QuestionQUESTION: Hi Jim, I really need your help on this one I am so stumped. 1972 spitfire IV with a 74 1500 engine. My problem is my engine keeps cutting out when I make a sharp left hand turn or when I have to make a sudden brake hard stop. After words I have a gas smell in the air and is very hard to restart have to crank it over with the pedal to the floor. and when it does start I has a poof of white smoke out the exhaust. I have a fuel filter between the fuel pump and the carb. At the time this happens I have no fuel in the fuel filter at all dry out. I do have a fuel smell around the car I cant find a leak nothing wet under or on hoses. The gas milege has been bad to 22 mpg. used to get 38 mpg.
What I have done so far:
1) rebuilt the stromberg carb all new gaskets needle and seat and a new float set at 17mm. Made a difference for a few days. then problem came back.
2) Cleaned the vapor seperator and hose all the way to the carbon cannister ,and even replace the white filter in the carbon cannister.
3) brand new fuel pump QH brand.
4) replaced 2 fuel filters.
5) replaced the fuel cap gasket and the hose to tank.
6) intake manifold gasket
7)has a new tune up new coil points everything 4000 miles on it..
Jim I just don't know where to go from here. Just one of those I know its simple but cannot seem to figure it out. Please send me your thoughts.. ThanKs Mark
ANSWER: Mark,
Odd set of symptoms. Hard cornering/braking sounds like a float sticking, but the Stromberg isn't supposed to suffer from that problem. Poor fuel mileage points to running too rich or timing off.
Have you checked the spark plugs? Normal tan, bright white or dark black?
If you run the car for a few minutes, shut it off and quickly remove the carb dashpot where is the fuel level in the jet? About level with the carb body? Fuel spilling over?
Carry a can of starting ether (starting fluid) with you and see if it helps or hinders restarting after it's stalled. If it helps, you're suffering from fuel starvation (doesn't make sense with poor gas mileage.. but go with it), if it doesn't help you're running too much fuel into the system.
My other thought was to check the engine mounts and make sure the engine isn't shifting during sudden manuevers.
Cheers,
Jim
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks Jim Your such a big help, today I did what you said I got the car to act up. On a hard left hand turn I lift the hood right away and found the gas was spilling over into the air filter box. and down below on the frame.
second I pulled all spark plugs all were light brown and dry ,but one was croaded a brown chunk stuck in the gap. and I noticed all around the head area on this spark plug was wet. Not sure if it was gas or oil all the other was dry and clean. I hit it with some brake cleaner going to see if it comes back. I cleaned put the plugs put them back in.
It started right up sounded real good took it for a GOOD RIDE AFTER ABOUT 15 MIN. The problems started to come back in the same way. Flooding and rough idle.
all four mounts are less then a year old.
I know we are getting closer to figuring this out any more ideas.. Thanks again for your help Mark
AnswerMark,
Fuel in the air filter housing is a sign that the float level is set too high, or the needle valve is stuck open, or the fuel pressure is too high and forcing fuel into the carb.
Check the carb float to see if there is gas in it. Remove the needle valve and make sure there is no "crud" holding it open.
If you're running the stock mechanical fuel pump there's not much to do there. If you've converted to an electric pump you need a pressure regulator. If you have a pressure regulator you need to adjust it down to around 2psi, or get a new pressure regulator that works.
Cheers,
Jim
