under hood heat and vapor lock

[stroker70]

I took my Dragon to a car show last Sunday ( won a trophy) and on the way home after a twenty mile or so freeway trip it started to vapor lock on the offramp waiting for the green light. When I got home I used my laser pointer thermometer to see what was hot under the hood. The Fuel pump was over 200 degrees and the glass bowl fuel filter was not far behind. I could see the fuel bubbling in the bowl. I already have the fuel line before and after the pump wrapped in insulation. The exhaust manifold was over 200  at each branch and the collector area was over 500 degrees. I have decided to have the exhaust manifold  ceramic thermal coated to reduce the radiant heat that it puts out. I might have the down pipe done also as it right there in the trouble area. I will report back with results after its done and tested.

Chris

[superk226]

What was the ambient temperature when the vapor lock occurred? What brand of fuel pump do you have on the car and have you checked the fuel pump pressure? Do you still have the insulation under the hood?

[stroker70]

It was a sunny SoCal Sunday in the high 70's low 80's. The car was running towards the high side of the gauge, but not overheating at all. I really think that hot air must get trapped under the hood, so reducing the radiant heat from the exhaust will have to make a difference. If I didn't care about keeping it original, I would have the hood louvered so the heat would have a way to escape.

[Doc]

Is the fuel line routed well away from the manifold?  Electric pump on the car?  You got to do what is necessary to keep the old cars running with all this ethanol gas now which is far different than what the original carbs and pumps were designed to run on.  I've never measured temps. under the hood, but the 200 F seems too hot for the fuel pump and filter bowl.  May have to consider some heat shielding.

[pnw_oldmags]

Wow, Barbara ---- sounds like a Jack post?

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

It is a Jack post...I didn't realize that she had logged in.

[boatingbill]

A friend of mine in the National Street Rod Association told me that BP stations have an ethanol
free premium at many locations. He has a listing I believe of locations for Minnesota where he
lives. This would be nice for KFOC if indeed BP has these locations all over the US. He has a '48 and a
'59 Chevy and it fixed a lot of his driving issues.

[pnw_oldmags]

I use this site to find Gas Stations.
http://pure-gas.org/

[Kenn Evans II]

Make yourself a cool can, its worked for me and is very handy.  Its a easy do it yourself project and doesn't cost much. 

[Kenn Evans II]

here is the info from my earlie post about the cool can   " I took a stainless steel brake line 3/8 inch diameter from NAPA, and put it on a tubing binder and made it into a coil and I took a plastic coffee can and rerouted the fuel line to come from the fuel pump into this coiled tube and back out and it sits inside of the coffee can and when I get ready to putt around I fill the coffee can with water and sometimes ice and it has eliminated my roadside stalls. This might help,  the fuel line and the tubing was pretty cheap. I also put in an inline split fuel filter just before the carb and ran a line back to the tank, this has kept the fuel flowing and I routed it back to the top of the tank.  I copied the reroute off of my 73 Lincoln and I have only been stuck when I ran out of gas. "

[Logan]

Thanks for the website for no-ethanol fuels.  That is actually very helpful.  Maybe if more old car owners frequent these places, it will at the very least keep them in business, and may even encourage others to offer pure fossil fuels as well.

[Skybolt]

Most BP stations in my area have the "pure" gas, it costs approx. .50 per gal. more. I usually mix reg. 50% with 50% aviation l00 low lead for the Kaiser, the cost is about the same as ethanol free but has a little more punch.