Is this heat and humidity killing you guys too? Car has trouble starting when hot. I have to cool down fuel pump by pouring water over it then it fills back up with gas starts and Im on my way . just a big pain. any suggestions on fixing this thanks
These early Fords can be a pain, the old timers solution was to wrap the fuel line from the pump to the carb with crumbled aluminum foil with a wooden clothespin every 6",it sounds crazy but it works.I also have another "old skool" solution http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=712583
I split a rubber hose and tie wrapped it around but it doesnt work . maybe Ill try thr foil trick. But I think I may be putting on an electric fuel pump
I have been having lots of problems with my boat motor due to the heat and ****ty gas . I use Sta=Bil Marine and doesn't make any difference . I know the heat isn't going guys with carbs any good either . i have some friends that are having problems with engines idling very low and erratic due to the upper 90's we have been getting here lately . Keeping the gas cool is the best thing to do to keep the engine running well . Try some heat shields between the carb and intake and wrapping the fuel lines with "Headers Wraps" to keep the heat off the fuel lines as well . Jim
The "Cool Can" is an old drag racing trick the can has coils of tubing inside of it, you can add dry ice or regular ice to fill it up as the fuel p***es through the coils it is cooled way down.I added a picture of it to the link above,I just swapped out my old computer and lost my picture files so this is a Google file image.
Clothes pins have been used for decades to help cure and prevent vapor lock in engines. However, there is debate about how clothes pins solve vapor lock -- some people think they act as a heat sink, drawing heat away from the fuel lines, or insulators which keep enough of the line cool to keep the gas liquid, and others say they create chambers in the fuel line that force the vapor back into gasoline. I dont know and I dont care I run them on my 54 and have never vapor locked since.
Jeff , I have made the "cool cans" out of Coffee cans before . I used small bake bean can to wrap the fuel line around so it wouldn't kink and it fit into a small coffee can very nicely . Then make a hole in the bottom of the can and use a rubber plug that you use for firewalls and run the line through that . Just use a small enough rubber for the line to slide through . Then for the top cover , just use the plastic can top that came with it . If you have lots of room under the hood you could even use a small lunch cooler too You can make just about anything for a bracket to mount the can on the firewall or fender well . I am not sure if they do still sell them but they do really work to cool down the fuel . Jim
I had that issue with mine. Hard starting in hot weather. Installed a carb spacer this spring and havent had an issue yet. I just drove it to Des Moines and back in 90+ degree weather with HISH humidity and not a single issue, even cruising the fairgrounds in Des Moines never had a problem. A Buddy of mine and I one year ago exactly drove his 54 home from LA to Mn and had nothing but problems with vapor lock all the way from LA to CO. I think it had something to do with his fuel pump and the different gas out there. Since he has had it home it has been problem free. He has replaced the fuel pump and went through the carb. He has a 289, and I have a 302. We spent a whole day in Vegas in 110 degrees making a "cool can" and we only made it about 8 miles before it vapor locked again.....let me tell you, that is just 1/100th of the story and the issues we had. Fun times looking back now!!
After all of the years since I fooled with one of the flatties - I can't picture how the fuel pump mounts. Will have to look it up elsewhere. On the Y-blocks and FE motors it helps a lot to (1) run a heat insulator under the carburetor - and also (2) use multiple gaskets under the fuel pump mount for the same purpose. Strangely enough, the flow of fuel will help cool it a bit. Make sure there aren't any spots under the car or in the engine compartment where the fuel line is directly "radiated" - in the line of sight of the exhaust system. The manufacturers (Ford Chev Chrysler) have often placed sheet metal "shields" to block line of sight radiation on fuel and brake lines. Felpro sells this material that wraps lines and it works OK - out of sight under the car.
You can also just try splitting a rubber fuel line and wrapping it around the steel line and use some pull ties to hold it fast . That works pretty good and usually does the trick . Also try to use the least amount of rubber line as possible and that doesn't work well either . I did read about how the braided fuel lines really work well to keep the heat from getting to the fuel and causing Vapor Locks too ! It was in a car mag I get but can't remember which one it was . Anyway you look at it , it's that ****ty ethanol fuel mix that our great government says is good to use for our engines . So you do the math and think about that one ! Try using Sta-Bil as well to your fuel . It really does help to keep the fuel more stable than not using it . Buy some and start using it in every tank and see how well it helps your cars performance . Jim
The trick is to keep the fuel moving. Install a fuel filter with a return line such as a Fram G9796 near the carburetor. Then plumb a pet **** in the return line so you can regulate the amount of fuel. It can be bought at any hardware store. Run the return back to your fuel neck. If you don't want to solder a piece into the neck Moroso sells a kit #65384 to replace the filler neck. A little trickle is all you need to keep the fuel moving. Have used one on a flathead in all weather all over the country without any problems.
We used the tin foil trick back in the day and it worked pretty well, but one other real problem is an engine mounted fuel pump. Just like your radiator, keeping the fuel under pressure increases it's boiling point. Reducing the pressure (as when you're ****ing fuel over a long run instead of pushing it) lowers the boiling point. Installing a pump near (or in) the tank can also help.
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