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New Owner.... struggling!

james ryan

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Joined
Feb 6, 2019
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Hi Everyone,

Bought my 1977 FJ40 back in early Dec but handed over to a garage to do some 'priority' work after having it inspected before purchase (undercoat, seat mount moved back - I'm 6ft4). On pick up had fuel issue that still has not been resolved.

When collected from garage told it needed petrol, only got 2km down the road before it cut out, added a can of fuel but got another 1-2km before cutting out again. We left it standing for 10mins before start-up with lots of smoke, managed to fill up then drove for another 2km'ish before cutting out again. Thankfully mechanic following so left with them.... Christmas, got married, NYE, honeymoon and still not got the baby home.

Truck will run idle for ages but then cuts out after short period on the road. Fuel pump has been replaced but still no joy.... any suggestions?

So looking forward to finally getting to drive the thing. Had bought a FJ40 when living out in Trinidad back in 2010, needed lots of work "3 months" become 12month and I ended up just leaving it there.

Looking forward to meeting John after his Car SOS fame!
 
Does initially sound like it's being starved. Fine at idle but on demand, it's not getting enough. Loosen the fuel cap, yes that's one option. Fuel filter is another and potentially a collapsed fuel hose liner?
 
Does initially sound like it's being starved. Fine at idle but on demand, it's not getting enough. Loosen the fuel cap, yes that's one option. Fuel filter is another and potentially a collapsed fuel hose liner?

Thanks for help
 
I don't know 40's very well, but usually there is a breather on the fuel cap and one on the tank. The idea being one to let air in as the fuel goes down and one to let pressure out when the sun heats the tank up. Most also have a fuel return pipe so that unused fuel goes back to the tank. This is typically warmer and causes pressure to build up. But it doesn't take much to hold back the fuel if it's not working properly.
 
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What causes you to think it’s fuel and not spark/electrical? Does it lose power, splutter and die or simply stop?
 
What causes you to think it’s fuel and not spark/electrical? Does it lose power, splutter and die or simply stop?

I guess from assuming the first stall was lack of fuel. Might not have been, but seemed logical. And then due to cutting out after a short run.
 
Never easy not being there but for me it's that pattern of run and stop run and stop. Electrical would in all probability be more random than that.
 
Never easy not being there but for me it's that pattern of run and stop run and stop. Electrical would in all probability be more random than that.
Agreed.
It’s the description of ‘cutting out’ rather than losing power and dying that has me puzzled. Fuel starvation on petrol engines in my experience has been lack of power before spluttering and dying rather than ‘cutting out’, hence asking for clarity on this (James?). I wonder if there’s some water in the fuel? Again ‘cutting out’ still makes me not rule out electrical.
 
Agreed.
It’s the description of ‘cutting out’ rather than losing power and dying that has me puzzled. Fuel starvation on petrol engines in my experience has been lack of power before spluttering and dying rather than ‘cutting out’, hence asking for clarity on this (James?). I wonder if there’s some water in the fuel? Again ‘cutting out’ still makes me not rule out electrical.

Apologies for the terminology, total novice when it comes to engines.

The first time it 'stopped' there was no big splutter I just felt power going over a couple of seconds then dead. It did start again after a couple of minutes but then only moved for a meter.

The garage are now saying that after the new fuel pump was installed it has cut out on idle! They've check the spark plugs and they are okay. Now moving onto the distributer, carburettor and coil pack.

Will get them to look at the fuel cap also.
 
Do these have a condenser on the coil?
I had similar problem on an early 70s Celica that caused similar issues.
 
Forgive me James but it sounds like the garage are doing quite well at spending your money by ignoring one of the cardinal rules of troubleshooting ‘don’t change it unless it’s proven to be faulty’. Another rule is to check the easy/cheap things first. I would be inspecting/cleaning the carb before anything else. If it’s electrical it’s common to all cylinders. Condenser is a possible as are points. Be prepared for the garage to not know what these are.
 
Some years ago I had a similar problem and that turned out to be the flexi pipe between the fuel line on the chassis and the engine - collapsed inner wall (per Chris) although I did not get the clouds of smoke when it re-started, which in itself may point to a fault other than fuel - white smoke = unburnt fuel. If it is a tank-under-seat model (most probably being a 77) the breathers are in the panel behind the filler neck but they rarely give trouble.

I agree with @StarCruiser that the garage seem to want to spend your money as these are real old school engines, so old school methods of identifying the culprit apply.

Regards,

Rodger
 
Where is the vehicle? if it is anywhere near Milton Keynes I know a couple of good places to take it, and if it is anywhere near Hereford I know another good place to take it.
How mechanically competent are you? these trucks are not hard to work on or understand.
 
Where is the vehicle? if it is anywhere near Milton Keynes I know a couple of good places to take it, and if it is anywhere near Hereford I know another good place to take it.
How mechanically competent are you? these trucks are not hard to work on or understand.

Its down in Chichester, near where I bought it. I'm up in Wimbledon.
 
Where is the vehicle? if it is anywhere near Milton Keynes I know a couple of good places to take it, and if it is anywhere near Hereford I know another good place to take it.
How mechanically competent are you? these trucks are not hard to work on or understand.

Zero mechanical experience, although I’m an engineer!
 
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