hot drive

[Logan]

I drove the Dragon over 60 miles today in 100+ degree weather.  Only had one incident of vapor lock after I let it sit an hour and a half and got back in.  Of course I had my 3 liter water bottle and starting fluid and so got it started right back up with no hassle.  No air conditioning, though, made it a little uncomfortable!

[Kenn Evans II]

My grandpas  51 did this (Vapor Lock) a-lot in Phoenix, he took a tubing binder and some stainless steel line 3/8" and coiled it around a piece of pipe and bent it to where the coil went down, then towards the end put a 90 in it and brought it back up so both ends met at the same height, this coiled up tubing he then put into a steel coffee can. He connected his fuel line in one end and ran the other over to the carb,  and would fill the coffee can with ice. When it all melted he would just add more ice and it got him around in the heat much easier and it is something to maybe look into making to save some resting time, driving and enjoying the day. Just a thought. Kenn

[Logan]

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea too.

[darrin145]

If you're old enough, you'll remember these from the drag strips. We used  to call them a "cool-can". Boy, those were the days!

Darrin145

[Logan]

Nope, not old enought for that, I'm afraid.  But it does sound like quite a way to go.

[amkfken]

I know you don't want to, but I solved the vapor lock problem on my 53 manhattan by:

1. Using 2 gallons of deisel with every fillup--didn't work
2. Installing an electric fuel pump and running both all the time--still didn't work
3. Went to a car show in Nebraska and sold the car on the spot--no more vapor lock problems

[Gordie]

That electric fuel pump in the back sure has cured all of my vapor lock problems!

[Terry T]

I was in Missouri with 102 and high humidity.
My HJ was doing fine---but I got overheated!!!

[Fid]

I've never seen a Henry J vapor-lock.

[Logan]

It's not a big deal to me.  I just know I need to dump some water on the fuel pump and squirt some starter fluid in the carburetor.  I always keep those handy in my trunk, and that always works.  And actually, I drive it regularly and there are plenty of times even in 100 degree weather that it doesn't have a problem.

[boatingbill]

This was also a problem on our 53 Kaiser and our 51 Kaiser. We replaced the 53 fuel pump with a AC and it never occurred again. However the 51 was a dual action furl pump and I could never completely cure the problem. Was this more of a problem for the earlier years?

[Fid]

I had a '48 Frazer that vapor-locked so bad you just couldn't drive it in the summer. Dumping cold water on the lines and the pump did not help. Leaving it sit for a couple hours was the only thing that worked.