1800 Ford CVH hot running issue

[Roy Kemp]

Hi folks,

Just a quick shout for advice before I Google myself to death.

So I've got the Phaeton with the 1.8 litre CVH engine from the Sierra. It didn't run at first, mainly because the carb was so full of calcification and gunk. See evidence in my photos. I cleaned it out and refitted it.

We then got to a point where it appeared the the engine would run from a bottle of fuel on the pump inlet, but when you switched it over to the tank feed, it would misfire and stall.

So I removed the tank today, emptied what fuel was in it along with bits of flaky paint and metal swarf, and a 10" long piece of red electrical tape, oddly enough. I blew through the lines and pickup pipe with compressed air and replaced the two inline fuel filters.

After a load of cranking to refill the lines and filters, she eventually fired and ran nicely for a bit. However, when you leave her idling for 5-10 mins you first hear a little burble, then she starts running rough, then she stalls. You can get her to restart with a boot of throttle but she runs like a pig and won't idle at all. Eventually she'll refuse to run altogether.

I think my previous theory that she was running ok from a bottle but not from the tank might be a red herring - it's possible that I switched to the tank feed at the point where she'd warmed up enough to start being arsey, having run perfectly from the bottle while cold.

So I've obviously got a warm running issue. Any advice on where to start? It's a standard CVH with a Pierburg 2E3 carb and the early distributor (i.e. not coil pack) ignition.

[Roy Kemp]

Hopefully you're correct - I had a go at running it before I drained the tank and lines - hopefully it's just more crappy old fuel that got drawn through blocking things up. Also, I didn't have a compressor in the workshop before, just cleaned out the carb using kitchen roll and drill bits. Now I'm packing 10psi I'll have another go!

Could fit a Weber, that would feel like cheating though! The Pierburg seems to be a divisive subject. Some think they're a pile of rubbish, some say they're a great carb when running correctly, and that you'd be seeing the same issues on a Weber of the same age/history. The jury's still out I guess!

[Paul Sheridan]

If there was that much gunk in there, the only effective way to clean a carb is with an ultrasonic cleaning tank. Ask around to see if anyone local has got one, places that service injectors etc and see if they will give it a bath for you. You will be amazed at the difference. 

[Roy Kemp]

That's worth a try - my old workplace had one, unfortunately my new one doesn't! I have read about boiling carb parts in a light citric acid solution. A large pot on a stove filled with water and some lemon juice, basically! No sure if the wife would approve of her soup pot being repurposed...

[Roy Kemp]

I pulled the carb apart again. Yet more rubbish in the float chamber, no idea where this came from! Wasn't gloopy white muck this time though, was grey flaky stuff. Must have come from within the carb as the inlet filter cone was pretty much clear. Oh well, as long as I'm getting it out that's gotta a good thing!

I got some carb cleaner this time, instead of trying to clean out petrol residue using a rag and... petrol. Also got a cheap mini wire brush kit to aid me in my quest. All going well apart fro getting carb cleaner in my eye (nasty stuff) a couple of times, I'm blasting away all sorts of gunk and finding idle and progression passages opening up where I didn't know they existed. I've also got the Pierburg manual so am working my way through all the jets, nozzles and passages in order, blasting them with cleaner, reaming them with the tip cleaner, more carb cleaner, then compressed air. 

I get to the last bit which is the injection tube. The manual says "carefully prize tube from it's recess". Of course, I break the bloody thing. Lots and lots of swearing. The only comfort is that when I fish the remains out, it is well and truly clogged. So, back to the PC. lots of these things available for sale, but loads of part number to choose from, and no info to go on.

So, until the seller replies with some info, I've had to go to plan B. I managed to find a complete replacement carb on eBay last night in Fife, drove down at 6am this morning and came away with a complete carb & manifold, ECU, coil and vacuum valve for £50. Pretty good. 

Hoping to have it running-ish in time for this weekend's Autotest. Plan will be to borrow the injector tube (making sure it's clear) from the new carb and refit to my stripped and cleaned one, and pray it runs. Got a full rebuild kit on order, so will hopefully get a new replacement injector and take my time fully reconditioning the new carb.

Reasonably hopeful it will run when back together. Given the amount of crap flushed out and sticky bits found I'm not surprised it didn't run properly. Fingers crossed.