<VV> Spyder Bucking/Stalling problem - Final Answer!

Doug Mackintosh dougmackintosh at yahoo.com
Sun Jul 20 23:49:45 EDT 2008


I finally fixed the bucking / stalling problem I posted a while back. Thanks to all for the many suggestions, many of which I tested before landing on the actual culprit.
 
For those who have forgotten, the symptoms were:
 
- Car started and ran OK.
- After 10-15 miles it would start bucking, or just die. 
- After sitting a minute, it would restart, with some cranking required.
- Higher speed and harder running aggravated the condition (more frequent stalls)
- Lower fuel level also seemed to aggravate the condition

This weekend, I finally got around to checking the tank and lines (while the tank was full I checked out other possibilities). I have a filter mounted under the car behind the tank, with a hose from the tank to the filter, and another hose from the filter then looping around into a hole in the cross brace, then back out a different hole and then to the steel line going to the back of the car. When I disconnected the hose at the steel line heading to the rear, I only got a small trickle of fuel. When I disconnected the hose from the sender, I got a very strong stream out of the sender. Based on this I believe the filter (very dirty) and/or the long hose that ran through the cross brace (possibly pinched) were causing the restriction. 
 
I removed the sender and checked the tank (no obvious problems inside), replaced the pickup sock (dirty but not dirty enough to prevent a strong stream from the sender), replaced the hoses and filter, and blew out the line running to the rear. I also changed my filter setup to avoid routing a hose through the cross brace (to avoid possible pinching).
 
After that I took it for a long cruise and the problem is gone!
 
There is one mystery I may never resolve. When I did the initial fuel flow tests (at cranking speed) on the fuel pump I got 1 pint in 26 seconds. My estimate of fuel consumption during my test runs (when it stalled) was about 1/4 of this rate. Seems like the restriction in the hose and filter (if it was enough to cause the stalling) would have kept the pump from being able to deliver that flow.

-- Doug Mackintosh
Corsa member since 1996
Corsa/NC member since 1996, Virtual Vairs member
Corvair owner 1969-1971 and 1996-on


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