Fuel cut out in a 1989 T25 2.1 petrol watercooled

[Hannarj]

Hello all! I'm a bit new so please be gentle [WHITE SMILING FACE]️

This has been happening intermittently for a while but has recently become a bigger problem. Most of the time she starts beautifully, first time, nice and regular tick over. However, on a number of occasions for no apparent reason she won't start. She turns Over but won't catch. If I'm lucky after several attempts she will catch and run fine. If I'm not then a jump start may do the trick.

On top of this though she has recently started cutting out whilst driving so
Now I'm concerned about safety (think reverse jump starting on the slip road of a motorway services at night!! [FACE SCREAMING IN FEAR]) so need to get this issue sorted ASAP but every time I take her to the garage she starts fine and they can't test for a fault because there isn't one!

Any ideas what might be causing this? The garage fitted a new fuse last time but she did it again since. I've heard mention of fuel starvation so Do I need a new fuel pump? Is this a 'thing' with this engine/vehicle?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you may have [WHITE SMILING FACE]️

[kevtherev]

Change the fuel filter.
Clean the pump electrical contacts.

[rockthebus]

Behind the airflow meter are a pair of couplings which go from the main wiring loom to the fuel pump. Mine had so much corrosion to the point where one wire broke away from the spade terminal!

[a1winchester]

When it won't start, has it been stood for a number of days? That can drain the (long) fuel line, and it takes a while to get the petrol to the carb. If my van has been stood for a couple of weeks, I find that turning it over for a bit, leaving it a minute or 2, then trying again and it starts!

Cutting out while driving along can be asign of a fuel line blockage or air getting into the fuel line. When this happened to me it was a pin hole in the fuel line.

[Hannarj]

Will be seeing the garage tomorrow so will see if they've checked the filter and electrical connections.

Rock the bus - that sounds familiar actually!!!! From When I first got her about 4 years ago! I wonder if that could be it?!

Thanks for the advice. Any other ideas let me know

[Hannarj]

When it won't start, has it been stood for a number of days? That can drain the (long) fuel line, and it takes a while to get the petrol to the carb. If my van has been stood for a couple of weeks, I find that turning it over for a bit, leaving it a minute or 2, then trying again and it starts!

Cutting out while driving along can be asign of a fuel line blockage or air getting into the fuel line. When this happened to me it was a pin hole in the fuel line.

It happens so erratically. I had thought it was after sitting for a few days, and figured it was exactly what you describe, the fuel line being grained at a slight angle or slope maybe and it taking a few turns to pump back up the line, but then she started cutting out whilst driving. Hmmmmm I wonder if the 2 issues could actually be unrelated?

Definitely need to get the garage to look over the connections and wires and make sure there's no hole in the fuel line. They are good ... But way too busy so always keen to get rid as they have too many jobs lined up!!!

[kevtherev]

If it's a standard 2.1 then it has no carburettor.