David Taylor Posted February 6, 2021 Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 Hi there. I'm completely new to this forum so apologies if this subject has been covered hundreds of times... I ran my MKIV Spitfire happily all last summer - it's never run better in fact. I tried starting her in December to move her out of the garage but she wouldn't start. I've cleaned the plugs and checked there is a spark - there is a healthy one in each. I've changed the in-line fuel filter. Engine turns over fine but won't start. Checked the line into the carbs - no fuel. There is fuel in the tank so can the only remaining issue be the fuel pump? Any way of checking whether it's functioning or not. And is it worth overhauling it or getting a replacement - they're only around £25 aren't they? Thanks in advance. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanMi Posted February 6, 2021 Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 it could be crud blocking the fuel lines from the tank. You could test the pump by putting a length of fuel pipe from the inlet to a small jar of fuel and then turn the engine over (or use the lever can't remember if mk4 has one though) it should give squirts periodically from the outlet side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 6, 2021 Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 some can be refurbed quite cheap as you say not overly expensive you need to know there are 2 pumps , long arm has a plastic heat spacer between the pump and block and a short arm has no spacer you are unlikley to find a replacement long arm pump (if you have a spacer) so its a short arm pump, remove the spacer and add washers to space the nuts or fit shorter studs mainly long arms were on 1500 but late mkIV ???? its a look see gets silly as you cant intermix these two designs and a short arm pump fitted to a spacer'd gives little output do check all the hoses and unions between tank and pump any may allow suck air but may not leak fuel Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Taylor Posted February 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 Thanks guys. Mine is a June '72 Spit so I'm guessing it's not a late MKIV. Will do as you suggest DanMi and if no joy will get a replacement pump. It is nearly 50 years old and has done almost 100,000 miles so won't be a surprise if it's failed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted February 6, 2021 Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 Beware rubbish replacement pumps,the one i had on my 1500 Herald,(new engine and pump) put out too much pressure for the carbs and the lever wore quickly. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Taylor Posted February 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 Hi there. Me again. So, let's say there is a blockage somewhere between the fuel tank and the inline fuel filter, would I need to unscrew the pipe under the car and try blowing compressed air through it to see if I can dislodge any debris? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 6, 2021 Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 doug used some strimmer line to feed down the pipes or a foot pump would work you dont really need a compressor Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 6, 2021 Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 Yup, I did. Most effective. Pink sludge came out. However, I did it from inside the tank, easy on a GT6, but not a Spitfire I think. I tried to undo the pipe to tank connection, but thought better of it, it appeared to me the joint was going to shear off the tank and wreak it so, be careful. If there is a rubber joint near the tank it may be sufficient to do it from there. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Pink was that some Must Have addative doing its best to make gremlins Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Mmmmmm... Redex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Wasn’t Redex supposed to clean the engine, remember putting to many shots in late 60’s and smoke everywhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said: Pink was that some Must Have addative doing its best to make gremlins Well, no , I never used Redex. The car sat in the garage for 15 years and was occasionally started until it wouldn't and then my daughter wanted it for her wedding car . Took me 7 months to get it up to MOT standard, I estimate the fuel in the tank at the MOT was as much as 20 years old? The first attack of the pink sludge was on the way back from the MOT, took 2 weeks to find the problem. Bought a new pump, which made no difference (and got sent back) So the fuel, although old, was the good stuff from the olden times, ignition at 13 degrees! What was the pink? I have no idea. I did try fuel additive some time after this incident when I realised petrol ain't what it was. However it DID colour the plugs pink and I had no idea if I was running weak or rich so ditched that and reset the ignition. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 57 minutes ago, Peter Truman said: Wasn’t Redex supposed to clean the engine, remember putting to many shots in late 60’s and smoke everywhere! It was supposed to be an 'upper cylinder lubricant' when added to fuel, but the instructions also used to tell you to pour neat Redex into the carbs and 'watch all your troubles blow away in a huge cloud of white smoke'... I used to love doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 38 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: It was supposed to be an 'upper cylinder lubricant' when added to fuel, but the instructions also used to tell you to pour neat Redex into the carbs and 'watch all your troubles blow away in a huge cloud of white smoke'... I used to love doing that. The good old days. The nearest I got to that recently was 2 years ago when we did our annual 'Cure Thermale' in February and only drive a couple of kms from the apartment to the centre and back. After 2 weeks a warning light came on, which I had to look up in the handbook. some sort of filter in the car exhaust ( a diesel) needed cleaning. Method? Italian tune up! Loved it warm engine plenty of revs, clouds of smoke for a few kms. GREAT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Taylor Posted February 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 So I've dismantled the fuel pump and reassembled it. It was clean as a whistle and it creates a vacuum when the lever is depressed. So the problem has to be the fuel line from the tank to the front of the car. May try the strimmer lead trick next weekend - not as if I'd be using the car now anyway! Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Nice to be part of such a friendly community. Funny to think when I first got the car in 1988, apart from shows and area meet-ups, there was no way of sharing information. Some things do get better with time. Plus I think there are far more parts available today than there were back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 7 minutes ago, David Taylor said: Funny to think when I first got the car in 1988, apart from shows and area meet-ups, there was no way of sharing information. Some things do get better with time. Plus I think there are far more parts available today than there were back then. I used to have a huge shopping list for the International, or shows like the NEC. There was nowhere else to get the parts. Nowadays the autojumbles have suffered as everybody sells online, so parts for sale are well down, and some of the traders don't even bother to turn up at shows. I just miss the excitement of stalls, and parts bins, and huge piles of rusty bits to sort through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 3 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said: Nowadays the autojumbles have suffered as everybody sells online, so parts for sale are well down, Yes, a shame. I guess also there aren't as many old parts about, as they get used up?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Still plenty about, maybe not as many NOS spares but bits of cars are still available, at least going by online sales. It's always nice to see sellers making the effort at Stoneleigh or the International and setting up shop. I do my best, as far as pocketmoney allows... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 On 07/02/2021 at 18:01, daverclasper said: Yes, a shame. I guess also there aren't as many old parts about, as they get used up?. There is plenty of old rusty bits about, just nobody wants them, usually not shiney enough... 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 9, 2021 Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 That's why God made sandblasters... I'm actually running out of rusty bits, nearly everything that was rusty or decrepit has got a new lease of life during lockdown. Except me, of course. In line with David's original post I've just found yet another Herald fuel pump so must refurbish that one too. Sad thing is that no-one wants them, they'd rather buy a repro item at £18. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 9, 2021 Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said: Sad thing is that no-one wants them, they'd rather buy a repro item at £18. Not me, I'd go for a refurb original every time! But I don't need any Herald ones. If you had a glass bowl GT6/Vitesse/2000 one I'd go for that to replace the tin-top one in the GT6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 10, 2021 Report Share Posted February 10, 2021 Well I do, but I'm holding on to them as spares for the GT6, just in case... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Taylor Posted February 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 Hi guys, me again. So I ordered a new fuel pump from Rimmers (part no 208493). I checked that it was the correct one for my car (1972 MKIV Spitfire) and chassis no (FH 30323). They look totally different. I know there are two types of fuel pumps for the Spitfire but thought the second type was only for late MKIVs and 1500s. I'm not keen to fit this in case it knackers the cam lobes inside the engine.... Should I order a different pump? Thanks David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted February 20, 2021 Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 The pump cases look different but thats not unusual as they vary depending on manufacturer however its the lever thats important cos, as you say, its got to make the correct contact with the cam. Although in your picture the levers look to be at different angles nobody seems to offer a pump that is closer to the original and that may not matter. The lever is moved through a small range by the cam and as long as its always in contact with it and obviously not forced too far the pump will work as intended. I would turn you engine by hand until you can see or feel the cam lobe is in its maximum operating position relative to the lever (about 45º from vertical?) and then try putting the pump in place by hand. You will feel resistance as the lever gets pushed by the cam and the pump internal spring compresses but the pump mounting face should meet the engine without the lever coming to the end of its travel. If the lever locks before the pump is fully in place you have a problem and the only solution might be to overhaul the old pump. Also this could be a good option because another possible issue with replacement pumps is that the output pressure is higher which may then cause a carb to overflow..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted February 20, 2021 Report Share Posted February 20, 2021 On 07/02/2021 at 11:40, Colin Lindsay said: instructions also used to tell you to pour neat Redex into the carbs and 'watch all your troubles blow away in a huge cloud of white smoke'... I used to love doing that. Just catching up on this thread. I remember in the very early 70s my friends brother had an Escort mk1 1300GT (we were all jealous). He knew nothing about cars so used to get us to service it. He never used to pay us so we thought we would get our own back and put neat Redex in the bores. We told him to fire up and floor it up the road. Surprisingly it started and he sped off completely obliterating Prittlewell Chase dual carriage way in white smoke while we pi**ed ourselves laughing! Happy days If you want an electric pump option the Huco low pressure pump works well and doesn't tick like some others. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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