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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - running out of fuel after 4 gallon

when i fill my tank up 6 gallons run it and it runs out of petrol just under half full .it does this in the same place ever time. has this happend to you?
things i have done new sender unit and it works fine,taken tank off and it still had 2 gallon in it the only thing i think it could be is the pick up pipe has a hole in it. when it gets close to half the fuel pump starts sucking air and not long after that runs out. one good thing it runs out after 4 gallon so i know when it needs more petrol in it and it run fine after it had been filled up any help is appricatied
stephen parker(73 oew rwa midget)

Sounds like a classic case of a broken or perforated pick-up tube in the tank. I have heard of cases of it happening after the bottom of the tank has taken a hit. One other possibility that I have experienced personally is that the pick-up tube is not seated in the tank boss. I replumbed the fuel system and fitted a 3/8" BSP IIRC compression adapter into the tank boss not realising that the standard sleeve nut forces the fuel pipe to push the pick-up tube against the back of the tank boss to cause a seal, the compression adapter I used didn't do this and while it didn't leak fuel it always gave the same problem around 1/2 tank until I realised the problem, it was a sod to find though at the time.
David Billington

Stephen,
The fuel starvation you describe can also be caused by a loose fitting
(fuel line to tank). That connector is "bullet shaped" and must seat tightly in the cupped pickup tube, which is loosely mounted in the tank.
I fought the same problem a few years back. Tried an auxiliary pump,
toyed with modifying the tank, finally got it straight. No problems since, but I still anxiously watch the gage below 1/4 tank.
Maybe an O ring to seal at the tube would help.

Doug Ramsay
Calif. USA
D Ramsay

This thread was discussed on 28/06/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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