Cutting out after half a mile

[vandjq]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum.  I have a 2010 Mark 2 Focus 1.8 petrol with 58k on the clock and full service history.  Drives beautifully, very nippy for a family car.  I've owned it four years and ever since I got it it has cut out occasionally after half a mile from cold.  I mean cold as in left overnight outside my house.  This happens about once or twice a week.  The first few times it was very unnerving as it happens at a junction where I am turning right.  I don't realise it has cut out as I am looking for traffic.  I'm on a hill so am rolling out of the junction before I realise it has stalled.  The wheel is very heavy but I manage to turn it and bump start the car going downhill.  After that the car is fine for hundreds of miles.  It's strange because this is the second junction after I leave home but the engine never cuts out at the first one, which is on a level road about quarter of a mile from my house.  So I'm wondering whether the fault has something to do with the temperature of the engine after half a mile, or the fact that I'm on a hill when it happens? Sometimes I turn left instead of right at the first junction and the next junction is about twice as far but the fault never happens going that way.

I would be really obliged for any suggestions from the members here,

[VFR800]

I'm no expert, but next time it happens don't restart it once it's stalled. Stop the car and go and check the fuel cap, listen to see if you can hear any hissing. Also, remove it to see if the tank has pulled a vacuum. If you can, remove the fuel cap, when cold, and then start the car and drive to see if it still cuts out.

It could be an issue with the fuel tank vent valve and associated system.

[vandjq]

Hi VFR800,

Thanks for your help.  My car is one of those which stops you from putting the wrong fuel in, so does not have a fuel cap.  Is there some other way of testing for a vacuum?

[Eric Bloodaxe]

I've had this vacuum issue in the past - twice in a car, once on a bike. This is over a 50 year period, btw, so quite rare but still worth a try. A car with the easyfuel system should have a funnel with the car in case you need to fill from a can, just pop that in the filler neck to open the filler. 

 

 

 

 

[isetta]

I had the problem with fuel tank vent on my wife’s escort about 15 years ago. Caused us grief for weeks until I found it was that. I had the carb to bits, removed fuel tank from car to check for dirt etc etc before finding the reason