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Re: HIF overflow

To: "Paul Hunt (T)" <paul.hunt1@blueyonder.co.uk>
Subject: Re: HIF overflow
From: "MonteMorris" <mmorris@nemr.net>
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2003 19:42:48 -0600
Paul,
I took off the overflow tube that goes to the canister and blew through it
and gasoline flowed from the run on valve vent hose. This must mean the
canister is full of gas. (For the sake of the list, I've pasted in below
Dave Wood's email to me that probably pinpointed the problem.) When I
completely removed the carb overflow pipes from the carbs, the car starts
and runs fine, but gas is flowing from the rear carb overflow outlet. As you
noted, this is probably a stuck float or needle.
Is there any way to check the float besides removing the HIF carbs again?
Thanks,
Monte

Monte,
I'm not sure what is causing your fuel problem, but I can relate to one
item.  When my MG has a full tank and I let it sit in the sun, occasionally
the expansion of the gas will force gas into the charcoal canister vent
pipes through the carburetors.  When this happens, the car is almost
impossible to start and keep running as the gas in the canister and plumbing
pipes is sucked back into the carburetors and floods the engine.  I used to
have a very good LBC mechanic who told me to disconnect the pipes from the
carburetors when this happened and drive it around for a couple of days to
give the fuel time to evaporate or work it's way back into the gas tank.
You also need to let the charcoal in the canister dry out as it does not
function while it is wet with gas.  I tried that the next time it happened
and it worked like a charm.  It still took a while to start the first time
as it was flooded, but by disconnecting the pipes, it did start and ran fine
as soon as it burned up the excess fuel.  I left the pipes disconnected for
a few days and opened up the canister to dry out as well.  You should be
able to blow air from the canister back into the gas tank easily through the
hose that connects between the fuel separator in the trunk and the canister
under the hood.  If it is plugged or full of gas, it may be acting as a
siphon and pouring gas into the carburetors with the addition of the vacuum
that the carburetors cause when the engine is running.
With the above in mind, how could the gas on a cold wintry day do the same
thing?  I suspect that your canister may be at fault because it is full of
gas and won't draw fumes.  It probably causes a suction that draws more fuel
into the pipes since they are already full and acts like a siphon.  Just a
guess!

Best of luck to you,

Dave 72 B

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Hunt (T)" <paul.hunt1@blueyonder.co.uk>
To: "MonteMorris" <mmorris@nemr.net>
Cc: "MG list" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2003 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: HIF overflow


> Taking No.9 first, if this happens your float or valve is bad, or possibly
> you have an aftermarket fuel pump with excess pressure.  Until you fix
that
> you are wasting time with all the other symptoms.
>
> PaulH.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "MonteMorris" <mmorris@nemr.net>
> To: <smarc@abs.net>; "Brinkman, Gerardo V" <GB127167@teradata-ncr.com>
> Cc: "MG list" <mgs@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Friday, December 26, 2003 5:41 AM
> Subject: HIF overflow
>
>
> >
> > Symptoms:
> > From the following clues, I believe the car is flooding out, but need to
> > pinpoint the problem:
> >
> ...
> > 9.  I unplugged the carb overflow pipe at the carb and gas ran out (this
> > pipe IS hooked up to the charcoal canisters)




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