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Re: [oletrucks] Is It Vapor Lock?

To: ADvent@thuntek.net
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Is It Vapor Lock?
From: Bruce Damen <little-castle-contracting@cadvision.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 20:17:36 -0700
my point exactly......  you really think the fuel pump has enough suction to 
collapse
an ole truck gas tank??   im thinkin not... one thing to try is next time you 
run it
and it stops again...or even if you run it for a while... try taking off the gas
cap... if there is a big rush of air when the seal breaks i think you have the 
problem
identified

ADvent@thuntek.net wrote:

> using a non vented cap on a tank intended for a vented tank will callapse the 
>tank
> and ruin it if it doesn't starve the wengine for fuel.
>
> Bruce Damen wrote:
>
> > my understanding of vapor lock is that if you have a none venting gas cap 
>on a
> > gas tank that needs a vented gas cap you basiclly cause a vacum in the gas 
>tank
> > and the fuel pump is unable to suck any more fuel.....   thats my version.
> >
> > Bruce
> > 1949 chev 1/2 ton
> >
> > The Perfesser wrote:
> >
> > > Hello, list...
> > >
> > > I have a 1949 Chevy Pickup... I'd call it "original restored" - most of 
>the
> > > underpinnings are original, but the engine is rebuilt, and it has been
> > > painted and re-upholstered.  You can see a picture online at
> > > http://songs.com/pws/xmas99.html .  I've only had it about 3 months,
> > > basically it looks great and runs great, but three times now it has 
>"conked
> > > out" and refused to restart, and on two of those occasions I've had to tow
> > > it a fair distance to get it home.
> > >
> > > Each time it has 'conked out" like this, I have been unable to restart
> > > it.  Starter works fine - one time it wore the battery down to zilch, 
>hence
> > > the tow-job - but there's no getting it to turn over.   So I've taken it 
>to
> > > a mechanic, who didn't get to it till the next morning, and each time, the
> > > mechanic had no trouble starting it - even in the "dead battery" case.
> > >
> > > In the first two instances, I could see that there was no fuel in the
> > > transparent fuel filter; also, I'd been experiencing some "surge" going up
> > > hills and so suspected the fuel pump.  After the second instance, we
> > > replaced the fuel pump, and it has in fact been running much more smoothly
> > > ever since (not that I drive it all that much - like, twice since the pump
> > > was replaced).
> > >
> > > This past Sunday, despite the new fuel pump, it conked out again and I
> > > could not restart it.  Called AAA.  They towed me home... and as soon as 
>he
> > > lowers the truck in my driveway, I tried to start it and... fwhoomp... it
> > > started right up.
> > >
> > > A neighbor who knows a little about old cars listened to my tale of woe 
>and
> > > suggested that my problem is caused by  "vapor lock"   I'm not really sure
> > > what "vapor lock" is, though I've the phrase hundreds of times.
> > >
> > > Does this sound like "vapor lock" to any of you, or could there be
> > > something more fundamental, like a failing magneto or something?  Are 
>these
> > > engines/carburetors prone to vapor lock?   And, can vapor lock be so total
> > > that it would keep a truck from starting for over an hour?
> > >
> > > If it is "vapor lock," can anybody tell me a) how to prevent it in the
> > > future and b) what to do about it if it happens again?
> > >
> > > If it's not "vapor lock," then how do I go about trouble shooting a 
>problem
> > > which only appears intermittently?  (I'm fortunate that, so far, it has
> > > only happened in cases when it has been easy to pull off the road... that 
>I
> > > might not be quite so lucky next time makes me nervous every time I leave
> > > my driveway.
> > >
> > > I confess I know little about old trucks or carburetors.  I wanted to take
> > > auto mechanics in high-school but was supposed to be on a fast track to
> > > college (lotta good THAT did me...) so, now that I need the knowledge, it
> > > ain't there. I learned a lot about engines when I was a kid (anybody
> > > remember the "Visible V-8" model?) but at this point I've forgotten more
> > > than I never knew, and my knowledge of carburetors in particular is
> > > non-existent.  Can anybody steer me toward a good book on carb 
>fundamentals?
> > >
> > > I am grateful for this list... there are not a lot of vintage chevy truck
> > > owners in my neighborhood, so it's nice to find a fellowship of like 
>minded
> > > folks out here on the Net.
> > >
> > > Look forward to whatever help anybody can offer... thanks very much.
> > >
> > > --PS
> > >
> > > ***************************************
> > > Paul Schatzkin, aka The Perfesser
> > > General Manager, songs.com unit of Gaylord Digital
> > > shipping - 3927 Cambridge Ave #2 Nashville TN  37205
> > > mail: P.O. Box 121616 Nashville TN 37212
> > > ph:  615-298-1122 - fax: 615-298-4825
> > > e-mail: perfessr@songs.com
> > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> > > "Hard work has a future pay off.  Laziness pays off now."  -- (anon)
> > >
> > > oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
> >
> > oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959

oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959

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