1957 Thunderbird dies when taking right turns under load

[Rex]

My 1957 T-Bird has what I think is a fuel starvation problem. It happens under a load, particularly a very specific freeway on-ramp, which has a sharp right turn going up an incline. It's happened at other times, the commonality being a right sweeper turn at freeway speed, while accelerating under load. At that point the engine starts to die. Fortunately it doesn't shut down altogether, I think it's the Fordomatic that keeps the engine turning while in gear. It feels like typical fuel starvation, not herky -- jerky as would often be the case with some ignition issues. So when the engine starts dying, I keep the accelerator pedal steady, and 5-10 seconds later the engine comes back to life.
The ambient temp doesn't seem to make any difference, so I don't think it's vapor-lock. I installed a new gas tank a few years ago and it seems to have started around that time. I've also installed a new fuel pump (stock mechanical) and a new fuel filter (factory glass-bowl type).
This engine dying under those conditions seems less prone to happen when the gas tank is filled to the brim. The new tank I bought was good quality / good reviews, however I'm thinking it doesn't have baffling in bottom of tank. I'm not certain, but I'm guessing the factory tank had baffling. Has anyone else had this issue?

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[Dale Leonard]

You are correct as the Fordomatic has a rear pump that allows you to push start that car. It is a very easy transmission to rebuild and almost anyone can do it. The rear pump is a real plus in my opinion and it does keep your engine spinning and that is why you come out of the starvation that you are seeing. I think that you have another problem as the fuel pulls from the bottom of the tank. To my knowledge fuel tanks do not have enough baffles in them to keep this from happening. It could be that the pickup tube has a hole in it and it is sucking air in the turn.

 

[Dick Rupp]

Check the float on the carb. They are known to stick.

 

[REDTOY]

My 56 Bird has the original Holley carb that I actually had factory rebuilt because it was in such bad shape. Once installed on the car, it did exactly what you're describing. I really couldn't figure it out but my buddy did, and as someone else mentioned, it was the float! My buddy had used the exact same carburetor on dirt cars he use to race and he adjusted it by getting the carburetor perfectly level (while in the car on the motor) and measuring the distance between the top of the float and the top of the bowl. If I remember correctly, he adjusted it to be 1/8 of an inch between top of float and top of bowl. I won't swear to the 1/8 of an inch being that he did this in 2001 but what I can tell you, the problem never happened again and it's always run perfectly.
Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[thessler]

As was previously stated, not enough gas in carb. Adjust your float problem will go away.
Good luck, Tom

 

[willcarterdc]

I’ve been considering this for a while too, so this discussion has been very informative.

I wonder whether a very strong magnet of approximately the right size and shape would be an alternative to drilling the mirror in? Of course, I have no idea where to get such a magnet; but hopefully others might. (This assumes that a magnet exists that’s strong enough to keep it on while driving.)