The Cruiser is on the road again!

[mausersmth]

My '64 Cruiser is now my only car! There is a lot in Curtis Bay that bought my '57 Commander and '66 F*rd F-250.
I need to adjust the carb and dial in the timing. Getting lots of vapor lock on hot days, I've learned to carry starting fluid at all times. Once the engine catches it doesn't take long before I see fuel splashing into my see-through filter.

Since I plan to drive this car alot in the salt free months I'm considering blocking off the fuel pump mount and installing an electric pump close to the tank with an impact/rollover switch nearby. I believe that should solve the vapor lock problem.

[Mike Sal]

why not leave the stock pump in place & still install the electric one with "hidden" switch. That way on hot days, you can flip the switch to "prime" the fuel line. That way you get a quick start without a lot of cranking.
Mike Sal

[53k]

why not leave the stock pump in place & still install the electric one with "hidden" switch. That way on hot days, you can flip the switch to "prime" the fuel line. That way you get a quick start without a lot of cranking.
Mike Sal

What Mike said. That's what I have always done on my cars.
You're just in time to join the Potomac Chapter and participate in our International Drive Your Studebaker Day trip to the AACA Museum in Hershey. Or, just join us for the cruise and see whether you like it.

[mausersmth]

I know a lot of people run both pumps and just turn on the electric for start up and if the engine stumbles, and they seem pleased with the results,
As I understand it, vapor lock occurs when high temp meets low pressure, like the suction side of the mechanical pump. The electric pump might not add much drag, but it would make the mechanical pump work just a little harder.

On really hot days I would be flipping that switch at every traffic light. I don't want to add things to fiddle with while I drive, as I don't want to explan to any passengers why I keep reaching under the dash. People I know often think old cars are unreliable and are harder to drive. Another worry is a failure of the mechanical pump might allow the electric to feed gas to my crankcase.

I also want to be ready for the next generation of 'wonder gas' we get stuck with. I'm sure it will be even more prone to vapor lock problems.

[mausersmth]

You're just in time to join the Potomac Chapter and participate in our International Drive Your Studebaker Day trip to the AACA Museum in Hershey. Or, just join us for the cruise and see whether you like it.

Sounds like fun! I would love to see what shows up. And even better, no one will ask me who Studebaker was made by!

[Chantony]

I'm pretty sure the electric fuel pump if fitted between the tank and the mechanical pump/filter would help overcome the high temp-vacuum(contributing to vapor lock) problem as it's supplying the fuel under pressure before it gets to the mechanical pump.The valves in the mechanical pump allow the fuel to flow one way only unless they are faulty.An electric pump can pass fuel through a mechanical pump that's not being used,so providing the pressure and volume of the electric pump is greater than the needs of the engine,which is based on how close to the floor your foot is,then the work done by the mechanical pump becomes almost zero.A lot of mechanical pumps are almost doing nothing at idle as the engine is using almost no fuel compared to when the revs are up.
I've often seen mech. pumps with bad valves that allow fuel to drain back which puts air in the line and if the pump gets air inside it,that makes it not work well,compounding the problem.Mike Sal is right about priming the mech. pump as they are like a spray bottle.Once the fluid is in the pump they work well,but with air...not so good.

[53k]

Sounds like fun! I would love to see what shows up. And even better, no one will ask me who Studebaker was made by!

Private message sent re details.

[Studecruiser64]

I did the Arizona trip this summer with a 64 Daytona. We had vapor lock troubles all the way out and all the way back. While in Phoenix a friend mentioned that if you get a fuel filter to fit a 79 Cordoba ( I don't think you need the rich Corinthian Leather, just the fuel filter ) it has a return port on it. I put one of these on the Daytona and plumbed a return line to the filler neck in the gas tank. I haven't had a vapor lock since. I also put an electric pump on as assist to the mechanical one, it helps hard acceleration immensely. I installed a toggle switch above the brake release handle, you cant see it but it's fairly easy to find by feel.
Dave