Vapor lock?
 

I can get my 1933 model b to run for 20 to 30 minutes then it shuts down.
I have trouble starting again when it shuts down. I must pour gas into the carb to restart the engine several times to get it running again. Is this vapor lock?

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Sounds more like a bad coil/condenser to me. What temperatures are you reading when this happens?

Re: Vapor lock?
 

I am thinking that the fuel pump is getting weak and can not produce enough fuel pressure to overcome the heat.
Vic

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Have you tried removing the gas cap when it happened? Is the exhaust clear with no animals that made it there home .

Re: Vapor lock?
 

will check

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Yes, it seemed to have no effect

Re: Vapor lock?
 

You could be right because I first noticed a problem when stepping on the gas and having the engine hesitate.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Mine when acting like this was the coil.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Thanks for your help sounds good will replace the coil...a lot easier than rebuilding a fuel pump.

Any suggestions of a good place to purchase a coil? Are they all made in china?

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Send the coil you now have (it must be an original Ford coil) to Skip Haney and have him rebuild it.

Skip Haney
29436 Taralane Drive
Punta Gorda, FL 33982
Tel. 941-505-9085

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Check the spark with the engine cold. That is, pull a spark plug wire and see if when cranking it will give you a blue or white spark that will jump half an inch. If weak and yellow, try a new condenser, and then a new coil. If good when cold, run the car until it starts to stumble or will not restart, then check the spark jump again. Failure with heat is usually the coil, sometimes the condenser.



Nextt consider the flexible fuel line from the firewall to the fuel pump. If even slightly swollen or cracked, replace. Or maybe take it off and see if you can blow through it quite freely.


Then maybe test the fuel pump? Disconnect the fuel line from the carburetor, have some one crank the engine (Ignition off!!) while you watch (and catch in a cup) what comes out of the fuel line. It should spurt a good teaspoon with each stroke. If it dribbles, check the fuel sediment bowl is tight and has a good gasket. If that is not it, you may need to rebuild the fuel pump. It is really not that hard.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

As soon as it quits pull the air cleaner and check to see that the accelerator pump is squirting fuel before you replace the coil. If it has fuel squirting than its ignition and if it not squirting its fuel. I hate to see you replace the coil only to find out it was fuel related. It could be either one of them.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Find some non-ethanol fuel

Re: Vapor lock?
 

where do you buy that? Maybe aviation fuel?

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Depending on where you live it varies. I am in the lakes area of north central Minnesota, and it is available everywhere because this is boating country. Even the convenience stores have at least one pump dedicated to it. I am sure there are some states or areas where it is not available at all. This is another reason to post your general location in you profile.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

thanks

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Thanks I will contact Mr Haney

Re: Vapor lock?
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-sT5vHnYNE
sorry, I couldn't help myself

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Frank has not mentioned that his 33 Ford is a 4 cylinder so rebuilding the coil is not an option. Regards, Kevin.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

you could by pass the mechanical pump and try a electric pump
Vic

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Flathead Fever’s suggestion is easy and eliminates one of the two possibilities….
My feeling is fuel problem…..you said it starts after you pour fuel in carb…of course you
have to consider how much time elapses before you pour fuel…..too long …temp might drop enough To revive electrical components

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Kevin,
They can't rebuild my coil? Good to know.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Here is a website that lists gas stations that sell non-ethanol gas in the US and Canada.

https://www.pure-gas.org/

Re: Vapor lock?
 

