Oh, I forgot to mention yesterday's biggest mishap -- when the sunvisor fell off and into my arms on the steering wheel, just as I was trying to merge from one interstate to the other in traffic. Kinda surprised me a bit, but I wish that were the biggest problem I had today!
I've mentioned previously about some vapor lock issues that I've had, but that they've been easily solved by using my auxiliary fuel pump. Well, what happens when I'm running that pump as well and I still experience vapor lock? For quite some time today, we could limp (as in 45mph in a 75mph zone) about 30-35 miles at a time before allowing the car to cool off and start again. We met a lot of folks in west Texas and eastern New Mexico, and we managed to get the car to Carlsbad, NM. I actually had reservations 11 more miles past Carlsbad, but I was ready to stop, plus I'd heard there is absolutely nothing in Whites City where I was supposed to stay, so if I want to enlist the support of a store, mechanic, restaurant, etc. I better stay in Carlsbad.
What is the cause? I don't know. I will say, however, that although the car could run and get me to the next stop (when not experiencing vapor lock), even when not experiencing vapor lock it seemed to be down on power. I've been thinking that if I've got some other restriction, then perhaps the vapor lock just exacerbates the problem....I'm not getting enough fuel as it is, and then it vaporizes.
I did check the fuel filter in the vee of the motor and found it clean. When I stopped tonight, I took the rear couch out and checked the rear fuel filter (by the tank), and while the filter is clean the little bowl the filter sits in had a lot of nasty junk in it -- perhaps enough to be partially blocking the fuel filter and therefore fuel flow. I spent some time cleaning it out and went out for a short test run hopeful that it would no longer be running low on power. No such luck.
After I got back I thought that perhaps I should do a run without the auxiliary fuel pump on. It might be my imagination, but the car felt much better that way. With the aux pump on, while it has generally been fixing my problems, I do smell a fuel odor when running it. I checked both filters and while the rear one wasn't leaking, the front one has a small leak where it tightens. I did disturb that filter by checking it, but the odor was occurring well before I disturbed it. Nonetheless, I removed the filter again and put a brand new aluminum washer in. Still leaks using the aux pump, but I don't think it is leaking when using just the traditional dual-SU pumps.
I should also mention that several days ago, I did my normal daily test of both ignition systems and both ends of the dual-SU pumps at some random part of the drive. The A-side of the SU pumps was not working properly! Tonight, after my little test runs, I decided to see if the A-side would run the car at all. I let the car idle for several minutes running only on the A-side and it continued to run, so the A-side is working. However, it might have been my imagination but it sounded like the car was hunting a bit when running only on the A-side. I bumped up the idle to 1/3 throttle and within 5 seconds the car died. So while A is running it is marginal. Maybe B is marginal as well, but running better than A?
So my theory is that perhaps my dual-SUs are ailing (it should run fine on just one side, but maybe both sides are weak?). The other part of my theory is that perhaps my aux pump is pushing too much fuel through, maybe making the car run a little rough under load. As mentioned in other forums, I had an issue with a previous fuel regulator (Mr. Gasket brand), and now I have a Holley fuel regulator that I installed. My mechanic (Dick Frawley) set that fuel regulator to run at 5.5psi, which shouldn't be too much.
Tonight, I spent about 90 minutes (yes, I checked the watch) and installed my brand new spare dual-SU fuel pump. Started the car up and both sides run fine, but I didn't do a test drive. Since it's after midnight, I did nothing else, but I guess if I'm running rich due to too much fuel from the aux pumps, I might see some evidence on the plugs. I'll have to keep an eye on fuel leaks in the vee of the motor from the fuel filter.
Tomorrow I'll check a few plugs, and then we'll go for a run with just the normal dual-SUs. I'll also talk with Frawley about how to deal with the aux pump and his thoughts on if perhaps I need to throttle the regulator back and if that extra pressure is perhaps causing a slight fuel leak in that fuel filter housing.
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