Car engine starts then stops?

Me again....another Triumph Spitfire problem!

Having started the car for the first time in a month.... it fires up %26 revs for a few seconds (until the fuel in the carburettors is burned?) then stops. It won't tick over.

There is fuel in the fuel filter and i have tried manually operating the (manual, not electric) fuel pump whilst someone else turns the key, but to no avail.

What could the problem be? Blockage between fuel pump %26 carbs (twin SU) or something else? Water in the fuel? Should i drain the tank?

What, from experience, would you suggest?

Thanks in advance

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sounds like a blockage between the petrol filter and carburettor. where the car has been sitting for so long the 4 star petrol has congeled and the fuel pump is letting just enough through to fill the carburettor and for the spark plugs to spark, but isn't sufficient enough to keep the car running.

solution: tip a bottle of redex into the fuel tank and turn on and off ignition and you will hear the fuel pump working (buzzing noise) then turn off after the noise stops. repeat several times. leave the rest over night, and try the next morning to start the car. hopefully this should resolve things.

if not, take off carburettor and clean with petrol until it runs freely.

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