Morris Minor Owners Club

I HAD TO BE TOWED HOME TODAY, FIRST TIME EVER, MY 67 MORRIS 1000 STARTED TICKING LIKE CRAZY AND THE ENGINE CUT OUT. THE ENGINE RAN FINE WHEN TICKING OVER BUT AS SOON AS I MOVED OFF THE ENGINE CUT OUT AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES.
THE TOW GUY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP.
DOES THIS SOUND ABOUT RIGHT?
ARE THEY EASY TO FIT? <br><br>

Very easy to get at, very easy to fit, two bolts, two fuel unions and two wires. But also quite easy to repair - worth checking if it's ticking because it's not getting fuel, too.

Hi, before you start fiddling with anything just take off the petrol cap and try start it as you may just have an air lock. You never know, it could be that simple.

If the pump is ticking then its working. As it is ticking like mad it means its not delivering fuel to the float chamber. The system works like a ballcock in your toilet flush. The float level drops and demands fuel from the pump. The tick is the sound of the fuel pump trying to deliver fuel. As it keeps on ticking it means no fuel is getting through to the ballcock to shut the pump off. Possible causes are air locks (as Andy says), blocked fuel filter in line (if fitted) or at the base of the fuel pump. Sticking float in float bowl or some other obstruction in the pipe from pump to carb. Vapourisation is a possibility although unlikely in this weather!! I think Id' go an air lock first.....

Your recovery man was partly correct - the pump is not delivering fuel. It could actually be a failed pump (cracked diaphragm or failed one way valve) but that's very rare - normal failure of an SU fuel pump is just to stop altogether.

Therefore best to consider the points listed already.

Other things to consider - if your fuel guage was faulty (e.g. stuck part way) you could have run out of fuel!
An air leak in the fuel line would have the same effect as running the tank empty - i.e. only air getting to the pump.

Run out of fuel came to my mind too! Or - could be some crud in the tank has blocked the outlet pipe - or could be the little filter in the underside of the pump is blocked. So - simple things first - pour in a gallon of petrol and see what happens - then go to the pump filter - and if still no go, try blowing back through the fuel line and find out if it's blocked.
If you take the delivery pipe off the pump and put it in a measuring jug - it should pump a pint in 2 to 3 minutes max.

If you are thinking of changing the fuel pump yourself Please disconnect the battery first. Even if you only disconnect the earth lead.
Remember Safety first, safety second, and safety third. Especially when working with petrol.

and even more so when petrol is combined with electrickery :0

Thanks for your help everyone, carried out a few checks as advised and in the end replaced the fuel pump (£59) next day delivery. It was an easy job and took about 30mins including disconecting the battery. Took her for a long run this morning and she went like a dream.
Once again thanks for your help. <br><br>

I was coming back from Cornwall years ago, when the car just wasn't running right (no go - even for a sidevalve) I pulled over to investigate, nothing seemed amiss, but I did undo the fuel filler and Shuumm!, air hurtled in and normal service was resumed!
Somehow the little hole in the cap was blocked.
I can remember seeing pictures in an old Car Mechanics mag of a petrol tank that had been totally crushed (sucked flat) by a blocked breather.
Worth a look

Don't throw that old fuel pump away - take the filter out (brass nut at bottom of base) and clean it - likely that was all that was wrong. Good to have a spare with you at all times - you'll never need it then !