New and Improved Vapor Lock Prevention Tool

[knighthawk]

MY theory : The clothes pin started to be used in the 50's, put on the fuel line BEFORE the fuel pump to disapate heat, to prevent vapor biuld up in the fuel line,and causing an air pocket, so the pump can't draw any fuel, which would be a 'vapor lock'. That is way they invented the filter with the return line. Couple years ago, I got the motorhome really hot under neath, running about 75 on freeway all day in 100 degrees out, started spittin' and sputtering, anyway, after putting a few of these wooden jobbies on the fuel line anywhere I could get to it , never had any problem after that.

[James_Douglas]

The best way to beat vapor lock is to put a "T" in the fuel fitting right at the carburetor. Off the "T" install a solid brass connector with a 3/36" hole in it. To this fitting run a return line back to your gas tank.

Several of the Big 3 car makers did this in the late 1950's when they started to add air conditioning to their cars as they were having vapor lock problems and this solved it very well.

If you run a full time electric fuel pump, and talk to the engineers that make them, they will tell you that the problems of failures of electric pumps on the old cars is that in heavy traffic the pumps are not having enough flow rate to keep them cool and they fail prematurely.

With a return line there is always enough fuel circulating to keep the the fuel pumps cool as well as the fuel in the line right up to the carburetor.

James

[Don Coatney]

The best way to beat vapor lock is to put a "T" in the fuel fitting right at the carburetor. Off the "T" install a solid brass connector with a 3/36" hole in it. To this fitting run a return line back to your gas tank.

Several of the Big 3 car makers did this in the late 1950's when they started to add air conditioning to their cars as they were having vapor lock problems and this solved it very well.

If you run a full time electric fuel pump, and talk to the engineers that make them, they will tell you that the problems of failures of electric pumps on the old cars is that in heavy traffic the pumps are not having enough flow rate to keep them cool and they fail prematurely.

With a return line there is always enough fuel circulating to keep the the fuel pumps cool as well as the fuel in the line right up to the carburetor.

James

James;

Another option is to remove the float and needle valve from the carburetor and discard them. Replace the carburetor fuel inlet with appropriate fittings to allow full flow from the fuel pump with no leaks. Then drill and tap a new hole (at the correct elevation) in the carburetor float bowl with a return line to the tank. This keeps the fuel pump going full speed and the float chamber full at all times. Old drag racing trick.

[Olddaddy]

My wife has a nos box full of them from our early days as a couple, NEVER USED, new in box, $5.00 each plus shipping.

[Rodney Bullock]

I was looking in an old box of parts today and saw an old heat shield. I removed it many years ago while swaping out a fuel pump. I call Mr. Burnbaum and ordered another and installed it. The one I found in the box of parts installed on the pump itself by the little screws around the pump housing. The shiels I got installed by the bolts on the block, much easier and as it turned out did not require tightening as it would leak over time. The shield is your best bet at keeping heat off of the fuel pump. It almost like not putting the fan shroud back on a car that always had it. The engineers that designed our cars put things like this on for a reason.

[55 Fargo]

Now here is a great thread started by Norm:), not quite the right season for most of the USA and Canada:confused:, but could be used right now in Australia and those hot weather equator type countries...enjoy:D

[Desotodav]

Glad that you brought that one up Fred. I recall reading another thread about the wooden clothes peg for fuel vaporization a while back but it didn't really explain how it worked. I'm taking the truck out for a run again this weekend so I better start looking for a wooden clothes peg! Temperature is close to 100 (in your talk) here today.

Desotodav

[55 Fargo]

Glad that you brought that one up Fred. I recall reading another thread about the wooden clothes peg for fuel vaporization a while back but it didn't really explain how it worked. I'm taking the truck out for a run again this weekend so I better start looking for a wooden clothes peg! Temperature is close to 100 (in your talk) here today.

Desotodav

Hope your enjoying your hot summer, here in Canada were also metric, so 100f is about 38c, I was raised on Fahrenheit, before this country went metric way back in the late 70s.

Hope you enjoy your hot drive, this part of Canada, gets 30-35c and sometimes higher every summer, usually drive in morning or nights then, always afraid of overheating, or blowing my old engines in that weather....

[pflaming]

In late August 1958 my brother and I drove a '50 plymouth fastback nonstop from Ogallala, NE to Las Vegas, NV. The following day we drove from las Vegas to Bakersfield in the afternoon in 110 degree heat. We ran our speed by the temp gauge which meant we drove a long time at 30 MPH. When the heat broke we were back to 60 mph, not a problem no vapor lock, no cloths pin, no over heating.

Point is, you got to know your car and drive accordingly. June the following year we drove the 50 back, non-stop. That was one tough car.

[55 Fargo]

In late August 1958 my brother and I drove a '50 plymouth fastback nonstop from Ogallala, NE to Las Vegas, NV. The following day we drove from las Vegas to Bakersfield in the afternoon in 110 degree heat. We ran our speed by the temp gauge which meant we drove a long time at 30 MPH. When the heat broke we were back to 60 mph, not a problem no vapor lock, no cloths pin, no over heating.

Point is, you got to know your car and drive accordingly. June the following year we drove the 50 back, non-stop. That was one tough car.

When its hot out, these factors determine a lot of things, " speed=RPM=engine heat", ask others who drive in hot weather with these engines, rpms over 2000, things get hot, slow here down, or stop for a cool down, or if ambient temps drop, or you get out of the hills, all makes a difference.

Now Paul try 30 mph on I-15 from Vegas to LA at 30 mph today, recipe for getting killed...