A challenge!

[Marc]

...when it dies again, will remove top half of carb to see how much fuel is in float bowl...

That would've been wise the first time this happened. Still sounds like a fuel starvation problem from here, even though it would seem that it's been ruled out. Perhaps an obstruction in the line somewhere...

[Chip Birks]

Does it sputter and die or just turn off? Will it do it if you leave it idling in place for say 10 minutes?

[Chip Birks]

Does your carb have an electric choke tied directly to your coil? Is there any way that this could be opening and then cutting 12v contact from the ignition as it warms up? Long shot for sure.

[CapnJon]

Thanks again for continued support as I work through this...

Marc. I'm starting to think that too.

Chip. It just cuts off. It will sit and idle for an hour, or probably till it runs out of fuel...yes, it has electric choke., but I don't think that's th problem. interesting idea, though...

[sideshow]

...when it dies again, will remove top half of carb to see how much fuel is in float bowl...

I've done that before, another variation that is a bit faster; Use a cap off a rattle can paint and the big brass main jet holder. When everything is normal, shut off engine, unscrew bolt enough to drip into cap, and see how much fuel was inside.
Then do the same test after it stalls/stops.

[CapnJon]

EUREKA - almost...

OK - proponents of the electrical system. Just got an almost new distributor (complete with new points, condenser) from a friends car. Pulled it out of his, put it in mine. Started right up, drove strong. Crapped out after three miles. There goes that idea! I've gone through the whole ignition system and anything to do wih electrics and the motor.

So, I did something I should have done at first - I took her out again - this time I got about a mile before she died. Luckily it was flat (wait a minute ALL of Florida is flat!) and I coasted into a shady parking lot. Now I'm focusing on fuel issue. The first fuel filter just after the tank was 2/3 full of clean fuel. The second fuel filter, about eight inches before the carb, was about 3/4 full and also clean. The fuel lines are 6 inches black rubber hose at the tank, then fuel filter, then eight inches black fuel line clamped to copper pipe that runs back to the engine compartment. Then proper braided VW fuel line (about four inches) from the copper tube to the mechanical fuel pump. Then braided fuel line about a foot to the second filter, then about four inches braided fuel line to the carb. The carb is a professionally rebuilt PICT 30-1 (maybe 3 hours runiing time total on it) with electric choke (which works perfectly).

OK, so I took off the top of the carb and, you guessed it, the float bowl was stone dry. But the fuel filter was 3/4 full! What could cause this? BTW, I turned the key, she fired right up and got me home. It only dies when I'm driving it - sometimes after 5 minutes, sometimes about 8, sometimes 10 or 15. Now I'm writing to you for further help...and I thank those of you who have made suggestions and for the suggestions to come...

[heliarc]

Alright, I'll chime in. I don't know if this would be a viable suggestion or not but it might be worth a try. I'm kind of thinking fuel pump. Since you had the guy let you borrow a distributor, why not ask if you can try out a working fuel pump? Or if possible, gravity feed it.

[CapnJon]

OK, that's a good suggestion...BUT! The fuel filter was full, so it's pumping fuel. Also, I have an electric fuel pump which I hooked up and bypassed the mechanical pump last week. Car died on me, so I don't think it's the pump. But I thank you for taking the time to email me...

[Marc]

Did you see goober's suggestion about the fuel tank not being vented properly? If the pump's trying to draw a vacuum on the tank, you'll hear air hiss in when you crack the gas cap loose. Leave the cap loose and see if the symptom disappears.

If you cut open an old fuel filter, you'll see that the "out" tube projects way down inside the filter media, like 2/3 of the way to the inlet end. This makes it difficult for air to make it out with the filter "upright" and also makes the observed level of the fuel in the filter somewhat irrelevant for diagnostic purposes, so don't give too much weight to that. Sometimes when a fuel hose is put over the end of a pipe a strip of rubber gets cut partway through. It can dangle inside the line, blocking fuel flow - and depending upon how it flops about, the degree of blockage can vary. You mentioned rubber hose being used in places - in my experience this phenomenon is much more common with that stuff than with the OEM-style braided hose, so that'd be the first place I'd look. There could be a piece of detritus stuck inside the main line through the tunnel, doing the same thing. If you don't find a problem external to it, pull off the hoses and blow some compressed air through the main line. Tie a rag around the other end to catch anything that you dislodge if you need to see the villain...

I once had a customer's Rabbit Diesel that had a venting problem - the diesel fuel pump actually sucked the bottom of the tank in, we had to air-load it to pop it back into shape. The culprit was found to be a yellowjacket who'd decided to crawl into the vent line for the winter. Did your car spend any time with the main fuel line open at either end?

[CapnJon]

Well Marc. Again I thank you for taking the time to think about this and respond in detail. You are absolutely on the right track.

I took the top of the carb off and 'blew out' the float needle with a can of compressed air. There must have been a small piece of debris that got sucked into the needle under pressure and then retreated from whence it came!

Anyway, I just put it back together and drove down A1A for ten miles with no problem. Now, will it continue to run without dying? Only time will tell...If I still have a problem, I'll post again, but I'm not sure I'll be too welcome

Thank you all for your suggestions and I feel a bit of a twit, because I should have checked this first. But at least it got your brains working, and I really appreciate all of you. What a terrific forum and vast experience lurks here...

[heliarc]

This forum does indeed kick a fair amount of ass. Funny I didn't think of the needle valve. I had the reverse of the same problem last week. My needle valve was stuck open. Compressors are wonderful!

[doc]

Long shot - There may be a piece of very small debris in the hose line from the fuel pump to the carb bowl. At idle, it just sits there. At speed, it floats up and blocks/jams the float bowl valve and shuts off the gas. As soon as you run out of gas in the bowl, kerplunk.

Seen it happen. Pencil used to stop up gas line during repair. Point broke off and remained in line. Maddening to figure out.

doc

[CapnJon]

Yup - that's what it was! I let the forum know a couple of days ago, but thanks for your suggestion, doc...

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Seen it happen. Pencil used to stop up gas line during repair. Point broke off and remained in line. Maddening to figure out. doc

I used to carry a couple of golf tees: great for temp plugging of (mostly soft) lines during work or testing. A bit better than using pencils due to the longer taper and less chance of your lead breaking problem; I had that happen too but did not have to "forgotten piece of lead problem, just the AW $#--! problem as I had to remove the whole line to get it out problem. With your pencil temporarily not usable... that is when you will need it: Murphy's law!

Lee

[E_bug]

So the moral of the story?

Be carefull where you stick your pencil