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Hi guys,
Vapor Lock
I was out for a ride yesterday in my 1966 Sprite to view damage caused by
the failure of two dams in my community. This meant driving through
subdivisions at low speed. Also, I stopped for about 10 minutes (engine
off) to talk to an acquaintance about damage to his home. I had a little
trouble restarting the car, but it did start.
On the way home I stalled the engine at a stop light on a 4 lane artery
(with center turn lane) and it wouldn't restart. Fortunately, traffic was
light and I had an opportunity to push the car into the service drive of a
strip mall. There happened to be a tree/shade at the entrance so I stopped
there and opened the hood and waited for the car to cool. (I suspected
vapor lock.)
The (new) fuel pump (Airtex E88016E) wasn't "tick - ticking", but I
attributed that to the plunger not being able to trigger the electronics
because of the fuel lock. I reminded myself that banging on the pump
wouldn't work because there are no mechanical points in this pump.
The air temp was near 90 deg. and I was parked on an asphalt lot - it was
hot! I found my way home with the help of a good Samaritan. (I'm one of the
last people in the world not to own a cell phone) Several hours later I
went back with my wife - the Sprite still wouldn't start. I called a
flatbed tow truck ($70 - about a 3 mile haul ) and got the car home. At
home I turned the key and heard the familiar tick, tick. Shortly
thereafter, I tried starting the car. After a few tries things got cleared
out and it started.
Troubleshooting
The fuel in the tank is from last Fall (could have been a Winter blend)
Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium. Probably too volatile for this heat. A fill
up with Summer blend should help greatly. This is my #1 suspect for the
cause of the problem.
I suspect that the vapor lock occurred either: 1) in the fuel bowls, 2) or
in the fuel filter (WIX 33031, metal can type), 3) or in the fuel line
connecting the carbs (low chance) 4) or some combination of these. The fuel
pump is in a "cool" (factory) location so not a suspect. Fuel lines from
the tank to carbs are in factory locations - away from the exhaust pipe.
The fuel filter is about the size of the float bowl on the SU carbs. I'm
wondering if the size is too large thus allowing heat soak while the fuel
spends too much time in the filter? What do you think?
I should have walked to the grocery store in the strip mall and bought a
gallon of water to try and cool the float bowls and fuel filter. Anyone had
any success doing this?
Your thoughts??
ps: Someone stopped and said I needed a clothes pin on the fuel line.
Evidently some people believe in that as a fix. I can't imagine any science
behind doing that.
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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:large">Hi =
guys,</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:large">Vapor Loc=
k<br>I was out for a ride yesterday in my 1966 Sprite to view damage caused=
by the failure of two dams in my community. This meant driving through sub=
divisions at low speed. Also, I stopped for about 10 minutes (engine off) t=
o talk to an acquaintance about damage to his home. I had a little trouble =
restarting the car, but it did start. <br><br>On the way home I stalled the=
engine at a stop light on a 4 lane artery (with center turn lane) and it w=
ouldn't restart. Fortunately, traffic was light and I had an opportunit=
y to push the car into the service drive of a strip mall. There happened to=
be a tree/shade at the entrance so I stopped there and opened the hood and=
waited for the car to cool. (I suspected vapor lock.)<br><br>The (new) fue=
l pump (Airtex E88016E) wasn't "tick - ticking", but I attrib=
uted that to the plunger not being able to trigger the electronics because =
of the fuel lock. I reminded myself that banging on the pump wouldn't w=
ork because there are no mechanical points in this pump. <br><br>The air te=
mp was near 90 deg. and I was parked on an asphalt lot - it was hot! I foun=
d my way home with the help of a good Samaritan. (I'm one of the last p=
eople in the world not to own a cell phone) Several hours later I went back=
with my wife - the Sprite still wouldn't start. I called a flatbed tow=
truck ($70 - about a 3 mile haul ) and got the car home. At home I turned =
the key and heard the familiar tick, tick. Shortly thereafter, I tried star=
ting the car. After a few tries things got cleared out and it started. <br>=
<br>Troubleshooting<br>The fuel in the tank is from last Fall (could have b=
een a Winter blend) Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Premium. Probably too volatile for=
this heat. A fill up with Summer blend should help greatly. This is my #1 =
suspect for the cause of the problem.<br><br>I suspect that the vapor lock =
occurred either: 1) in the fuel bowls, 2) or in the fuel filter (WIX 33031,=
metal can type), 3) or in the fuel line connecting the carbs (low chance) =
4) or some combination of these. The fuel pump is in a "cool" (fa=
ctory) location so not a suspect. Fuel lines from the tank to carbs are in =
factory locations - away from the exhaust pipe.<br><br>The fuel filter is a=
bout the size of the float bowl on the SU carbs. I'm wondering if the s=
ize is too large thus allowing heat soak while the fuel spends too much tim=
e in the filter? What do you think?<br><br>I should have walked to the groc=
ery store in the strip mall and bought a gallon of water to try and cool th=
e float bowls and fuel filter. Anyone had any success doing this?<br><br>Yo=
ur thoughts??</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:large"><=
br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:large">ps: Someone=
stopped and said I needed a clothes pin on the fuel line. Evidently some p=
eople believe in that as a fix. I can't imagine any science behind doin=
g that.<br><br><br><br><br><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"=
font-size:large"><br></div></div>
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