Question-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Hi
I have a 1953 Kaiser and after driving a distance the car dies or if I shut it off it won't start,
I have been told that it vaperlocks.
just what is vaperlock and how does one correct it?
thanks
Bill
Answer - followup question
Ive had the car a little over a year and had nothing but trouble firat the gas line kept stoping up I changed the filter twice finley took tank off and cleanedit took about pint of sand and sluge, tnen I put on a new fuel pump I thought the troubles was over the car was hard to start but it started. until I went to a car show about 35 miles thats the fathhest I ever drove it It died when I got there and would, not start set for an hour or so ,still no start some fokes pushed me and after three or four tries it finly started and I let out for home Ill check all your sugestions Also what do you think about a electric fuel pump?
thanks
Bill
Hello Bill,
Sorry for the delay getting to your question. I am in North Carolina hard hit by the hurricane..
Vapor lock is the fuel boiling! The main thing to look for is a fuel line close to a heat source(engine block,exhaust).
Sometimes a new fuel line is put in and bent wrong. If that looks ok then we go deeper. Next look at the engine temp? for that year 160 deg is fine. 195 deg is pushing it. Check the thermostat the number will be on the bottom. If you know it is running cool (160 deg) then we go even deeper. Next check the fuel pressure! Many times that's over looked. The pressure should be around 4-5 psi (running). A fuel pump works two ways pumping volume and also pressure. Pressure works on water and gasoline the same way. By raising the boiling point. That's why a radiator has a pressure cap. Old ones were 7-9 psi and new ones are 16 psi bringing that boiling point to 240+ deg.In new cars, the fuel pressure runs 40+ psi and that is needed because the engine temp runs 195-220 deg. New cars would stay vaporlocked if they ran 4 psi! Next to look at is the carb float level. The carb is cooled by the air going down it and also the fuel coming in. Rare, but i have seen the float level set low and the little amount of fuel in the bowl of the carb will boil when the engine gets hot. But it is rare to see that. Next is heat soak. Which is heat from any source going into the metal lines and though rarely, in the carb. 60's cars have a thicker base gasket to stop the heating of the carb. The fuel pump is target one. You need to test the pressure. A cheap fuel pressure gauge will work. You don't need a high pressure one($100+). The parts store can find you a T fitting to fit the carb,line, and a port for the gauge. Check the pressure at idle first. Should be 4-5psi. Then hit the gas a little and watch for a drop. Normal to have a little. Then let the engine warm up and see if the pressure starts dropping. If so and it falls below 3 PSI the pump is bad.
Is this something new that started? Has any parts been changed? If its a new problem and no parts have been changed out it could be the pump getting weak or a line got bent and is touching a hot part. Is it still 6 volt? What motor? Hope this helps you! Please get back with me on your testing!
Tell me what you find and we will look at other things if you find things to be ok. Thomas Woolf....twoolf@citcom.net
AnswerHi Bill,
What motor is in that car? You may need to change the fuel filter again. or take it off and shake the gas into a white dish or bowl and look for rust or dirt that was still in the fuel lines. If the tank was that bad the lines could be rusting or have dirt stuck to the walls of them and as you drive the dirt and rust washes off plugging the filter. IF it was my car i would have two filters one before and after the fuel pump. You can buy a clear filter for before the fuel pump so you can see rust and dirt. Hope this helps!
Thomas woolf...
