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

[Doug Mackintosh]

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread?

At the very least, when you stray from stock you need to think through all the ways it may fail. Oh yeah, and change your filters!

BTW, my motivation for the non-stock mod was to try to save the stock fuel filter. At the time I first installed the under car filter I feared the others would become unobtainable, and they already were pretty expensive. 

-- Doug Mackintosh

  Corsa member since 1996

  Corsa/NC member since 1996,  Virtual Vairs member

  Corvair owner 1969-1971 and 1996-on

--- On Mon, 21/7/08, Ron <ronh at owt.com> wrote:
From: Ron <ronh at owt.com>
Subject: Re: <VV> Spyder Bucking/Stalling problem - Final Answer!
To: dougmackintosh at yahoo.com, "Virtual Vairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Date: Monday, 21 July, 2008, 5:17 AM

So, the real interesting info is that it was a non-stock add on that was 
causing the trouble.  Any lesson to be learned from that?

RonH

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Doug Mackintosh" <dougmackintosh at yahoo.com>
To: "Virtual Vairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2008 8:49 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> Spyder Bucking/Stalling problem - Final Answer!


>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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