Triumph Repair: triumph spitfire not getting fuel, chemical resistant gloves, gasoline fire

Question
ok, so i followed your advice and sprayed starter into the carb and the car starts instantly and sound great for all of 2-3 seconds.  obviously i guess the problem is the fuel to the carb...  what's my first step to narrow down why it's not being delivered?  thx for your help.

Answer
Tom,

There are several things that'll keep fuel from getting into the engine.  

Before I start, let me emphasize that gasoline is a) highly flamable, b) poisonous and c) some chemicals in the gas can cause cancer.  

So, do all the checking either out of doors or in a well ventilated workshop.  Have a fire extinguisher handy.  If no fire extinguisher is available, baking soda is effective.  Sand will work, dirt also.  Just don't use water, it'll spread a gasoline fire.

Chemical resistant gloves are also a great safety idea.  

Now the things to check.

1)  No fuel in the tank.  Don't trust the gauge... open the gas cap and check... use a wooden dowel to check the level.

2)  Fuel pickup in the tank blocked

3)  Fuel line blocked

4)  Fuel filter blocked.  Typically it's located near the firewall on the line between the frame and the fuel pump.

5)  Bad fuel pump.

6)  float needle in the carb stuck closed

7)  carb passages blocked by varnish accumulation.

You can carefully disconnect the fuel line at the fuel pump to see if gasoline is flowing to that point.  Have a catch can ready.

If it is, undo the outlet from the pump and put it into the catch can.  Have a friend crank the engine for just a second or two to see if gas is coming out.  

If you're ok so far then it's likely something in the carb.  It can be a pain to remove the carb but it's much easier to clean/rebuild the carb on a workbench.  You'll need a gasket set and likely an new diaphram as they don't tend to last more than a few years.

And getting a good repair manual will prevent hours of frustration.  

There's both a Haynes manual and the Robert Bentley Manual available for the Spitfire.  I prefer the Bentley as it's basically a reprint of the factory instructions.  It also includes a copy of the drivers handbook in the front of the manual.  If you do go for a Bentley keep in mind there are several for the Spitfire, depending upon year.


Cheers,

Jim