that the flexi pipes that run from the top of the tank to the bottom of the car haven't got trapped by accident upon installation of the new tank (Easily done). My fuel filter kept filling up with black dust, then i realized that it was bits of black rubber dust from all the knackered fuel lines.      Stick with it dude, she will clear eventually  
Chris

Gordonthegolfer said

Gonna say some people wouldn't give it a second thought  putting the old fuel in. Might need to give the float chamber on the carb a clean up too. Id be inclined to check that the flexi pipes that run from the top of the tank to the bottom of the car haven't got trapped by accident upon installation of the new tank (Easily done). My fuel filter kept filling up with black dust, then i realized that it was bits of black rubber dust from all the knackered fuel lines.      Stick with it dude, she will clear eventually  
Chris

I am…the Mrs and he lad  on the other hand are giving up fast…they wont go in it now….a perk and a nightmare in one

Right, had it out for a run and it happen again (stalling, loss of revs, dropping when trying to accelerate , popping from the exhaust on occasion and needing to pull out the choke to go anywhere)…I noticed that the temp dropped and wouldn't go more above a quarter…any ideas or suggestions?

Im sadly now thinking it wasn't the tank after all as the filter was clean….

What carb are you running mate? Its getting starved somewheres by the sounds of things….

Chris

Gordonthegolfer said

What carb are you running mate? Its getting starved somewheres by the sounds of things….

Chris

It's a weber (no idea which), the engines a 1.8 standard clipper.

Well, cleaned carb to the best of my ability (carb cleaner spray in) and checked the vaccum hoses and all seem to be ok.

Car ran like a bag of spanners, like before I started and spluttered after a 2 min drive and had to bring the choke out to get it home.

I'm really lost now what it could be, to recap I've done the following-
-changed the fuel tank 
-new pump
-new vapour seperator
-cleaned carb
-checked lines
-set idle 
-checked filler (all ok)
-new plugs, ht leads and dizzy cap
-changing out the fuel filters, sometimes clogged a little, sometimes not when it starts to stall.

The temp seems to drop when the car starts to stall and stutter and I've also noticed that there transmission fluid was on the manifold infront of the carb…any ideas if this could have anything to do with it?

rosslpenny said

The temp seems to drop when the car starts to stall and stutter and I've also noticed that there transmission fluid was on the manifold infront of the carb…any ideas if this could have anything to do with it?

Heres some pics:

That looks more like coolant to me chief.... Are there coolant lines running into the carb somewhere?

Gordonthegolfer said

That looks more like coolant to me chief…. Are there coolant lines running into the carb somewhere?

Recon that's the issue with the dodgy running?

No idea if its linked up ok ….ohhhhh

On some bigger downdraught carbs the coolant feeds through to prevent cooling and allow better running. It certainly isnt going to be helping your issue mate if its leaking. Id say whats happening is your running your car, getting that first 5/10 minutes use out of it, in the mean time the engines warming up, then just as the coolant system gets upto temperature and pressurizes, it starts to leak. You need to rectify this before you look at anything else me thinks  

Gordonthegolfer said

On some bigger downdraught carbs the coolant feeds through to prevent cooling and allow better running. It certainly isnt going to be helping your issue mate if its leaking. Id say whats happening is your running your car, getting that first 5/10 minutes use out of it, in the mean time the engines warming up, then just as the coolant system gets upto temperature and pressurizes, it starts to leak. You need to rectify this before you look at anything else me thinks  

It's odd as although its leaking it seems to have not lost everything…wierd, as its still quite full.

Is it just the pipes and the plastic tub I need to replace then (easy to get golf of?) and would you think this apparent leak cause the stalling, spluttering etc I'm having?
Know you havnt seen the car but any rationale would be greatly received  

Have you had that carb fitted recently, looks very new.? where are you located?