'Issues' with my blue 1.4

[retrocool73]

What should I expect (mainly town traffic) from a tankful of juice before the red light comes on? Surely more than 170 miles which is what has happened to me! Filled it to the brim too How many litres will have been consumed? No smell of petrol btw, so I don't think there's a leak. Other than that it appears to be running fine
Also, when the car is idling there's an annoying noise coming from underneath that stops when I depress the clutch - I know they do make a bit of noise, but this seems excessive...
Btw is this a GLE iterior, and hence the reason it's 'Special'?

[SteveP]

Hmm that is very poor MPG, I was getting 250-300 from full to light on with a 4 speeder under mixed driving

[filthyjohn]

Mine's crap too, but that's probably not unrelated to it having all the symptoms of the famous 1.4 vacuum leak affair. Shame I have all the symptoms of being a massively lazy slob.

Full tank is about 40litres correct me if I'm wrong, so I make that around 21mpg. Have you not just been doin Petter Solberg impressions?

[Pappa]

Hmm that is very poor MPG, I was getting 250-300 from full to light on with a 4 speeder under mixed driving

Hmm i'm only getting 220 mixed? My 1.4 is pretty broken though, ignition knocking and stuff, plus the petrol hose to the carb leaking. I go easy on the gas though, but 220 maybe 230 miles tops is what i get.

[jtbo]

I believe that you need all four cylinders to get to 250-300 range

Fuel hoses can leak, carb can have vacuum leak, float can be drunk and thus sit too low, air filter can be clogged, just some possibilities.

[Pappa]

I believe that you need all four cylinders to get to 250-300 range

Fuel hoses can leak,
`mine do

carb can have vacuum leak
mine does

float can be drunk and thus sit too low
probably, it's flooding at full throttle when cold, also when starting warm

air filter can be clogged, just some possibilities.
Filter?

[foggyjames]

I used to get at least 100 miles to £10 on a run, and 100 miles to £15 in urban driving. Methinks something is wrong...

cheers

James

[retrocool73]

Took it for an MOT today and found the reasons why the mpg is so bad

Engine is running rich, but more importantly there's a wee hole in the petrol tank! When the previous owner reversed into the tree and dented the tailgate she must also have dented the corner of the tank! Hopefully Terry Stone will have one in his yard...

[filthyjohn]

That's crap mate, if you can't get a tank I may have one and it'd be cheap. Just to add some fuel economy info, I got ~430 miles from 37 litres on the way to the Bletchley meet, but I barely get 40 miles to a tenner to and from work.

[retrocool73]

When I bought my first 340 - the grey 1.4 I restored - I just used as a runabout and for work - however the 3 mile run to and from work on choke was no good at all, for economy or for the car so I soon reverted back to my bike.
I got a tank today, gonna sand it down and spray it with smoothrite over the weekend before I fit it

[kaos]

i get a n average 22mpg. and thats because my carb is shagged..... i cant be arsed to keep taking it to thegarage to adjust the mixture screw every damn time.

should be 2% mine always is up in the 8%. new engine soon so who cares burn fuel i do it anyway

[5150]

That noise that disappears when you depress the cluch could be the prop shaft spinning around its splines. Is it kind of a clanky sound, like marbles rolling around in a metal dustbin?

This happened to me a couple of years ago - it sheared off and I had to get towed back (and replace the prop). I'd get it checked out if I were you! Chances are it's just being held together by the bolts.

Touch wood, mine's been fine since the prop shaft was replaced - no weird noises at all.

[retrocool73]

Prop shaft ok now, much quieter - everything just needed tightening etc, also got the car tuned (was running too rich) and replacement petrol tank fitted,,, all for £35