I think i'm STARVING

[MotoManMike]

I bought another 73 a few weeks ago and got it running. I drove it yesterday about 150 miles. In addition to being the first time in my entire life i've ever ran out of gas I got a good feel for my tune and I really feel i'm starving for fuel. Is there a difinitive way to tell its starving? The fuel filters get dirty pretty quickly. I attributed this to sitting for a year but maybe not. I've replaced plugs, wires, installed a pertronix ignition with flamethrower coil, I bought a uni-sync and have the carbs pretty close from what I feel, has a new mechanical fuel pump. It doesn't matter how rich or lean I go the car runs exactly the same. It runs great at idle and revving it up at idle. It runs and drives fine if you drive it easy but if you try to give it to her and run the gears out first feels great, chirps second, weaker, weaker, until finally she doesn't really have it. Its not terrible, just feels corked up. I guess what I'm getting at is, is there a difinitive way to tell its starving without pulling the tank off and sending it out and hoping that fixes it? My other Z was quite obvious due to its condition when I bought it. I used moyer fuel tanks to sandblast and coat it and have been very pleased with the results.

Edited March 3, 2012 by MotoManMike
clarification of one portion of description

[Healey Z]

Here are my thoughts.

I would pull the line going to the carb and have it flow into a white bowl. Feel free to just go grab one from the kitchen. Crank it over to see if you are getting flow and if there are any contaminates.

Secondly, my car runs very different depending on the air/fuel. I would dial them all the way in, then dial the both out 2.5 turns as a baseline. Drive it and adjust a quarter turn from there.

[tlorber]

Are you running the original flat tops, or have they been swapped out with round tops?

[5thhorsemann]

Are you running the original flat tops, or have they been swapped out with round tops?

Supprised that took 2 whole posts, and I'm not joking. I've been reading posts around here and even the die hard flat top guys usually give up and buy a set of round tops. I'm no slave to stock parts, so I only screwed around with the original flatties on my 73 for about a week before screaming UNKLE and doing the swap.

[manny1973]

I had the same problem with my 73. Had to take the tank out and get boiled and sealed. Solved the problem. Also don't forget the electric fuel pump by the tank. It also has a filter in it. My would clog after 30 minutes of running the car. Once I did the tank my problem was solved. Good Luck

[MotoManMike]

Oh no, they are 4 screw round tops. I never had the unfortunate experience of ever dealing with the flat tops but it sounds painful . I guess what i'm trying to see is if there is a way to tell if you are starving for fuel, not driving looking under the hood and revving the fuel filter never ever dries up but thats no where near the demand as driving the car.

Edited March 3, 2012 by MotoManMike

[5thhorsemann]

Did you read the plugs to see if there's a lean condition? Or are you just assuming that you're not getting gas to the carbs.

Try this, get out and run the car hard untill you see the starving symptoms show themselves. Push in the clutch and kill the motor, pull over and check the fuel filter to see if it ran dry or is still full. If she is full, check the floats. But read the plugs first.

[Bruce Palmer]

Nuther possible clinker in the mix that could limit the amount of fuel to the carbs in addition to the other things that have been mentioned. Inside that humpy casting on the float bowl lids are what are called Final Filters. They are fine mesh screen filters that if plugged with the infamous "sitting around crapolla", could be the culprit blocking adequate flow to the float bowls especially at speed. Take the banjo fitting off and see what lurks inside and when you put it back together make darn sure those washers re-seal or you'll be puking gas on that hot thingy underneath......

[MotoManMike]

It is starving for sure. Carbs all look good and clean inside. Ran it till it started hesitating and shut the ignition off and the filter is dry with a few bits of sediment in it. Yeah j bolts.

[Bruce Palmer]

Why do I even bother........

[MotoManMike]

Bruce you bother because you care and still isn't my issue Filter was dry but either its a fluke or I can't see. I swapped tanks with my other car just to see before I spend the money to send it out, Not fun to drop 2 to fix 1 but we are talking almost 400 bucks so i'd say well worth it. Anyhow it still has the same weak feeling. It rips in first, second chirps and then like a prius in third . It looses all of its steam. Spark plugs look good in color, the front carb possibly a little on the lean side, but not what I would consider alarming. If I let out for a second and then back on that initial pedal movement it starts to pull hard, then fades QUICKLY so I feel is a carburetion issue. Bruce its been a roller coaster of weather here, hot cold, 50, 20. Really has. The ethenol is about 15 percent here most places, I didn't see any water in the gas when I drained these tanks but is it possible some lingers in the carbs for awhile somehow? I drove the car about an hour the other day I would think it would have worked its way out. I know this ethenol will absorb water quickly. Its a terrible product but we are stuck with it. Not sure what the issue is but its not the fuel tank, i'm going to order another mechanical fuel pump. Its new but just because its new doesn't mean it can't be malfunctioning I guess. It is really good I have 2 cars I can swap stuff back and forth, just takes alot of time.

[MotoManMike]

Issue is resolved, car runs officially like a raped ape. I put the carbs I bought off ebay on this thing. I didn't even tune them yet and it it chirps third gear with 50 series tires on it. All I can say is I'm blown away by how finicky these carbs are. The ones I pulled off the nozzles move free, the slides move free, they don't look all too bad visually but I haven't cracked the open yet. I'm kind of upset on the same note because i'm pretty sure this car is faster than my other Z . Thanks for everyones input, I really appreciate that you took the time out of your day to read my posts and reply to my issues. Thanks again.