Help - Car cutting out

[wazcov]

2008 RH Superspec.

I decided to take it out for a short drive to check all is good before this weekend's car show.

I get maybe 2 miles down the road and suddenly the car starts slowing down - the accelerator pedal does nothing, yet the engine keeps running. A few seconds later, it cuts out altogether. I stick my hazards on while I try and restart the car and sure enough it kicks into life.

I go maybe half a mile further down the road and the same happens again. 

Both times I was accelerating, on gently sweeping bends, so perhaps doing 3500 revs, not a huge amount.

I decide to drive it very carefully home at low revs, low speed and not harsh around corners. It survives the 2.5ish miles back but at a junction was very reluctant to accelerate and I noticed quite a cloud of grey smoke out the exhaust.

Any ideas what this could be? My first thought was Lambda sensor but that was replaced fairly recently. Fuel filter was another thought but not sure where that lives on the car

Edited September 17 by wazcov

[alanrichey]

This is a classic case where you need to use my software to check on the sensors and the ECU.    Did you read the details in the package I suggested you download ?

[wazcov]

1 hour ago, alanrichey said:

This is a classic case where you need to use my software to check on the sensors and the ECU.    Did you read the details in the package I suggested you download ?

When Andy popped over the other week, we connected up the laptop but couldn't read anything from my ECU 

[phaeton]

Sounds fuel related to me, when was the last time that the fuel filter was changed, any chance of water getting into the fuel, do you have a fuel pressure gauge?

[wazcov]

21 minutes ago, phaeton said:

Sounds fuel related to me, when was the last time that the fuel filter was changed, any chance of water getting into the fuel, do you have a fuel pressure gauge?

Hope you’re right as that should be an easy change for a newbie. Have ordered a new filter. Only recently got the car so no idea when (if ever) it was changed. Was surprised to see it’s a Bosch not a Rover filter. 
no fuel pressure gauge but I should probably fit one after this

[phaeton]

1 hour ago, wazcov said:

Was surprised to see it’s a Bosch not a Rover filter. 

TBF a filter is a filter is a filter, as long as it's one designed for the correct pressure for the engine the make is irrelevant, think I'm currently running one for a Vauxhall on my Mazda powered car, I just walked into the Motor Factor & it was what was on the shelf. But Bosch is a good make, so replacing like for like should be fine, also has the car been sat for a while with supermarket fuel in it, might be worth treating it to some none supermarket fuel & a bit of Redex, Aldi have it on offer currently.

[wazcov]

9 hours ago, phaeton said:

TBF a filter is a filter is a filter, as long as it's one designed for the correct pressure for the engine the make is irrelevant, think I'm currently running one for a Vauxhall on my Mazda powered car, I just walked into the Motor Factor & it was what was on the shelf. But Bosch is a good make, so replacing like for like should be fine, also has the car been sat for a while with supermarket fuel in it, might be worth treating it to some none supermarket fuel & a bit of Redex, Aldi have it on offer currently.

Well funnily enough it only started playing up after I put BP ultimate in it. The seller garage said to avoid BO but I figured E5 is E5 anywhere 

[wazcov]

Just an update on this. 

I changed the oil filter, went for a drive and it ran smooth (although a bit of the usual engine hunting when starting up). 
 

left it a week or so, went out today and just when I thought all was well, it cut out on a hill. It was a country lane and I had to roll all the way down it. As it flattened I was able to reverse around the corner and eventually drive away. 
 

im thinking as the tank is behind me, maybe it’s not getting enough fuel either from a problem in the tank, lines or pump. Any ideas?

[alanrichey]

Is it the standard Superspec Fuel Tank (Escort of Fiesta depending on what Richard Stewart had availble) or is it a bespoke tank ?

[wazcov]

10 minutes ago, alanrichey said:

Is it the standard Superspec Fuel Tank (Escort of Fiesta depending on what Richard Stewart had availble) or is it a bespoke tank ?

I have no reason to believe it's bespoke but @AndyW had a quick look the other week and said it appeared different to his.

I've just looked online and I'm certain it's the Escort Mk5 Tank.

There's a tiny metal pipe coming out of the top towards the middle and a plastic pipe going to the bottom of the car which appears to be the vent pipe. It doesn't appear blocked in the plastic pipe but may be in the metal part.

Edited September 28 by wazcov

[AndyW]

Just to check whether it’s a vent or vacuum problem with the fuel tank you could try driving without the filler cap on.