635CSi - Broken Down - Quick Question!

[Itsallicanafford]

Good afternoon Chaps, a quick question please.

My brother has just called me and our 635 has broken down.

Symptoms are it will start but dies almost immediately.

Apparently there is a strange noise coming from the back- around the fuel tank.

Has the fuel pump gone?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as he's stuck at the side of the road at present!

[sunbeam alpine]

Might just be worth trying removing the fuel filler cap - if the tank breather is blocked you can't get any fuel out.

I've only experienced it once in more than 30 years driving, but it fooled me and my mates.

[Itsallicanafford]

...trying it now...

[Willhire89]

If the pump is making more noise than usual has it simply run out of fuel?

Might draw a little up to get it to start

[Itsallicanafford]

...FIXED! unscrewed the cap and he's back on his way...a bit of fettling required over the weekend i think

Mr Sunbeam Alpine, your are a Saint, thanks ever so much, we really do appreciate it!

Cheers!

[sunbeam alpine]

Happy to help!

[neutral 3]

We use Walloth Nesche for 3.0CSL spares. They stock parts for the 6 series as well.

[caley64]

The fuel pumps sometimes get a bit noisy before they fail. The external one is a bit awkward to get to but at least it is a standard pump. Bit of cross referencing and you can get it cheaper from a motor factor.

[Stick Legs]

If it's Motornic 1.3 (C-Plate on I think) it'll have an in tank lift pump, these get noisy and unreliable too.

Love a 6, Miss mine.

[0a]

Pictures of the 635 please! Good to see how a post on PH can help.

[Itsallicanafford]

Always happy to post a few pictures! It’s an early 1979 car. My brother had driven it from Hertford to Southampton and back when it started playing up about 5 miles from home. That’s a circa 200 mile trip in a day in this heat so I think it was well within its rights to break down!

[arguti]

sunbeam alpine said:

Might just be worth trying removing the fuel filler cap - if the tank breather is blocked you can't get any fuel out.

I've only experienced it once in more than 30 years driving, but it fooled me and my mates.

Good shout, especially in prolonged hot weather!