Woody Lost Power Dad!

[hitch]

She called last evening, said the woody just lost power as she was pulling onto the highway. She was shook and pulled over to the 1st safe place. "Dad, it just would not go when I pushed the gas pedal. She then tells me it did this a couple of weeks ago. She was afraid I'd not let her drive to school, dang, just let me know when there is something not right. It did not stall, just would not make any power. I'm thinking fuel or carb since I just did new plugs, wires cap and fuel filter last weekend.

 

Woody sporting new blackwall skinny tires, Notice the dent in the door and fender, her girlfriend backed into it! Guess that is why she is driving a 30 yr old car to High School.

 

I started at the carb and removed all rubber fuel lines back to the tank, started by blowing out the hard lines. Blew them into a clean paper towel to see what was in there. Nothing! I then removed the fitting and nipple from the tank, it looked way to kinked and thought that could be a restriction problem. When I got it off, there was crap stuck in the inlet side.

 

I replaced the fitting with a new Right Angle fitting and put another inline fuel filter back by the tank.

 

My conclusion, the previous owner had tank leak issues. They used that "glass liner" stuff to repair the tank. Now the crap is coming off and blocking the fuel outlet. I drained the tank and got some of it out with the dirty fuel, but there will likely be more in the future. I'll probably wait till she has time off from school, drop the tank, have it cleaned and repaired if possible. I just don't want her to be stranded any longer. Suggestions?

 

Stuff that came out of the fitting!

[Cuts metal like mad]

Modern cars have a "filter sock" over the end of the fuel pump thats in the tank. Maybe you could do something similar? Don't know how handy you are, but you could always refer to an old Red Green episode, theres gotta be SOMETHING in those that would help.

[ggzilla]

Modern cars like a 1978 Datsun 510 have a sock filter over the fuel sender/inlet unit.

 

Time to drop the fuel tank and remove the sender inspect it. Perhaps the filter is torn. Rinse it the tank and/or replace the tank. A 79-82 Datsun 210 wagon tank might be a bolt-in replacement.

[metalmonkey47]

Ouch dude!! Thats pretty nasty. Is that what you were telling me had happened when you picked up the carb the other day?

[hitch]

Ouch dude!! Thats pretty nasty. Is that what you were telling me had happened when you picked up the carb the other day?

 

Nope, it had an off idle stumble and I thought it needed a new accelerator pump. I drove it around for a couple of hours today after cleaning the fuel lines, it ran super without any stumble. I think I may have caused some of this. I've put sea foam in the tank the last two fill ups. Perhaps the Sea Foam is removing the crap from inside the tank. I'm going to look for a tank that I can get reworked. I'll bet that most of the tanks I'll find are in much worse shape than the one on the car. I just cannot afford the down time with the car, so I'd like to find a tank to swap in while one of them is getting cleaned and repaired. I'm not going to try the liquid glass crap though. It is not a permanent fix, wish the former owner had not put it in there.

 

Guess I better get the distributor and carb installed on the 620 so I have a back up car.

[ggzilla]

I'll bet that most of the tanks I'll find are in much worse shape than the one on the car.

I think most of the tanks in the wrecking yard will be far better than yours ...

[hitch]

I think most of the tanks in the wrecking yard will be far better than yours ...

 

 

You West coast guys are fortunate. It is rare to find a Datsun in any salvage yard, most were sent to the crusher by now. I may need to have one of my ratsun friends find me one and ship it here. The best way to get any used parts in the East, is buy a parts car. I just don't have space to keep a donor car around. In Craigslist searches for 210's in the South East, I found two were missing fuel tanks.

[datzenmike]

That crap looks like that stuff they swirl around on the inside of the tank to seal leaks.

 

Just a thought but most tanks I've seen don't have the fuel line coming out of the tank like that. They usually are in the top with a metal tube going down to an inch above the bottom of the tank. This would prevent rust, dirt and sediment from clogging it. Is it possible the fuel out and the return lines are switched, maybe at the engine end??

[hitch]

Thanks datzenmike, I figured it must be that stop leak stuff also. After this, I'll never recommend that to anyone, but then, I have know idea how long the stuff was in there. Anyone have the appropriate 79 210 manual and could check the routing of the fuel lines at the tank it would be helpful. Using a wooden paint stir stick from the sending unit hole. It feels like the fuel line inside the tank sticks up from the bottom about an inch. I have not removed the tank, but since it is a wagon, I did access the sending unit from the access hole in the rear floor and replaced it awhile back.

[datzenmike]

Generally the return line is slightly larger than the fuel line to the pump. an you take a few pics of your tank? Maybe I can compare it.

 

My 710 plugged the filter twice when I was driving it home after getting it. I eventually took it out and dumped the contents.

 

This is the bottom of a 5 gal pail!

 

The tank I rinsed out through the open float/sender hole. Put 2-3 heaping handfuls of gravel in the tank and shook vigorously to loosen any scale or rust, rinsed out and put the sender back in. Not one prob since. The 3-4 gallons of red gas I gravity fed through a filter into another pail and reused.

 

[hang_510]

pulling the tank and cleaning it(repairing) properly will save MANY future headaches!!!

 

there was guy w/a load of datsun parts, in keenesaw???

 

 

 

...the woody just lost power as she was pulling...

Stuff that came out

:huh:

they make a pill for that now ;)

[jputz]

Hey man I got a 510 tank if that is any help. It is in good shape I just pulled it over the weekend and was gonna post it for sale. If you want it let me know and we can work something out. I will send you some pics if you want to see it.

[hitch]

Hey man I got a 510 tank if that is any help. It is in good shape I just pulled it over the weekend and was gonna post it for sale. If you want it let me know and we can work something out. I will send you some pics if you want to see it.

 

Thanks, What year is it from. I don't thing the 70-73 could even be considered, perhaps the later ones might be worth a shot. Is it from a wagon?

[Aaron Datsun]

I was at work when I first read it, this sounded like a clogged fuel line, i know because I had the same thing happen on my 280z. I am glad you found the culprit and are working on it.

[hitch]

Pulled the tank yesterday. Hitchgirl has a week off and I'm tired of changing the filter every two weeks just to keep it from clogging. There was sheets of stuff, looked like sheets of paper all over the bottom of the tank. No wonder I was having crap clogging the fuel line and filters. Took it to a radiator shop guy, local, who said he would clean it and seal it with epoxy. He tells me that the liquid glass stuff is know to start coming off after a couple of years and causes all kinds of problems. So, end of next week I'll have the repaired tank installed and perhaps cure the clogged filter problems. It is not rusty, but must have had a leak problem in the past, or why would someone use the sealer stuff?