[DeTomaso] Taking the Pantera for a (short) drive

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

Hi guys,

So, with my Pantera having successfully attained the locomotive state over a 
year ago, I decided it was high time that I gave my girlfriend a ride (she's 
only been looking at the thing for ten years now....)

So, with beautiful weather here in Northern California, I decided we'd take 
the back roads over to the Napa valley, do some traditional Napa Valley stuff, 
and then back home.

When I fired it up, it started right on the button even though I haven't 
really driven it since October or so.   I noticed the fuel tank was almost empty, 
with the red idiot light on steadily.   It wasn't that way when I parked it, 
but obviously some fuel evaporated over the months.

So, first stop is the gas station.   We drove to the 76 station for the good 
stuff; no cheapie gas for this car.   I was filling it up and remarking at the 
rapid rate that the $$$$ were piling up when the pump clicked off, at 19 
gallons.   I looked down and fuel was pouring out from under the fuel tank.

Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot.   At some point in the distant past, 
somebody (not me) assembled this fuel tank with a stock vent apparatus.   That thing 
is riveted to the top of the tank with a rubber gasket to seal it.   
Apparently the miscreant couldn't find the gasket, or couldn't be bothered to look, so 
he substituted RTV instead.   RTV dissolves in gas, so when the fuel in the 
tank reaches the vent, it literally comes pouring out of the seam between the 
vent and the tank (because, of course, the vent isn't at the TOP of the tank, 
but instead about a half gallon or so beneath it).

So, with fuel pouring out from under the car, I gingerly started up and we 
drove off.   The stench of gas was great, but I knew that a few minutes on the 
freeway would resolve that situation.

I snicked it through the gears and the car settled down to a nice, steady 
gait, indicating 80 mph.

The engine sounded great.    WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.....

And then, WAAAAAAAA-BU-BU-BU-WAAAAAAAAA-BU-BU-BU....

Huh?

BU-BU-BU-Bu-Bu-Bu-bu-bu-bu....

and then I was coasting to a stop on the side of the road.   I dipped the 
clutch and the engine died instantly; popped the clutch and it fired right back 
up again.   It was running!

So, I eased back onto the road, WAAAAAAAA-BU-BU-BU-Bu-Bu-Bu-bu-bu-bu....

I was able to stagger along at 30 mph on the shoulder for almost a mile until 
the next exit.   Coming down the off-ramp, the car was then idling perfectly 
well.

After a bit of head-scratching, I got back on the freeway, heading for home, 
and just eased onto the freeway.   I was stuck behind an RV, and the car ran 
perfectly, all the way home.   I let it sit and idle for awhile in the 
driveway, and it just merrily burbled along.

So, I decided to try an experiment.   I drove back to the freeway, turned 
onto the ramp and punched it.    WAAAAAAAA!!!   First gear, second gear, third 
gear, fourth gear, going through 90 mph and then   Buuuuuuuuuuu nothing.

Fuel starvation!

Whether it is junk that got sucked up from the bottom of the tank because the 
fuel level got so low, or remnants of the RTV from the vent filler (which is 
what clogged my fuel filter in Las Vegas last year), I don't know.   But I 
dipped the clutch and kept the engine alive by pumping the throttle, and 
eventually it started idling; I was then able to motor on down the road at 60 mph, 
turn around at the next exit and drive home again.

So, in the next few days I'll have to tear into the fuel filter again; I'm 
confident it will be filled with junk.   I will also have to have a serious 
thought about replacing that vent tube deal, especially since I have had a new, 
modern rollover valve ready to be installed there, for almost a year.

And maybe a coffee-can-sized fuel filter wouldn't be a bad investment either. 
  This little tiny thing is doing its job, and keeping the bad stuff out of 
the engine, but it's so small that it can't cope with all the mung that's 
running around in there.   Methinks overkill is the way to go here.

Just six weeks left until Las Vegas, people!   Time to find out about these 
problems now, rather than in the middle of the Nevada desert! :>)

Mike


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