Engine: Fuel delivery problems

[bmaxwell1956]

[whacker]

Why not install an in-line filter yourself? All you need is a tubing cutter, pliers, and an in-line filter. They usually come with two lengths of rubber hose and four simple clamps. Up by the carburetor, you cut the fuel line (you may need to remove a section of line the length of the filter, two cuts) and slip two of the clamps on one side, and two on the other side. Then push the two hoses on each of the two ends of the fuel line, and push the filter in between them. Use pliers to put the clamps in place on both ends of both hoses and you are done. There is no need to open up the carb, and if you use a clear filter, you can see when it needs to be changed.

[rockne10]

In-line filter is easy enough to retrofit. I would put it near the fuel tank (not near exhaust) before the fuel pump.

[bmaxwell1956]

I plan on installing an inline filter, which is easy. My problem is getting the car running again...

[Jim B PEI]

My two cents worth which won't even buy you decent penny candy nowadays.

I'd disconnect the gas line from before the pump, and run known good gasoline in a clean container with a line through a filter and all. If it still runs ragged & badly on a plastic jerry can, then you know you have dirt/gunk in the carb and/or a pump problem. It sounds like if you are cranking a lot that the pump pressure might be off due to contamination or a junk blockage.

Is there one of those small filters at the inlet of your carb, the ones with the stone sponge type in a little fitting where the gas line comes in? I know zero about your carb type on the Golden Hawk, but when I had Corvairs they did, and got junked up. Undoing the gas line carefully where it jointed the carb and cleaning it out sometimes did wonders. (had several Corvairs with the nightmare 4 single carbs with Rube Goldberg linkage--every bit helped)

If it runs better after a bit, it might just be a bad tank of gas, so I would just drain it, install two inline filters, (one for luck), and refill.

I also had an 87 Mercury Tracer (Mazda 3 clone) with carburetor the year prior to introduction of fuel injection in Canada. It stopped running in the Summer of 88 at about 20,000 km every time it dropped under 1100 rpm. I had recently got gas from a 'discount place' hole in the wall..silly me. It would start and run, but stalled out if the speed dropped. Two dealers quoted $800-$1000 to fix by rebuilding the carb with a kit, so instead I bought a $5 spray can of carb cleaner, and followed directions, and immediately changed the engine oil afterwards. Car ran perfectly for me for another 350,000 km when I sold it onwards. You might not want to do this with your Golden Hawk, but something like this might dislodge some gunk or grit that is fouling up the jets, needle and seat, etc and would be cheaper than a full carb rebuild/clean. If you do that, I think that disconnecting the supercharger belt while you are doing this would likely be a good idea too...

In retrospect about the Tracer, it had an electrically controlled carb and it was the idle circuit that was gunked up; the start circuit was fine, which is why it would restart instantly, and keep running if I immediately held the pedal down a bit to keep the revs higher. It died like the key was turned off every time the running speed dipped below 1050, instantly, no coughing or misfiring. The Carb cleaner did the trick, but its one of those things that you should just not do on a regular basis.