<VV> Vapor lock/fuel return line?

[corvairs]

No Ron, the problem is quite common. The car won't start - it must be a 
fuel problem. If it's a fuel problem it must the pump or vapor lock. 
Proof is that after 1/2 hour of dumping ice water on everything the 
vehicle will start and run. Problem is, during that half an hour a lot 
of other things can happen. Rust clogging the incoming gas screen will 
fall away. Poor connecting hoses on the incoming line may seal back up. 
A loose fitting on the incoming line may, for no other reason than time, 
seal back up. - that's if the problem really IS lack of fuel.

But let me throw another one - A guy comes to me and says he has carb 
problems. A beautiful 1961. He says when the car is cold it always 
starts fine. Once warmed up, if it's shut down, it won't start. Had been 
towed home several times. Car has just been driven to my shop. He gets 
in and attempts to start it and, sure enough,  it won't fire. But I 
notice he gives it some gas when he tries to start.

I get in and conspicoulsly keep both my feet out of the passenger 
compartment and turn the key. About 10 seconds of cranking and car fires 
up fine. The guy is amazed. I tell him he's flooding his engine by 
giving it gas when its warmed up. Odd reaction - He gets angry with me.

"I'm NOT flooding my engine". Its a fuel pump problem or vapor lock. I 
get in start the engine in 2 seconds (or less) by giving it no gas. 
Again and again. He gets in PUMPS the gas pedal (probably out of habit) 
- car won't start. This goes on for half an hour. He seems personally 
offended that I have told him he is flooding his car. Finally he accepts 
that there are some Corvairs out there that, once warmed up, cannot 
tolerate any gas being applied at startup or they flood.

I can't tell any particular individual whether he has vapor lock or not 
- not without the car present when it's misbehaving. But I am more than 
certain that the VAST majority of "vapor lock" problems are something 
else.  To those who have told me, well Lon you just don't understand up 
there in "cool" Oregon. That's not true. It get's in the 90's here and 
sometimes over 100. Besides I have driven my Corvairs down to CA many 
times when it's been 110+ in the summer (Central Valley, Mojave, Palm 
Springs etc) and I have NEVER experienced vapor lock with mechanical 
fuel pumps.

Lon

PS - Bob Gilbert's a good guy so I'm not giving him any grief.

Ron wrote:

> Strange, as we (several Corvairs) can idle through an hour long July 
> 4th parade on a 100+ degree day with no problems.  This indicates that 
> theree's something wrong with that particular FC.
> RonH
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Gilbert" <traceya at montrose.net>
> To: "Bill Elliott" <corvair at fnader.com>
> Cc: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>; <TimogensTurbo at aol.com>
> Sent: Friday, May 05, 2006 4:35 PM
> Subject: Re: <VV> Vapor lock/fuel return line?
>
>
>> Howdy Folks,
>> My FC vapor locked while idling in a snow storm years ago. Took about 
>> a half hour. Put snow on the casting where the oil goes to the oil 
>> filter, cranked a while, and off I went. 
>
>