[DeTomaso] NPC - Weird Failure

[Larry Weston]

So what became of the 428?

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 22, 2022, at 8:01 AM, Will Kooiman <will.kooiman at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>   I bought a Contemporary Classic 427 Cobra replica about 7 years ago.
> 
> 
>   I love this car.  When the weather is nice, it's like driving a 4-wheel
>   Harley with open pipes.  It's very fun to cruise in the morning when
>   the sun is coming up, or in the late evening when the stars are just
>   start coming out, or really whenever it isn't super hot or raining.
>   It's even fun when it's cold outside.
> 
> 
>   But it has never felt like a big block in a 2,200 lb car.  The 428 made
>   lots of noise, but it pulled like a 289.  So, I replaced it with a 427
>   (482 actually) and a Tremec 5-speed.
> 
> 
>   I put quite a few miles on this engine, but it wasn't running that
>   great either.  It had lots of flat spots.  It would pull very hard for
>   a few seconds, then it would go dead.  I didn't push it hard, because
>   the Jaguar half shafts in the rear were twisted about 30 degrees.  So,
>   I figured I would drive easy until I got the half shafts replaced.
> 
> 
>   I drove to Arkansas from Miami during Covid.  On the way back, it
>   died.  It would not run - no way, no how.  There was no gas to the
>   carburetor.  I figured either severe vapor lock or maybe the fuel pump
>   went out.  I towed it from Gainesville back home.  After deliberation,
>   I decided to drop the fuel tank, and check everything tank to
>   carburetor.  In the process, I would also change the half shafts.
> 
> 
>   The first weird thing I discovered was the fuel line at the tank.  The
>   tank is a nice, aluminum, baffled tank, with a fuel cell style oval
>   cap.  It has -8 bulkhead fittings for fuel and vent.  But the flex hose
>   that attaches to the -8 siphon is -6 with weird fittings that reduce
>   down to about -4.  I replaced all of this with an in tank pump that
>   regulates to 60psi.  It has a -6 outlet, which is plenty at 60psi.  I
>   hooked it all up, and I still had 0psi at the engine.  I checked the
>   pressure at the pump - 60psi - so, yes I hooked it all up correctly.
> 
> 
>   There is a -6 male union right in front of the rear tire.  It attaches
>   the flex line to a hard line that goes to the front of the car.  I
>   checked that and noticed the union was cocked to one side.  I removed
>   it, but had to use wrenches the whole time.  That was the first
>   indication something was wrong.  The threads on the hard line side were
>   stripped.  It took me a while to figure out what happened, mostly
>   because it was hard to see (still no lift).  The tube nut on the hard
>   line had split - most likely from over tightening.  When it split, it
>   caused the fitting to cock to one side and block the fuel.  It was
>   effectively a shut off valve.
> 
> 
>   I have only had time for a short test run to the gas station, but I
>   suspect the flat spots are gone, which will be nice.
> 
> 
>   Disclaimer - I had never had any of this apart before, so I didn't
>   break it.  I do lots of dumb stuff, but not this time.
> 
> 
>   At any rate, I now have perfect pressure, tank to carburetor, and it's
>   all wrapped in DEI fuel line wrap to keep it cool.  I also have super
>   strong half shafts, so I'm ready to start cruising topless again.
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
> Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
> http://server.detomasolist.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> 
> To manage your subscription (change email address, unsubscribe, etc.) use the links above.
> 
> Members who post to this list grant license to the list to forward any message posted here to all past, current, or future members of the list. They also grant the list owner permission to maintain an archive or approve the archiving of list messages.