intermittent power loss

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Feb 4, 2004 | 02:50 PM

#16

krewat

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From: Long Island USA

Quote:

Originally posted by gtex

For the amusement of you Yankees and general northern inhabitants..I define cold and wet as 50 Deg F and raining :-)

I live on Long Island, NY, and it's over 40 here today. It feels like spring! I'm already looking at new A/T tires...

Feb 4, 2004 | 02:59 PM

#17

krewat

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From: Long Island USA

By the way, more on topic, could the fuel pump be sucking air from somewhere?

Go over the layout again, do you have a return line from the regulator to the tank? I think you had a transparent fuel filter at the carb, if you do, I guess there's no bubbling going on?

Feb 4, 2004 | 04:03 PM

#18

gtex

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From: Texas

Actually, there is lots of bubbling in that transparent filter near the carb. That's what my thinking was the problem. But, I've heard that's pretty typical??? We'll see if it improves with larger plumbing.

There is no return to the tank. That will be next after the larger plumbing, if the problem does not go away.

Feb 4, 2004 | 05:45 PM

#19

Ratsmoker

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From: Missouri

I think we are all going to learn something when you get this figured out Greg! I hope it gets figured out soon.

Feb 4, 2004 | 07:01 PM

#20

krewat

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From: Long Island USA

Quote:

Originally posted by gtex
Actually, there is lots of bubbling in that transparent filter near the carb. That's what my thinking was the problem. But, I've heard that's pretty typical??? We'll see if it improves with larger plumbing.

In my experience, a clear fuel filter will have "a bubble" in it, but not "bubbling"...

If the idle is so bad that it's tossing around the contents of the filter, than OK, but if it's actively bubbling, that sounds like the fuel pump is sucking air ...

Just a thought...

Feb 4, 2004 | 07:05 PM

#21

gtex

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From: Texas

me thinks it bubbles after the pump is shutoff, and the truck is off. there is usually some air, but I have seen it almost full whe the engine is warm and idling at about 1000RPM.

The clear filter setup is also laying up against a heater hose. probably a bad thing.

The filter will probably go when I replumb. I need to make a bracket for the regulator. Apparently it's not allowed to be on the firewall for the track, and the drivers fender is a bit far (current location).

Feb 4, 2004 | 07:27 PM

#22

krewat

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From: Long Island USA

Quote:

Originally posted by gtex
me thinks it bubbles after the pump is shutoff, and the truck is off. there is usually some air, but I have seen it almost full whe the engine is warm and idling at about 1000RPM.

That sounds basically like every clear filter I've ever seen in any application... that didn't take in air, that is

If the fuel feed was so bad, it would cause consistent performance, wouldn't it? If the design was suspect, woudln't you NOT get a period of perfect performance, and then slightly-degraded?

Does full-throttle performance diminish over a period of a second or two, or does it remain the same, and the "mystery" power is on or off for the entire run?

That on and off action seems like something mechanically "stuck". Dizzy weights, secondaries, power-valve, what-have-you... A/C? (just kidding) Electric fan draining enough from the alternator as to cause you to notice? Headlight/parking lights on? Blower motor? Just guessing at this point.

Feb 5, 2004 | 12:51 AM

#23

proeliator

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From: Oregon

Okay.

I don't know if Gtex's current problems are fuel related or not, BUT

When I ran a pump like his, with a dead head reg, and a clear filter.........I had problems too and it looked like the filter was VERY low on fuel and "bubbling" as well. I'm not talking about he small bubble you usually have near the top of them.

Then I read where high output elec pumps fed into dead head regs can cavitate, and thus cause problems. This among other reasons cause me to change to a return style reg. Result? Fuel delivery solved and no more bubbling in the clear filter.

Does this make sense? Not really. You'd think the bubbling could only be from the pump sucking air. I dunno, just relaying my experience...