Sick TC --(melanie)

old forum · hod rodder Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 15499

Hi there,

I'm the owner of a '77 TC Gemini (my family has had a '74 TX - I think - from new - it's now my brother's) and I've run into a mechanical fault no-one can fix.

When she's been sitting the sun or warm weather for a few hours, she starts fine but when she gets onto the open road and picks up revs, the engine dies away and stalls. It will do this several times until it warms up.

I've found opening the bonnet and warming the engine up before driving away reduces the problem but it is a complete pain in the arse. It never happens in cold weather or if the car has been driven a few times during the day - just if it's been sitting for 6 hours or more.

I've had the carby overhauled and new fuel relays installed: not helping so far.

I love my car (which I've just had re-sprayed back the original blue-green) and I don't want to part with her, but she's pissing me off!

Can you help?

Many thanks,
Melanie

old forum · hod rodder Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 15499

I know the problem, my TD had the exact same one, park it in the sun, go to drive off and it starves for fuel (well it appears to starve for fuel).

I know it would be great if I could give you an answer to this problem wouldn't it.....

Well I will tell you one thing, my father who has only ever owner geminis with the mechanical fuel pump has never experienced this problem.

old forum · hod rodder Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 15499

My TD did the same. I'm 90% sure it was the stuffed fuel pump. A new genuine one was about $300 (about 6 years ago). I was gonna take the pump out (they're in the tank), take its guts out, put it back in,and put an aftermarket external one in, but then I sold the car instead. I got one from the wreckers, and it made the problem (and others that it had) worse.
Dont know why the heat affects it. Maybe it made vapour bubbles that my gutless pump couldnt push for a while.
Definitely look into a pump. At least try take the sock filter off the end where the fuel goes in and see if that improves it.
Paul

old forum · hod rodder Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 15499

Thanks, Paul and Adam for your postings: they confirm what a couple of people have told me, that the fuel pump is probably at the root of all the evil.

I think I'll just be parking in shade and driving on wet days alot until I can mortgage my house and get a new pump (it is, of course, electric...).

Many thanks once again - at least now I know that I'm not insane (which is what my mechanic thinks).

Cheers
Melanie