Help: Surges / Loses power / stalls while driving. Idles fine.

[blekkja]

New problem has popped up - never had with an Avenger before. Decided to go for a quick blat to the shop to get cutting discs (for it's poor quality metal the Marina is chewing through these). On the way starts surging and eventually stalls. I look at the gas level and get out my jerry can. Starts fine, drive on to the next servo to top up. Does it again as I'm pulling in - that's cool, I only put a splash in before. Carry on and finish my jobs. No probs. Almost home it happens again. Stalls a couple of times but somehow I manage to turn into my street and back into the drive - where it idles no trouble at all for ten minutes.

So I was thinking the carb is doing something weird - except over the last few weeks it has been playing silly buggers and has needed to be jumped a couple of times. Related?

[JoKer]

fuel filter? give lines a blowout/pump a once over?

just suggestions : sounds like fuel to me

[blekkja]

So you don't think the intermittent starting problem (which I had assumed was a short somewhere and was dreading having to hunt out) is related to this?

I had a quick look at the carb and it seemed fine but it can't hurt to give the rest of a fuel system a good going over, too.

Cheers for giving me somewhere to start with, anyway. The whole thing was a little bit overwhelming the other night so I made an executive decision to go inside and drink whiskey instead.

[1300super]

i had a similar problem.... it wasnt fuel related it was electrical. Check the positive lead from the battery to the starter motor... mine was loose causing the car to randomly die, and sometimes giving the impression of a flat battery in the morning.

[blekkja]

Can't you guys agree on the cause, here? Make things easy for me?

I know that my battery lead is a bit dodgy - because I just bodged the two cables from my old solenoid together when I changed my starter recently. I really should finish that job, eh? If I'm lucky the one from the Marina will be long enough.

Still going to flush the fuel system anyway because it seems like it is a good idea.

[oldschool]

Could be a split carb diaphagm, or fuel pump problem, I have new ones if needed.

[blekkja]

Gaaah! Replacing the posi cable and the solenoid bolt snaps off.

Calm thoughts.

[JoKer]

could be the solenoid bolt ._.

[1300super]

Gaaah! Replacing the posi cable and the solenoid bolt snaps off.

Calm thoughts.

Oh dear!! I'm fairly confident that the rangi battery cable would have been your problem. I have a spare starter if you need a new solenoid. 

[blekkja]

Yeah it wasn't too secure, eh. I guess that is the starting issues sorted. I will see if I can dissect it tomorrow and get a new bolt in somehow. It's bloody stupid how small that bolt was - 10mm. Asking for trouble.

[blekkja]

New starter and it is still happening. I'm sure it is an electrical thing because I have more problems after dark. All the connections are superb - I know because I've adjusted everything on the roadside more than once now and there is nothing left to give (After each time it drives fine until all of a sudden... stall). I'm going to try and rule out the fuel pump tomorrow and I am going to fast track my professional solenoid rebuild just in case - I don't like using (un-reconned) second hand parts if I can help it! I'm dreading that I might have to rewire my whole starting system. All half a dozen wires of it. (I am no sparky that's sure)


Actually: exactly what am I looking for with the Pump? Fuel is definitely getting through it - I would have thought either it works or it doesn't?


btw: Thanks, Sam, for the starter. You rule.

[oldschool]

Probably not the fuel pump as that symptom is like running out of petrol, not stalling.
I've found the fuses come loose and get dirty over time, causing intermittent electrical problems.
Pull them out and clean them, then clean the copper fuse holder contacts too...bending the contacts towards each other, making more tension to hold the fuse in place.
Also, check the + and - terminals on your coil are tight - the riveted ones often come loose, causing problems.
It may also be your ignition switch? No relays on Avengers, so the switch has to handle heaps of current and it's just about 40 years old now...Graeme (Avengerparts) has new ones.

[blekkja]

Gave up and took to the sparky. And it was the Fuel Pump after all. I feel like a right burk, but it was running alright at idle. I knew I should have taken the bonnet off so I could watch it while driving.