Facet pump problems

steveshaw · Post by **steveshaw** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 7:34 am

Having problems with my SD1 engined Cobra.
Had a Facet silver top pump that kept stopping, if you turned off the ignition and started again off it would go for a while, it had a clean pre-filter, its below fuel level, new fuel lines.
Decided to replace it with a red top (copy) and its still the same problem, it drove OK for about 20 miles, then pump stuck, off / on with ignition away again for a while. When its "stuck" if you tap it a few times it starts running again but stops again within minutes.
Have I just been "unlucky" with both pumps or am I missing something?
I'm feeding SU carburettors through a filter king, if I take off the fuel feed to the carbs and pump into a can, its seems to run OK, for at least two gallons anyway.
I dont want to get into installing a "return" pipe as a work round, because as far as I can find out, Facet pumps should work OK the way I have installed them.
All sugestions welcome.
Steve

Ian Anderson · Post by **Ian Anderson** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:01 am

In my opinion
2 possibilities
1) No breather letting air back into the tank creating vacuum - causing pump to think pressure it is set at has been reached. If you have a breather / valve etc check it's operational
2) Filter kings, although good can go wrong. It could be sticking and not allowing the fuel through - the back pressure against the Facit pump will cause it to stop "ticking"

Ian

andyv8van · Post by **andyv8van** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:22 am

Hi Steve,

well from what you have said, its unlikely to be both pumps, so must be related to the system.
i use a red top with filter king , i run it at 3 psi max to carb,using weber 500 carb.

I have had only one issue with my pump, had electrical fault, oil pump pressure switched gave my pump a short and stopped it, fitted fuse to pump not as back up but have had no issues.........

ian mentioned the tank air intake, a test would be to run the car , if you get this issue with the pump remove the petrol cap, you may find you cannot remove the cap easily with the tank holding vacuum.

I live in Hull, so i guess you are not too far from me, East Yorkshire!

Regards

Andy

steveshaw · Post by **steveshaw** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 9:36 am

Well it will be easy to try the "cap off" as its a Cobra 289 rep', I can reach from the drivers seat!
Next time it sticks, I'll take off the fuel pipe feeding the Filter King to see if it makes a difference.
Cheers
Steve

IanT · Post by **IanT** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:17 pm

..or something loose in the tank, being sucked into the outlet and blocking it.. then floating away after pump or car has stopped for a while..

JP. · Post by **JP.** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:37 pm

Facet pumps wont quit running anymore when on pressure while the old ones did. This counts for the Red top and Blue top pumps.
They changed it a few years ago.

steveshaw · Post by **steveshaw** » Sat Aug 28, 2010 5:26 pm

Decided the red-top is faulty so its going back.
I ran it untill it stopped ticking, took off the feed pipe, no different, took off the out pipe, no different, gave it a tap and it ticked, I recon its faulty.
We are running on the old silver-top, which I stripped and polished the slug, as it was very slightly scuffed, running fine at the moment.

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Sat Aug 28, 2010 6:31 pm

IanT wrote:..or something loose in the tank, being sucked into the outlet and blocking it.. then floating away after pump or car has stopped for a while..

Had that one, total arse to find,took about 3 weeks of playing to find the paper seal from a octaine booster cap was occasionally getting sucked onto the feed pipe in the tank

steveshaw · Post by **steveshaw** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 4:47 pm

Fitted replacement pump, all good now.