Wood clothes pins on the gas line

[Bobster]

I posted this under another thread, but I am dying of curiosity. A neighbor said that he used to put clothes pins on his gas line (Flat head V8) to eliminate percolation and vapor lock. I don't see how it would work. What is the science? Would the wood pins act as a heat sink? Anybody have info on this? BW

[Colorado Greg]

Originally Posted by Bobster

I posted this under another thread, but I am dying of curiosity. A neighbor said that he used to put clothes pins on his gas line (Flat head V8) to eliminate percolation and vapor lock. I don't see how it would work. What is the science? Would the wood pins act as a heat sink? Anybody have info on this? BW

The clothes pins supposedly draw the heat from the gas line, thus cooling off the gas.

[George Miller]

Wood clothes pins on the gas line
Clothes pins were used to hold on a wet rag.

[Jerry in Shasta]

Many Old Timers swear by the clothes pin fix. If I ever have the problem it's the first thing I'll try.

Regarding the oil spot. My "A", is just like my dog, it marking it's territory

[Mustang]

The deluxe version used cigarette package foil folded
over the gas line and held in place by the clothes pins.

[TK in LA]

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My Dad, when I was growing up, swore my the clothes pins and tin foil method of heat dispersion. That was quite awhile back. Your results may very?

[Vic in E-TN]

BW:

There is a good thread from early June. Search "vapor lock". The title of the thread is "vapor lock for non believers". I wrote a long reply at the end of the thread. Clothes pins are a waste of time & effort. Vapor lock is real. I recently wrote an article for The Smoky Mountain Chapter newsletter - Rumble Seat Reviewer.

Vic
Vic

[Bobster]

Went over to HAMB site to check out this question. Seems the wood pins work for some, but not others. The only function they could have would be as heat sinks - I thinks. BW

[Stan/MO.]

See I told you guys about the clothes pins, but everybody made fun of me, like it never happened. Somebody must have thought it worked, or they would never have tried it. I'm really disappointed in you guys that KNOW EVERYTHING.

[Bob Johnson]

If clothes pins work it is not because they are a heat sink. Wood is a very poor conductor of heat.

Bob

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Stan/MO.

See I told you guys about the clothes pins, but everybody made fun of me, like it never happened. Somebody must have thought it worked, or they would never have tried it. I'm really disappointed in you guys that KNOW EVERYTHING.

I think George got it right. Clothes pins holding a wet rag would do a good job of cooling the fuel.

[Aerocraft]

In the summer (when I was much younger), I used to wrap shop towels around the fuel pump and the line to the carb on the 8BA in my '50 Ford convertible and then pour water that I carried in the car on the rags. The evaporative cooling stopped the fuel from boiling and the engine would get enough fuel to run. It helped to pop the hood so that the safety latch was allowing the hood to be open slightly. I would have loved to have aluminum clothes pins which would have helped much more than wooden ones. Gar Williams

[MAG]

I had some success with clothes pins on a 51 Chev. that would vapor lock. But, so far they have not helped on my Model A to prevent Ethanol gasoline percolation.

[Stan/MO.]

AREOCRAFT.........Now there's an idea....Aluminum clothes pins, but put fins on them like a motorcycle cylinder.
" Hey ma' ya got any of them there finned aluminum clothes pins? My car's a vapor lockin' on me again."

Seriously, I was just teasing on my last post. I really appreciate all of you guys who are willing to share your knowledge with every one of us who are new to this hobby. I usually don't ask many questions, I just read the posts, and it never fails, someone will ask just what I want to know.

Thanks,
Stan

[Ron/IA]

I have another theory about clothes pins on gas lines. While wrapping a piece of aluminum foil around the gas line making it look like a flap and holding it in place with clothes pins; that would be an effective heat sink. But another thing that occurs is the gas line will now vibrate at a different frequency. That vibration, in my opinion, contributes some to gas percolation. I think this is why sometimes clothes pins work, and sometimes they don't.

What do others say?

[Stinch]

I've always thought the clothes pins prevented heat from getting to the fuel rather than pulling heat from the fuel. In other words, the clothes pin are an insulator. At least that's my take.

Rich

[mass A man]

Some cars came from the factory with a woven, black tubing over the engine compartments' fuel lines, called "lagging", to help prevent vapor-lock. Packard being one of them.-My 2 cents.

[Jason in TX]

I was going to back up what stinch was saying.

People say the clothes pins draw the heat away, but I've been told to put as many clothes pins on the fuel line as possible, which would basically become insulation.

I think the wood in the clothes pins is insulating the fuel line, not pulling the heat away.

[Clem Clement]

You guys completely missed the point: Clothes pins attract women's attention!! You have to take it from there yourself, period.

Clem, with a bizzilion copy righted stories to tell the ladies after they ask

[Doug in NJ]

If you attached a real heat sink to the fuel line, it would make the problem WORSE, since it would allow the fuel line to absorb more heat! Insulation is what you need...

Doug