fuel gauge not working and trouble starting

[MarcusNicholls97]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I am 17 and doing an apprenticeship at a local garage. I have a 1967 Morris 1000 which needs a bit of work to get it on the road, I hope to use it as my first when (if) I pass my test later in September.
I have a couple of problems that I hope someone can help me with.
The fuel gauge doesn't seem to read that there is any fuel in the tank, and i know the is some in the tank. The workshop manual says that if it is an open circit then the gauge should read full, but the gauge still shows empty. The other thing is that when I go out to start her up (with the choke out) she runs for a couple of seconds and then dies, the only thing that i have changed, engine wise, is that I have put on a pancake style air filter but i have had her running before and she was running sweet as a nut but that was when she had warmed up, oooh also I have done all the valve gapping and now they are spot on.
I hope that someone can help.

Marcus

[bmcecosse]

Fuel gauge shows empty on open circuit.... If you touch the wire at the tank sensor to earth - the gauge will run slowly up to FULL. Perhaps you are pulling the 'choke' (it's not really a choke) out too far? When it starts you should push it half way in - and if necessary 'catch' the engine on the accelerator and keep it running that way. Otherwise of course it could be the fuel pump failing to deliver. Since it does start - you can assume it's not an ignition problem. Remove the 'pancake' and refit the correct filter - it loses power - and it may be blocking important passages in the carb - causing the problem you have now...

[Dean]

You say, you know there is some fuel in?

The fuel could be stale and old.

Try a gallon or two of fresh new unleaded then come back.

If it was running before and you have only changed the gaps and filter there's no reason why it shouldn't run again.

[MarcusNicholls97]

Thank you for the advise, much appreciated.
I have now got her running as it was that the choke wasn't coming far enough out this was due to the little arm on the bottom of the carb (not sure what its called) but that was semi seized so I have free that off and it seem to have cured that problem.

With the fuel gauge I have tried earthing the wire to the fuel tank but it still seems reluctent to move :/ but now I am having another problem with the doors, the don't seem to close flush and also the N/S door lock seems to be jammed so I have started the process of removing it, but if I am right in saying, you have to remove the whole window and mech but I have followed instructions from the workshop manual and it seems to come out so far and then no more and I can't seem to remove the actuator arm from the window channel at the bottom of the glass, any advice would be very much welcomed.

[bmcecosse]

Why not just spray it all with WD40 to see if it frees off.

[Dean]

Glad you got it started.

Sounds like it needs a real good proper old fashioned service.