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Hey Guys, following my (much) earlier post regarding what i thought was possible vaccum issues with my Fuel tank.

I was driving home yesterday in the suddenly hot weather, with the fuel under half a tank and it started again ... kangarooing, no power etc . . .

over it all was a smell ... .It smelled a little like burning bakelite ... (for those who remember that stuff )

anyway dropped into the servo, topped up the tank (20-ish-litres) and the problem went away ....

when i got home, i took the pump out (still definitely warm to touch). But the weird thing was this red, powdering gunk all over the pickup ...

(I think I'll be flushing the tank soon . . . )

Anyway, do fuel pumps "burn-out" ?
Are there definite symptoms ?
anyone else experienced "the smell" ?

Cheers all
J

Things burning in fuel tanks sounds a bit nasty

Sounds like it may be unrelated, it could be a coil pack getting hot (and cooling down at the servo) so it runs fine again. If it's dumping fuel into the cat the cat might cook and cause the smell.

I think the fuel pump may be an unrelated symptom (it could be fine, just a dirty pickup). The tank is sealed and only vents when you open the fuel cap and via the carbon cannister (for emissions), thus it would be difficult to smell anything from there (you'd smell fuel first).

Hmmm you may be onto something with the coil pack ....
Oh yea, never thought about the smell getting out

When it next happens I'll check the temp of the coil pack and see what it compares to when it doesnt happen ...

Good thinking

J

Ok, plot thickens ....

On the way to work this morning (85-ish Klm) the Fuel tank was showing 1/4 full ....

as it dropped just below 1/4 an odd thing happened ... the idle got rougher, and power was right down... and it started 'surging' - same feeling as before when i could smell the burning smell ....

BUT this morning i could also hear a 'surging' sound from the fuel tank as well . . . . . but no smell.

As soon as I topped up the tank (24ish litres) it all came good again ....

Ok, my current thoughts are around a vacuum being created in the tank, a pressure being created in the tank, or something sinister with my pump ....

Anyone ?

J

Try opening the fuel cap next time it's doing it to equalise the pressure in the tank

I've tested that in the past, and while it seems to work, it doesnt work for long .....

Is there a breather on this tank ? - does it run to the charcoal canister in the engine bay ?

I'm wondering if there is a blockage along there somewhere ....

J