Rover Sports Register Forum

I am hoping someone has had a similar experience and found a fix. My car is a 1947 12 with the Solex downdraught carb. The car is fitted with an electric fuel pump.

Very intermittently it seems to suffer from complete fuel starvation. Typically I might pull away and the engine will then die on me. I drift into the side of the road. Wait a few seconds and the car will normally fire up again OK and proceed normally. Because I usually have the freewheel engaged when it does die there is no help from the rear wheels to get it going again. It seems most likely to happen after I have been waiting a while at a junction.

I think the little plunger thing that rests on the brass float occasionally gets stuck in the closed position. i.e. does not drop when the float drops causing the chamber to empty. This is really only a theory but I have noticed a slight tendency for it to stick closed when I have had the thing apart.

Any observations, cures or comments gratefully received!

Geoff

You can distinguish very easily if it is a vapor lock or a stuck needle valve. If the electric fuel pump is clicking like mad then it is a fuel starvation - most probably it is a vapour lock. If the pump does not click hit the carburetor with the adjustable ranch from the tool tray (or something similar). If the pump starts clicking, then it is the needle valve.