ALEX 98 1 Cars Posted December 30, 2006 Those who don't know, or cant remember (it has been 3 months now), My car had clonk on the rear quarter near the filler cap. The insurance is still going through and is at the stage of the courts demanding they pay up, but I've been told that might not be the end of it as they can still claim the money (or half) back. I'll see what luck the new year brings. Anyway I was stuck at my Mums house 25 miles from Huddersfield one morning after a night out with the lads and hungover and the car wouldnt fire up, not even try. The AA came out connected a booster pack to the battery which he said sounded low on power, (still turning the car over as quick as normal to me) but soon as he connected the booster pack up it fired up. quite lumpy at idle then evened out, I could turn it off an on again after that with no problems . He gave me an advisery to change the battery but I wasn't so sure. A week later the exact same thing happened again at my mums, (it started OK when I set off from Huddersfield and it was left nearly a week then without use) The car was just left at my mums in the same spot as before over night. I thought I better change the battery before I call the AA out again and I was right it wasn't the battery. Been near Christmas they wernt in any rush to help me so in the hour waiting I kept trying it untill it started after about the 4th attempt. Coughing a bit and loads of steam (more than nomal on a cold morning)out of the exhaust, Ive checked the head gasket for pressurising but its fine. Another thought might be that water is finding it's way into the petrol tank through the damaged rear quarter (the cap does now sit on a an angle), what do you guys think? Petrol floats on water doen't it?, and the pick up is at the bottom. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim21070 2 Posted January 1, 2007 Could be Alex. In regular use the water and petrol will be well mixed and not cause too much grief. But leave it a few days and it'll separate out and sit on the bottom. And yes, fuel is drawn from the bottom but usually not right from the very bottom to avoid drawing the ineveitable water that gets in over time. If you have a lot then you will suck water up. Only cure is a full drain, rinse and a fuel filter change. The fuel filter is not designed to cope with a lot of water (as a diesel fuel filter is for instance) and will tend to fall to bits with too much of the stuff. Shame the tank has no drain plug as used to be the case on many oldies. I guess it's a tank off job for a really thorough job You may get temporary relief if you really agitate the tank after a say, a trip, and then immediately run the pump with the engine off and fuel filter disconnected to pump as much out of the tank as possible. You'll have to do a bit of hot-wiring of the pump to achieve this and have a big enough container handy to pump the fuel into. let it settle and then carefully decant it back in the tank, less any water of course. Water in the tank used to corrode carbs something rotten in the old days. Not sure what it'll do to injectors though. Not very much I would have thought. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grim.Badger 15 Posted January 2, 2007 Sounds strange that it starts with the booster pack, what are the symptoms when you try and start it? I presume it's turning over but not catching. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ALEX 98 1 Cars Posted January 2, 2007 It has been fine sine so I've decided not to touch anything untill it does it again just incase It's something else that's causing the problem. I'l renew the fuel filter when I get time though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boldy205 74 Posted January 2, 2007 (edited) when you tried to turn the engine over would it just clunk and not turn? i had a simialr prob with my 1.9, turned out to be a knackard head gasket. after leaving it for a while water would seap into the cylinders, then when you try turning it over the water will not compress therefore stopping the engine turn. mine didnt enen seem to use much water either. this problem got worse untill the engine would not turn over atall. therefore the booster pack just gave it the extra cranking it needed to clear the water out. would a compression check show up a HG problem? Matt. Edited January 2, 2007 by boldy205 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christopher 5 1 Cars Posted January 2, 2007 (edited) It has been fine sine so I've decided not to touch anything untill it does it again just incase It's something else that's causing the problem.I'l renew the fuel filter when I get time though. Water will never mix with petrol. They are just not miscible. I think water is a lot heavier actually. Condensation can find its way into the petrol tank very easily but is normally only a problem with carbs. The problem arises since the water droplets are not not able to combust (burn) A simple solution is to add carburretor fluid which is readily available in denmark. It contains 2-propanol (1 litre for 40 litres petorl). The water in the tank then mixes with the alcohol (which is combustable) and becomes combustable. Edited January 2, 2007 by christopher Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
