Low on Gas, motor cuts out

[Excaliber]

I have a 16 (maybe 17?) gallon tank on my Excalibur Cobra. When it gets down to 1/4 tank or less the fuel misses the pump pickup and I starve for fuel. UNDER HARD CORNERING (read that racing). Normal highway driving is fine.

Anyone else having this problem? I don't want a knew tank, maybe relocate or modify the pick-up or fuel pump?

Ernie (Honolulu Hot Foot)

[427sharpe]

You might relocate the pick up to the bottom of the tank. Any competent welding shop should be able to knock it out. It would be a good time to weld in an AN fitting! If you do this, run an external filter at the tank BEFORE the fuel pump to catch whatever the tank gives up!

[cobrashoch]

I don't think I would put a line filter on before a fuel pump if it were me. If you stop up the filter you could destroy a expensive fuel pump. Worse yet the engine could run lean and you could cause engine damage. You didn't say if you have fuel injection or not but I am assuming that you do as Excalibers comply with DOT regulations. I also assumed that you have checked the usual stuff out. I.E. fuel filter, regulator setpoint, return cannister, return line, and so on. If all that stuff checks out, (and you have a external fuel pump away from the gas tank) I have used a small SURGE POT before the fuel pump. Just make sure the line comes in high from the gas tank and goes out low to the fuel pump. You will need a air bleed on the top of the pot to fill it up before use. I have also used this surge pot in the past for a secondary racing fuel tank. Just switch a valve to the race tank you are using, arm the NOS system and go racing. Switch back to your regular gas tank for your trip home. Bet that will get rid of any fuel starvation problems you have.
But I'd really bet that you have a weak fuel pump though, or some such thing, as that Excaliber did comply with all rules/laws and emission laws for cars that year. That usially means something redundant has gotten weaker since your car was built.
Bet it's just out of warranty too!
PS- watch that return line going from that racing fuel supply. It could fill up your regular gas tank. A secondary return line is in order.

cobrashock

[ERA535]

What kind of induction system are you using? Carb or injection?

If a carb you are going to have to drain the float bowl pretty much before it runs out of gas....unless it is a reallllly long corner I would doubt that would happen.

That would eliminate the fuel tank pick up as the problem. I would look for the main jets getting uncovered during hard cornering as the source of the problem.

Good luck.

[Jeff Frigo]

Put more gas in it.

[Excaliber]

It's fuel injection all right, sorry I didn't mention that. And no I haven't checked "the usual suspects" yet. Return line. vapor filter, fuel pump pressure and amount of delivery, restricted EXISTING fuel filter, return line, etc.. Which of course I will do now, DOH!

It runs fine if I keep a half tank of gas of more in it how ever, which points to a "non-baffled" tank?

Jeff, at least you have a V-6 up and running, Those 2 lawn mowers you had before were killing me, ha ha!

Interesting note on the filter before the pump. I can see how that could burn out the pump.

SCCA Solo events are OK, right left right left turns. The road course is where it suffers (lot's of lefts and sweepers).
Ernie

[Bob Putnam]

Do Amerikanski cars use an accumulator in the fuel line like some of the Bosch designs? They hold about 200 cc of fuel and are intended to even out pressure when the pickup is exposed.

[Excaliber]

Bob,
How do the ERA cars over come this potential problem? Art the tanks baffled or what?
Ernie