<VV> Fuel Pumps and Engine Bay Sealing

[hallgrenn at aol.com]

The throwing of an electric pump to solve a fuel problem is like 
installing a Pertronix to solve a points problem. Sure, it can solve a 
particular problem, just not ALL the problems.

Frank DuVal




To add to Frank and Smitty's posts I would point out that I've seen a lot of Corvairs over the past few years that had engine compartments that were not as well sealed as they were when they came from the factory.  My only car that ever vapor locked was a 1968 Monza PG 110 that stopped running every time the bowls emptied in hot weather.  This was a car with a functioning A.I.R. (smog) system, but my 1968 110 4spd Monza with AIR never vapor locked on me and we have hot summers here in the Washington DC and Mid-Atlantic region.  Both cars were used as daily commuters before they were retired.  The cure for the 1968 PG 110  (which I bought used) was to patch a torn perimeter seal in the front driver's side corner right by the fuel line (since completely replaced) and to reseat the perimeter seal at the back motor mount area.  A serviceable engine deck lid seal is also important.

I wouldn't be surprised if more than a few of our cars out there with electric pumps are running hotter than they should because the electric pumps, properly installed, should be less prone to heat soak and vapor lock and thus mask this problem.

There aren't many Corvair specific maintenance items that don't apply to other cars (and must be learned by new owners), but, along with proper tire inflation (say ten pounds lower in front than rear), and a clean engine, keeping the engine bay tightly sealed is one of the most important.  I plan to go to electric pumps eventually, but only because I have had so many bad, new mechanical pumps in the past.  The ones I have now work fine, but I seldom run my cars even though they are licensed and insured--they are just too embarrassing to look at and I have little time and money to have them properly maintained by others.  I hang on to them because I hope to be active in Corvairs in a few years when I retire.

So check your engine bays, look at the seals and sheet metal, patch any holes and keep your engines running as cool as they should and you may find yourself on the mechanical pump side of the argument.

Bob Hall
Group Corvair
Corvanatics
CORSA
Kensington MD
'65 Corsa, '68 Monza and '64 Greenbrier