[Spridgets] Fwd: My car didn't start either - different reason.

[Rick Fisk]

Howard,

Up here where it gets cold in the winter our gasoline is different in the different seasons.  Additives are used to make for easier starting when the temp may be below zero for days on end.  And then in the summer when we have crap Florida style weather they change the gas again.  Been that way since they started putting lead in the gas 90 years ago.  :-)

Rick

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 4, 2020, at 1:16 PM, miniac7--- via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> I can be of no help in diagnosing the problem but, I am chiming in to ask if someone could please explain what this is about "winter blend" vs "summer blend" fuels.
> 
> I'm no spring chicken and I have been playing with LBC's since the late sixties but this is absolutely the first time ever that I am hearing about this.
> 
> Has my head been stuck in the sand for this long?
> 
> Howard
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In a message dated 7/4/2020 9:50:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, spridgets at autox.team.net writes:
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Alan <frogeye at cox.net>
> Date: July 4, 2020 at 9:46:10 AM EDT
> To: Tim Collins <thcollin at mtu.edu>
> Subject: Re:  [Spridgets] My car didn't start either - different reason.
> 
> I use a glass Purolator fuel filter with changeable inner cartridge.
> Keep it away from the heat of thecmanifold.
> That allows a visual of gas color and flow including any bubbles as or if gas moves to the floats
> That might help troubleshoot
> Alan
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> On Jul 4, 2020, at 9:15 AM, Tim Collins via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
> 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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