vapor lock cures

[bradnree]

What are the cures and causes of vapor lock ??? Thanks for responding from your experiences....Brad

[PackardV8]

The cause is gasoline flashing into vapor and the resultant pressure rise preventing liquid gasoline from being able to get into the carburetor.

The cures are:

1. A bypass-return filter line to the fuel tank which keeps fresh fuel moving through the line and thus reduces the heat absorbsion which occurs when fuel sits in the line next to an exhaust manifold.

2. Electric fuel pump

3. Insulate the fuel line.

4. Insulated carburetor-to-manifold base gasket or block.

thnx, jv.

PackardV8

[Tom Bredehoft]

Electric Fuel pump is the first choice, but it has problems, it must be connected to a oil pressure switch to kill it in case the engine stops.

I tried the gallon of Diesel fuel last summer, put one gallon oil in the tank, filled it up and vapor locked on the way home. Not a sure cure.

An electric pump can be installed above the rear axle on the driver's side, near the tank to push the fuel through the line, and is hidden, a la original.

Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'60 Lark VI
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All three Indiana built
cars

[Roscomacaw]

Man, it must be just good fortune - but I've had VERY few incidents of vapor lock in the 17 years we've lived in this torridly hot valley (107 today - 110 for the coming weekend!)
I drove around in the Transtar yesterday and today and never had a stumble. The 60 ragtop - if I drive it in over 100 degree temps, park it for 5 or 10 minutes and come back and take off - about 30 seconds after I drive off, it'll stumble (even stall if at idle) for a bit before it smooths out and goes down the road just fine.

Not bragging mind you, just noting that as hot as it gets here during 5 or 6 months, I've never been sitting on the side of the road with the hood up because of vapor lock.
Days like today, I keep waiting for it to strike - never happens.

I've recommended the fix that Tom talks about and have gotten rave reviews back from most who've tried it. You can use a gallon of diesel, kerosene, or even Marvel Mystery Oil if you wanna spend that much! It lowers the volatility of the gasoline and quells it's yearning to go to vapor when heated. For most cars that run on "pump gas" it shouldn't make any difference in performance. For those with higher compression ratios, I don't know.

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[GTtim]

I believe that a lot of the time vapor lock gets blamed when it isn't really the cause. Other contributors can be, incorrect timing or a poorly functioning radiator both of which can cause higher engine temperatures. A weak fuel pump can also be a contributor to the problem. One of the remedies that wasn't mentioned is to move the fuel line out from in between the head and the power steering pump. Check the fuel pump performance, move the fuel away from the engine, install a filter with a return line and use the diesel fuel if you want.

Tim K.
'64 R2 GT Hawk

[Tom Bredehoft]

My bone stock '53 Commander Coupe has experienced vapor lock at 55 mph at 70 degrees, cloudy day. When the Electric pump was turned on, the engine caught and took off in about three seconds.

The (stock) fuel pump is on top of the engine, right behind the fan. The switch is mascarading as the Fog light switch at the left end of the dash.



Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'60 Lark VI
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All three Indiana built cars

[whacker]

On the sixes, there is supposed to be a heat shield between the fuel pump and the engine. Many times this heat shield is removed for one reason or another, and causes the vapor lock. On the 51 to 54 V8 (232) the fuel pump is right on top of the engine - heat rises! The factory solution was to relocate the fuel pump to the front timing cover and let the fan blow on it. Big help, but not a cure. The best solution I have found is the electric fuel pump, but others swear to other solutions. The real cause is the new fuel mixture we are forced to burn, it boils at a lower temperature (is more volatile) than the old stuff these cars were designed for.

[DilloCrafter]

Biggsy,

When I was in California last year, buying my truck, I noticed the strong smell of alcohol in the gasoline while pumping it at a gas station. Does the ethanol in your fuel make the gas more or less likely to cause vapor lock?

All of us who live in states that don't yet require ethanol in the fuel could benefit from the answer to this question.

This could give us an idea of what we'll need to do to run on the 85% Ethanol that will soon be offered as an option here in Texas.

[img=left]http://rocketdillo.com/studebaker/misc/images/Current_Avacar.gif[/img=left] - DilloCrafter

1955 1/2 Ton Pickup
The Red-Headed Amazon
Deep in the heart of Texas

[curt]

Vapor lock can in reality be a fuel feed restriction such as a semi/pluged pick up tube, or some type of restriction in the fuel line, been there and cured it with a cleaned pick up tube and a cleaned fuel tank.

