Swirl Pot Help

[Grady]

In my ongoing attempt to get my 1986 280i running properly, I want to replace the swirl pot as several have suggested. I'm not having much luck finding one on the interweb.

Does anyone have a part number or vehicle interchange? Or the barb sizes? I think the tank ends are 5/8" (because I think the hose ID is 5/8") but not sure about the pump side. (I'm not sure when I can get to mine car to measure the barbs, the weather looks bad this weekend and I'm trying to get something ordered.)

And for those of you in the USA, yes, I have an email into Bill at Dominion; does anyone know if he is back on-line. Thanks Grady

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Grady

You could contact Tim at ACT
https://www.actproducts.co.uk/product-category/aut...

Both ends should be the same...

Any problems shipping it over then you can order it to me and I can post it on.

Ziga

[colin mee]

Do we really need one on a wedge a lot of of cats just have a t piece

[Grady]

Thanks - I have an email into ACT but they are listed as out of stock. Grady

[mrzigazaga]

Grady said:

Thanks - I have an email into ACT but they are listed as out of stock. Grady

You could try RT racing, not sure if they are up and running as it changed hands a short while ago...

David:

I didn't have one on the 280i and every time I corned left the car used to cut out for a second or two, mind you that was on half or under a tank...I would not like that to happen on the V8...

[Grady]

No joy at RT's web store. They all link to eBay and all the wedgie ones are listed as: "This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available." or return an error page. Scary situation! I'll send an email.

TVR Parts has one, but I need to measure my old one first. ~$200 to the US.

Since mine isn't leaking, is there anything other than a filter/screen inside the original? In other words, could I somehow ream it out, flushed any scrap, add an external fuel filter and be back in business?

I checked Flebay and there are some possible Chinesium options, but I think they will all be too large.

Jeegs and Summit both have a certified race version at $580!

Edited by Grady on Friday 27th December 21:30

[mrzigazaga]

If you have a fabricator near you then I am sure it can be cut open and sorted out, re-welded, I am sure someone on here made one up from two pots and fittings...very impressive

[Grady]

I saw that - 2 IKEA pots - look great. I might challenge my son's new welding skills.

I found this site in the UK that lets you custom design the fitting at a reasonable price: http://www.alloyracingfabrications.com/index.php?r...

Surely some other cars had external swirlers.

Edited by Grady on Friday 27th December 22:04

[mrzigazaga]

That was it...

There must be something out there that you can use/retrofit...

[KelvinatorNZ]

colin mee said:

Do we really need one on a wedge a lot of of cats just have a t piece

I'm pretty sure having a swirl pot would have stopped me incorrectly thinking I had a running issue when it would cut out under acceleration because fuel was sloshing away from the tank outlets. I only have a tee piece, no pot. I was against having one because the early cars didn't, but now I'm of the opinion that it doesn't hurt to have one, so if you have the choice to have one or not, just run one; saves starving the pump and engine of fuel.

[KelvinatorNZ]

Also, I can never say 100% due to the nature of TVRs, but my V6 uses 5/8" (15.9mm) hose from both tanks, to the tee piece (or swirl pot), and then the same 5/8" hose to the pump.

[Grady]

Thanks, I thought it was 5/8" on the input side but need to check the output end. Rain and the year end holidays... maybe next weekend.

[jeff m2]

The first car to check is the 74 911, but that's in the tank. That's a tank out job!
The ford Ranger has an external one.
The problem with all the aftermarket ones is that they are "big" 'cos they are designed for massive fuel needs like dragsters.
The 280 needs it because of its twin tanks, they should really have made that hose connecting the tanks a larger diameter.
All you really need is a fuel reservoir with a filter between it and the tank, to prevent cavitation in the pump.

So pre filter and a tin can

Take bit of 5/8th hose to a ford dealer and get a look at the Ranger one.

[Grady]

I think the swirl pot (and or fuel pump) is a rabbit trail.

I hooked my fuel pressure gauge to the 'fuel-in' banjo of the metering head and got 70 PSI (~5 bar) running. The pressure would dip for a second to 68 PSI when I revved it hard and then go right back to 70 PSI.

Engine off, the pressure dropped but held at 35 PSI and very slowly dropped from there (after 5 minutes at ~ 32 PSI).

Even when the engine would crank but not fire, I had 70 PSI on the gauge.

Back to electrical gremlins.

[KelvinatorNZ]

System pressure is only part of the game. You should also be measuring the system pressure from the outlet to the warm up regulator. You also need to test and know what the control pressure is, you might find its too high or too low when the car wont start, which means it could be extremely lean or rich. KJet is VERY sensitive to being setup incorrectly and will cause all manner of issues.

Have a nosy at what I did with my KJet pressures https://www.tasteslikepetrol.net/2019/12/tvr-tasmi...

[Grady]

Great write up! More testing to come. Thanks