Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum
General Category => Kaiser Forum => Topic started by: jamestyler520 on July 08, 2012, 11:02:12 PM
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I am liking for a recommendation for a low cost effective solution for vapor lock in a 48 Frazer. I understand an electric pump may solve the problem but are there alternate solutions?
If I go with elec pump, then where would I get one?
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Because today's gasolines evaporate at a lower temperature than when these cars are new, an electric pump is often used to give a slight boost to fuel pressure in the system. This keeps pushing gasoline when it begins to bubble from the heat and normally keeps enough liquid flowing to make sure the engine runs. Another thing to check on any 1952 and earlier 226 engined K-F product is the carb pre-heater thermostat unit on the exhaust manifold casting below the carb base. If you check the Kaiser-Frazer Service Manual, you see what I am talking about. Over time, the assembly tends to rust up in the open position, directing hot exhaust gas up into the carburetor itself. The assembly should be in the closed position for normal driving. The feature was dropped for the 1953 model year.
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You can acquire 6V electric pumps at NAPA, CarQuest, O'Reilly's, et. al. or off ebay but be very certain you acquire a pump-through type as there are some versions out there that will NOT let you pump through the electric pump with the mechanical pump, in other words they have to be on at all times.
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Another thing be sure the fuel line is routed well away from the exhaust manifold. That goes for an inline filter as well.
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I cured my vapor lock problem by selling my 53 K at an out of state car show!
It had the standard fuel pump AND an electric pump, even running a gallon of diesel with fill up didn't help.
Or trailer it to the shows!
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make yourself a cool can, it is easy to do. Get a stick of stainless steel tubing and coil it around a tubing binder to a nice coil that will fit into a coffee can the last little bit bring back up to the side of the one starting down into the can. Connect the fuel lines to the coiled fuel line and submerge into the coffee can with some ice and as the ice melts the water still helps cool the fuel. We used to make them and sell them at the drag strip.
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It should be noted that this problem is no longer confined to Kaisers and Frazers. Other makes of older car that never had the problem before are suffering these days, and even newer cars will suffer the problem (plus the same damage from alcohol) when the EPA goes to 15% alcohol requirement in 2013.
oh yes; you could see gas prices go up (in some areas for some grades) as much as 38 cents a gallon due to increased manufacturing costs because of this. Seems strange when American refineries export at least 4 million gallons of gas each day these days.
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check buyrealgas.com for ethanol free gas it might help, if it is in your area.
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I have found a station near me that sells premium gas without ethanol. I put in a lead substitute and octane booster additive. I was advised to do this. Does this type of additive help or are there alternatives I should consider?
We have been experiencing weather in the high 90's and low 100's. I dont recall having the vapor lock problem in cooler weather, but then again I am driving the car more now.
JT