[bradnree]

I live in Kansas and I have had nothing but trouble since the new fuels are on us with my car. We've corrected many things but still are having the problem. Thursday at 60 m.p.h., 101 degrees, it dropped, then caught its breath and then totally died 6 miles later.
I have a friend with a Thunderbird 292 and it continues to drop on the highway and it too dropped on Thursday---tried larger fuel line from the tank, electric pump, diesel, new electrical, rebuilt carb and nothing works on the "bird".........brad

[Guest]

[Roscomacaw]

Thanks for the rundown on your problem, 49. I do think that vapor lock, having taken on a mystic legend about itself - especially with the industry switch from carbs to FI - gets blamed for other, un-understood maladies.
You know.... "I've tried this and I've tried that and I can't think of anything else to replace so it must be that ethereal bug, Vapor-Lock! I remember my buddy's dad tellin' us about how HIS dad got vapor lock once on their vacation in 1958"

I'm NOT saying it can't happen, but I am saying there's lots of folks that wouldn't think of a bad GAS CAP - of all things! Or other possible factors, for that matter.[}]

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[whacker]

When they do finally start selling E-85 in your state, go out and buy a cross, or better yet a crucifix, and every time you go to a gas station hold that cross between you and the pump that sells E-85! Never put E-85 into a vehicle that wasn't designed for E-85. It requires a stainless steel fuel system, a different fuel guage float, different seals in the fuel pump and fuel injectors. If you put that stuff into a Stude, you will blow yourself to your just reward. You will also ruin your Studebaker. I live in a state where E-85 is sold. The Gasahol (15% alcohol) is bad enough. I use ethanol blend in my S-10 pickup, but I pay extra, and drive farther, to get real gas for my Stude.

[Sonny]

quote:Originally posted by whacker

When they do finally start selling E-85 in your state, go out and buy a cross, or better yet a crucifix, and every time you go to a gas station hold that cross between you and the pump that sells E-85! Never put E-85 into a vehicle that wasn't designed for E-85. It requires a stainless steel fuel system, a different fuel guage float, different seals in the fuel pump and fuel injectors. If you put that stuff into a Stude, you will blow yourself to your just reward. You will also ruin your Studebaker. I live in a state where E-85 is sold. The Gasahol (15% alcohol) is bad enough. I use ethanol blend in my S-10 pickup, but I pay extra, and drive farther, to get real gas for my Stude.

EXCELLENT points whacker! NEVER, EVER put E-85 in a Studebaker, (or ANY vehicle), that hasn't been specifically set up to use it! It cannot be used in brand new vehicles that haven't been set up to use it! As whacker said, you will need a complete re-do of the fuel system, including a new tank, stainless fuel lines, electric pump, etc.. Bad news is, there's no fix, (seals, etc.), available for carbs, (especially OLD carbs.), at this time. I doubt that there ever will be any consideration for carbureted cars, "they" would LOVE to get rid of "us" anyway.

Vehicle makers are already putting out, what they call, "Flexfuel" vehicles. In other words, they have had to modify their own, newest offerings to use the stuff. I sell used auto parts, and I can tell you that it's already a nightmare for everyone. The requirement that E-85 be the "standard" fuel hasn't even started yet, and we're ALL running into problems NOW. But trust me, it's gonna be a requirement that every new vehicle use E-85. Even the chitt fuel we have to put up with now will become hard to find eventually.

The point is, I guess it's already time to start planning for the future. I dunno what all of the other old car people are gonna do, but I'm hoping that everyone sticks together and insists to our government that old cars aren't left out in the cold. For the government, it's a win-win situation, they get pollutants down, reduce dependency on foreign oil AND cure the "old car problem", all in one drop of the hammer. Watch for states like CA and NY to jump on the "everybody has to use E-85 bandwagon" as fast as they can. Those states are constantly trying to legislate us into "modern" compliance, so this new federal fuel requirement will be a boon for those so set against us.....

Oh! Almost forgot one point that I wanted to make. Using diesel, along with the fuel we have now, makes very good sense. The new fuels have reduced "lubricity" and diesel replaces some of the lubricity AND HP that's been taken out. I strongly recommend that, no matter what, you use diesel in your Studebaker now.

Sonny

http://RacingStudebakers.com

[PackardV8]

Sonny and I rarely disagree, but I have never seen any hard data running diesel fuel mixed with gasoline increases horsepower. Most of my experience indicates it lowers octane and will cause more pinging on engines near the threshold.

thnx, jv.

PackardV8