I replaced the ignition coil, the condenser, the engine still runs for 30 minuets and then stops, make and excellent timer. Every 30 minuets. I think if the mechanical pump were bad it wouldn't run for 30 minuets right. It seemed like I could accelerate better without as much engine coughing.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

they also have an app that allows you to find ethanol free fuel and will give directions to the station. Very handy when on the road and needing fuel. I use ethanol free fuel in my 41 Pickup, my boat, and all my yard tools. Can't get the wife to go to the trouble to find a station with that fuel for her Durango R/T but at least she knows how to fuel her own vehicle ;). We used to live in Oregon (but not Portland) and couldn't pump your own fuel.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

I was a phone company mechanic for 30-years. We had almost 400 vehicles in our yard, and we kept them for a long-long-time. During that time, I only saw one vehicle experience vapor lock. It was a Chevy Suburban that went up into mountains. When it was around 5000' elevation, on a very hot day, it would just quit. The driver would let it sit for a while and then it fired right up. We'd go up and get it, drive it down the hill to the shop which was at around 1000' elevation where our yard was at, and we never had a problem with it. We worked 4pm to 11:30pm, so by the time we took it back up to its parking spot in the mountains it had cooled down, we could not duplicate the problem. So, we started throwing parts at it, ignition module, coil and everything else we could think of. Still every once in a while, the Suburban would quit but just up at higher elevation in the mountains. One time I was taking it back up the mountain and it was still hot out and it quit, just like it ran out of gas, I pulled over and poured some water on the fuel pump and it started right up. I took it back to the shop and put a fuel pressure gauge on it and it was down just one pound of pressure from the 5 to 6 lbs. specifications. Replaced the pump and that fixed it. That was a form of vapor lock from the high altitude, but the problem was the fuel pump. The thing is it had run all those years without any problems, so you don't want to go redesigning everything you just need to find the problem, sometimes it just kicks your butt. I've had stuff in fuel tanks that after driven for a long time it would get sucked up against the outlet hose and the engine would die. As soon as the vacuum was gone it would unplug itself and drive for a while longer.

On my dad's flathead powered '32 roadster I've taken a 5-gallon can of gas and a 1 1/2 lb. electric fuel pump. stuck it in the cab and bypassed the entire fuel system. That way I knew for sure if it's a fuel problem (be careful). I have the tank out of it right now, it was full of junk. And then I had a stroke, so it hasn't gone back together yet. You could tee in a pressure gauge on the output side of the pump and see what the pressure is when you first start it and then what it is when it quits.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

There could be some other issue going on, but with the low quality of new points, condensers, coils, etc one of those could still be your problem. This is what drove me to a Pertronix ignition, and I have not looked back. They make a unit for Ford 4 cylinder positive ground.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Re: Vapor lock?
 

I will next rebuild my fuel pump. Perhaps it is marginally working and eventual cuts out?

Re: Vapor lock?
 

I went out this morning and figured everything was cooled down. I could not start the car even after pouring a little gas into the carb. Usually always works.
The battery was very low. I am trickle charging it now. This happen one time before when the car stopped running. I noticed then that the batter was low.
Could a low battery kill an engine? The last time that happened I charged the battery and the car started up and ran perfectly.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

A low battery will kill the engine if your not charging when running

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Thanks,
I have to check my generator to see if it is working. maybe this was always the cause of the problem?

Re: Vapor lock?
 

See post #16 on this thread
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...76#post2322776

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Thank for taking time to give details. I learned a lot from you and will continue to troubleshoot.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Went out first thing this morning poured a little gas into the carb. The car won't start at all. Whatever was going finally went all the way. Now the fun begins?

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Compression will not go away on all pots within days so your engine has probably only fuel or ignition problems. If battery is fully charged and voltage reaches the coil,First check for a healthy spark, next is spark timing. Change or clean those wet plugs before attempting another start. If carbs float chamber is full, engine should start and run for a couple seconds even without a working fuel pump.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

Thanks Vincent for your clear advice. I will do as you recommend.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

removed spark plugs, carbon buildup on all 4 plugs. I cleaned them and put them back in the engine. Tomorrow I will check for a spark. I guess I need my wife to step on the starter while I and holding a plug, welders gloves to see if I get a spark.

Re: Vapor lock?
 

my car ammeter was jiggling when trying to start, but still not start.
I guess coil is ok but not have to check from distributer contact to spark plug. One strange thing was horn works but headlights do not? What the hell is going on?