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Hi.
After seeing the posting about the coupe
that went into the vinyard, I felt I must share my thoughts on 8 of the last 11
coupe accidents being caused by loss of power. A year or so ago I posted
several questions and possible solutions to my problem of losing power, usually
in lower cruise speed. Having been involved in mechanics since age two
(yes, I got the pictures) I knew the problem was lack of fuel being supplied to
the engine, not water or some mechanical problem. Enlarging the main jet
helped considerably, but still the problem persisted. After several trial
modifications that I won't give here, I hit on the solution, which of course was
very simple (like me). As the fuel line comes out of the firewall and
heads for the gascolater, and then on to the carb, it passes over the muffler
and on past the hot air from the cylinders. The gas was boiling in the
line, causing a fuel stoppage!!!! My last coupe had the same
problem, only worse. Enlarging the main jet helped because it kept
more gas flowing through the line, with less time to heat up. If I've had
two coupes with the same problem, it only stands to reason that many others also
have it. THE SOLUTION... I went to the hardware store and
bought a roll of pipe insulating tape. This is 2" wide,1/8 thick, has foil
on one side, and is sticky on the other ,and is foam in the middle. I
double wrapped the complete gas line from end to end. I then took 4 layers
of heavy tin foil and crinkled it up to give more air space between layers, and
wrapped it in strips around the gas line twice. This was followed by a
wrapping of stainless locking wire, just to keep it all in place. The
result is a fuel line about 1 1/2 " in diameter, and amost impervious to
heat. Problem gone!!! This my sound hokey to many of you, but
would you sooner be hokey or dead? Let the doubters scoff, but my coupe
now flys like a bird. I hope this simple mod may save some of your skins
as well as some of these good old birds.
Jon
Page. 415C Flak Magnet. (Canada)
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