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MG MGB Technical - tick tick tick tick tick....

Hi,
I've recently bought a 1978 MGB GT, and the fuel pump seems to be constantly ticking?! just wondering if this is normal?


Sometimes it ticks constantly and other times not....
Gavin J

It'll tick until it fills up the float chambers on the carbs. Then when they empty a bit it ticks again until they are full.

If it stops ticking and the car won't go. Hit it with something until it starts ticking again. The pump not the car :)

Tony
T Crossley

Gavin - Your car mey have been fitted with a replacement pump such as the little square, run all the time, make a lot of nois Fawcet pumps. They runn all the time regardless of the fill level of the float bowls. They are a good pump if you are willing to put up with the constant loud ticking. Tony's description is of the standard SU fuel pumps. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Check your fuel lines for leaks before you do anything else. Also check your carb bowl overflows. You could have a sticking float valve or other fuel leak. When I bought my '80, there were some rubber fuel lines back near the tank that were badly deteriorated. You'll never know what the PO did or didn't do until you make a good inspection of the entire car..
R. L Carleen

Gavin - Just reread your posting, and I missed the part about "sometimes ticks constantly, and other times not". This would appear that you have a SU pump or other type of pump that operates the same as the SU. RL is correct in advising that you check for fuel leaks. Also check the overflow pipes to see if there is gas coming out of them or through the charcoal canister. Also, check for air leaks on the input side of the pump or in the pump itself. To do this, disconnect the fuel line from the carburetor and put it in a can or jar, then turn on the ignition. If you get bubbles in the fuel coming out, then you have an air leak in the pump or on the inlet side.
Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

This thread was discussed between 22/07/2004 and 23/07/2004

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