The 'E' Type Forum

Hi,

I have a S1 E4.2 and wondered if any one can help me with an intermittent problem! I took the car for a run on Saturday, covered about 15 miles at varying speeds, no problems at all. Then parked up while my wife grabbed a bit of shopping, car standing for about 30 mins or so in the sun. Then set off to the pub for lunch and within about half a mile she (the car, not the wife) started to cough and splutter and seemed to run on 3/4 cylinders before petering out. No luck re-starting straight away, but after waiting for 5 mins started up and ticked over nice and smooth.

Set off then same symptoms after about a mile, engine stopped, waited 5 mins, re-started, etc. This happened twice more over the next 3 miles or so (decided to risk getting to the pub for lunch).

Car standing for about 90 mins over lunch, then same problem a mile down the road. After that, the car seemed to run fine until I got back home, another 5 miles or so.

I swapped the distributor last year for a 123 and replaced the coil and plug leads, all have covered about 1000 miles since then through last summer with no problems.

Any ideas much appreciated, or any specialist you might recommend in the NW to take a look!

Hello Dom,
I'm not an expert in mechanic and obviously you will find more good advice here.
Neverthanless, this saturday (not on a jaguar but with an english car) I had exactly the same problem, with my girlfriend and we were stopped in the country (5miles from the house): there was no pub and no place to shop, that's certainly why, my girlfriend was so hungry :)
I found that it was a defective electrical connection on the su fuel pump, I just have to clean (placed near the back axle and without any compartment protection on austin healeys).
So do you hear, when you put contact, the noise of your su fuel pump?

Hi,

That's a good idea - my fuel pump sits in the boot and is well protected from the elements, but has been on the car for over 10 years! I'll take a look and check the connections, etc..

Thanks for your reply!

Dom

You welcome!
As I'm a bad mecanic personn (even if, I would want to improve that), it would be a great victory in first, have found a solution for me last saturday and second, have been able to help you! :D

dom wrote:Hi,

I have a S1 E4.2 and wondered if any one can help me with an intermittent problem! I took the car for a run on Saturday, covered about 15 miles at varying speeds, no problems at all. Then parked up while my wife grabbed a bit of shopping, car standing for about 30 mins or so in the sun. Then set off to the pub for lunch and within about half a mile she (the car, not the wife) started to cough and splutter and seemed to run on 3/4 cylinders before petering out. No luck re-starting straight away, but after waiting for 5 mins started up and ticked over nice and smooth.

Set off then same symptoms after about a mile, engine stopped, waited 5 mins, re-started, etc. This happened twice more over the next 3 miles or so (decided to risk getting to the pub for lunch).

Car standing for about 90 mins over lunch, then same problem a mile down the road. After that, the car seemed to run fine until I got back home, another 5 miles or so.

I swapped the distributor last year for a 123 and replaced the coil and plug leads, all have covered about 1000 miles since then through last summer with no problems.

Any ideas much appreciated, or any specialist you might recommend in the NW to take a look!

Fuel tank vent - hole blocked on filler cap?

It has all the hallmarks of a fuel filtration problem. Check first the filter bowl on the right hand side of the front bulkhead . Check each spring loaded filter inside the entry to each float chamber. Check also that the top washer on each float chamber centre bolt is a perforated one. Work backwards from there to the filter in the base of the fuel tank. We may not be too far apart - you are welcome to ring me on 0151 342 3175