Hi Guys,

I have a Mini R53 (M/Y 2002). It is stock other that a 15% pulley. My Mini is a weekend car which I also track very regularly (almost every week).

The car runs perfectly most of the times, except one specific instant; when cornering a left side hairpin on the track and being below 3/4 of fuel in the tank. When full, it's fine. In ALL other corners, it's fine. Only this very specific instance. I feel that the issue is something in the fuel tank internals and not sending adequate fuel in the right hand side tank, where the fuel pump is located (left-side hairpin sends all fuel to the right hand tank, where the fuel filter is located).

Did anyone come across this issue before? Any ideas what this could be?

Thank you very much!

 

Can't be sure of course without seeing the tank and fuel pump setup but with other cars the fuel tank is pretty simple. No baffles, unlike say the oil pan. The fuel pump sits on the floor of the tank and will pick up fuel down to a pretty low level given reasonable driving. On a high speed track with corners that result in high g-forces sure unless the tank is specifically designed for track work you better keep the fuel level up just in case.

But mostly the pump will keep the engine fueled as the tank level drops lower and lower. There are exceptions. But even the exception the fuel level was way below 3/4 tank.

Kind of a round about path to offer I don't think the tank per se is at fault. I'm leaning towards there being a fuel line with a crack in it or some kind of failure that under the conditions you describe opens up and bleeds fuel pressure/supply. Another possible scenario is the fuel pump has come loose and is moving about under hard g-forces.

Regardless think you are faced with opening up the tank and checking the fuel pump and its hoses for any signs of failure. At the same time you can check the inside of the tank and if any baffling present check for correct operation.

I say open up the tank -- this assumes the fuel pump is in the tank and bolts in through a hole in the top of the tank -- but of course you are dealing with (I assume) gasoline and fire is a real risk. I hate to work on fuel systems and avoid it with rare exceptions.

I worked on the fuel system with the car out of the garage on the driveway. I had the garage door open and a fan positioned in the garage by an open door -- that opened up to the back yard -- to blow air towards the car and to blow any fuel vapor away from the garage and house. You want the fan to be far enough away that it can't pull in any gasoline vapor. Also, my garage had a gas powered water heater with a pilot light and a forced air furnace with a pilot light. Fuel vapor heavier than air hugs the ground and the fan was aimed a bit low to ensure any fuel vapor on the ground was not allowed to flow into the garage.

I had a couple of proper fire extinguishers very handy and a garden hose with a nozzle on the end and the water on for just in case. And this was just "messing with" fuel lines to a dual side draft Weber carb setup. I never opened any fuel tank