It has to be electrical, right?

[jeremybarnes]

One more development: when I remove the fuel bowl, as I loosen the clamp below it, I hear a hiss, as if the whole system is pressurized and thus there's an air bubble somewhere that's preventing the fuel from filling the bowl and thus getting to the carbs.

Jeremy.

[christopher storey]

I take it this is SUs. If so, you need to be sure that you have assembled the washers , which go under the bolt wich secures the lid to each float chamber , in the correct sequence. One of the washers is slotted( usually brown fibre ) to provide a vent . That has to go next to the float chamber lid, underheath the overflow banjo. The unslotted aluminium washer goes on top of the banjo , next to the bolt head . If you get these reversed, you will get a pressure build up of air in the chamber which will prevent fuel flowing into it

[mgcjag]

Hi Jeremy...could be some sort of blockage in the pipe to the carbs.....take the tops off the float bowls and see if fuel is getting through the needle valves

[jeremybarnes]

Quick update that I posted on J-L too, for those of you who may not check over there:

Thanks for all the input.
- yes, tried with the fuel cap off, no difference
- if I pull the line off that runs to the carbs, I can pump fuel straight into a fuel jug, so there's plenty of power in the pump
- I do not have the fiber washer under the banjo fitting that connects the overflow pipe to the float bowl. It was suggested that that fiber washer provides some of the venting I'm talking about, so I've just ordered new ones and will install this weekend
- I'll drain the tank this weekend and check the sump filter. It was replaced recently, but this is only the first full tank of fuel I've run through the car. As the car sat unused for 14+ years, it's possible I've dredged up new sludge and rust and it's plugged.
- on the electrics side, I have just installed a new base plate in the distributor, with new points and condenser, plus a red rotor. The old base plate was loose and wobbly, even though it was firmly attached.

I'll be back at it this weeeknd (all I want from Santa is a running E-Type!), and report back.

Jeremy.

[daykrolik]

The much better ideas already mentioned are far more likely. But just in case I thought I would mention that a needle dropping out of an SU piston can lead to some serious head scratching. Ask me how I know.

[mgcjag]

Hi Jeremy...just re read your first post.again....it didnt mention that the car had sat for 14+ years.....you gave the impression that it was a runner that had developed an intermittant fault.....

[jeremybarnes]

Steve: Yeah, that might have been a useful piece of info, no? Sorry everyone!

I have driven the car approximately 100 miles in the past two weeks since buying it back in January and fiddling and fettling this, that and the other. I've rebuilt the carbs, gone through all the brakes, replaced all hoses and belts, fluids, filters, put the interior back in (it was in boxes when i bought the car), etc. It's started and idled perfectly in the garage for months, and ran just fine over the past 100 miles. As i said, next step will be to drain the tank and check the sump filter again (the main filter was clean, as were the filters in the carbs), and if it looks nasty, the tank will come out and i'll have it boiled out properly. I'll pull the fuel pump apart and check the screen filter in there too, in case it's a fuel volume/delivery and not a pressure issue.

Trying to be methodical and working through systems that seem to have been fine in the garage at idle or just revving, but aren't up to snuff under proper driving load.

Jeremy.

[Hugo]

Bungee a gallon can on the bonnet/hood and syphon-feed the carbs. That way you eliminate the whole lot.

[jeremybarnes]

Well, to wrap up the saga, we have a resolution!

While I confess I still don't entirely know what my problem was, she's running...! Here's what I did:
- pulled the fuel tank and sent it off to be hot-tank boiled out. It had gritty, flaky rust inside before, and came back nearly spotless
- sump had about 1/2 inch of goopy sludge in it when I took it apart
- painted the outside before it went back in (not convinced that makes much difference how she runs, but it made me happy...)
- fresh sump sock/filter
- added a filter inline before the pump
- flushed all the fuel lines
- fresh filter in the engine bay
- resynched all three carbs and redid the mixtures
-timing set to 9 degrees at idle
- replaced the points and condenser
- replaced the plate the points attach to
- fresh distributor cap

Put the tank back in, tossed in 3 gallons and hit the starter. She coughed once and started perfectly. I did the timing and carbs with her idling perfectly, with the fan popping on and off as it should. Went for the celebratory drive up and down the road, and she seems to run brilliantly now.

Going to get braver in the next couple of weeks and do more miles, and see how we go. I suppose I always have that roadside assistance plan if I need it again!

While I suppose I should have been more methodical in the search to learn what the problem was, all I know is that I'm looking forward to happy motoring now. Thanks to everyone who posited ideas and suggestions, I'm most grateful for everyone's help.

Happy new year to all.

Jeremy.

[mark10337]

We're all pleased you are back up and running. Great work and happy motoring for the New Year!

[PierreW]

Rotor arm is the most likely culprit. As a temporary expedient, try interposing some cling film between rotor arm and distributor shaft . If that doesn't make any difference I would also try a coil substitution as a temporary measure

another thing really helped me on the MGA. Put a drop of engine oil (using the dipstick rod) into the hole in the distributor finger. oil penetrates cracks and acts as insulation.

[Allrand]

The needle & seat valves in the carb float bowls should hold pressure up to 3 psi. If there's no vent washer the carbs will be flooding through the jets, or still provide some venting through the overflow pipes, either way pressure can't be held in the float bowl. There may be a blockage in the line from the fliter bowl to the carbs, but then it won't run. If you crack open one of the banjos at the carbs there should be pressure there if the inlet line is clear.

[mgcjag]

You guys are replying to an 8 year old thread

[PierreW]

You guys are replying to an 8 year old thread

Sharing of experience for all