FORD CONSUL
PERIODIC CUTTING OUT
Q
Every now and again, especially when placed under load such as driving up an incline, the engine on my 1961 Consul 375 will cut out and die. When I check, I find that the carburettor bowl is completely dry with the float sitting at the base. I normally remove the fuel lines and ensure they are clear, then reconnect them, filling the carburettor float chamber with fuel to get things running again. The engine will always fire into life immediately and then will run OK. This may last for a short or longer period, but eventually – possibly five or sometimes up to 100 miles later – the problem will reoccur. I replaced the fuel pump the first time the problem occurred, but this has failed to have any effect on matters. I am hoping you may have a suggestion. Denis Webb
A
From the symptoms you describe and the actions you have taken, this would suggest to me that the problem is not in the fuel pump or fuel lines, but may be much farther back in the vehicle. I would imagine that at some point something has found its way into the fuel tank and is now floating freely around. This foreign object is at times floating across and blocking the fuel pick up pipe which, unlike its modern counterparts, does not have a fine mesh filter fitted.
Once the engine has stopped and the draw from the fuel tank is removed, this object floats back down and the pick up is free to draw fuel up again. The reason this may seem to occur under load is twofold: firstly the fuel consumption and therefore the draw of petrol is greater, and secondly the incline when going up a hill may be allowing the object to float further. The answer I believe is to remove your fuel tank and drain it out, hoping that when you invert it the object comes floating out.