MG T-ABC

Apologies. It's not my intent to hog space, but I've got a problem. About a month ago, during a rallye, I experience fuel pump failure. I whacked it a couple of times, but it refused to work. After trailering the car back to my garage and letting it sit for several days, I discovered the pump was working again. So I drove it again for roughly 30 miles when, during a night drive, it failed again. Fortunately there was a freeway offramp and I was able to coast into a parking lot. By now I was not very happy with this pump. The car was put back in the garage where it sat for about two weeks while I pondered the situation. Today, on a hunch, I turned the key on. The pump is working again!

If anyone has a clue about what's going on with this Lucas pump, I'd be most grateful if you'd advise me on what the problem is. I'm at a loss to explain this one.

Cheers, Skip

Skip...try cleaning the points on your Lucas pump, if corroded they will work for a limited time then give up as the points get hot. Clean them and you may be lucky..if not change the pump!

Regards Geoff

Skip,
Is it possible the gas tank filler cap is not venting and the pump is stopping when it pulls a vacuum on the tank. Later, air leaks in and then the pump works.

Bill Traill

Hi Skip, you may have a partially plugged tank suction filter or line and/or plugged fuel filters in the pump or carbs. Also check the gas cap is venting. Any of these conditions will allow the pump to operate for a time then stop as the suction becomes too high for the pump to operate against. Standing for a time allows the fuel to seep through the obstruction and the pump may operate again for a short time. Next time the pump quits, check the pump temperature, if its very hot, probably a plugged line/filter. Otherwise, the SU pump may just be old like the rest of us and needs to be rebuilt or replaced.

Bob

Skip:
I would bet that the fuel filter at the bottom of the gas tank is the culprit. It's one of those things that never gets cleaned because it is so inconvenient. I cleaned mine last spring. It was so full of decades of crud that I don't know any fuel got through it at all.

Ken TC 4147

Yep, sounds all too familiar. The strainer at the fuel tank outlet on my TC was so cruddy I couldn't believe it could pass any fuel at all. Fact is, I didn't even know there was a strainer there until it stopped up completely!! I never have found any mention of his strainer in any of my books.
Regards,
Carl Fritz

Hi guys,
I had the same problem after flushing and sloshing my tank.....The strainer clogged and gave new meaning to "what the f**k NOW!!!!"

Ray McCrary
"Speed is Life"