Engine Vapor Lock and How We Deal With It

Gone with the miracle of fuel injection, vapor lock was for many decades the annoyance of hot afternoons and summer vacations. Lets take a look at how it happens and how in the 1980's it was dealt with and what we did with the vapors it created.

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[ThePeanutization]

Thank you. After like 3 years I finally solved the vapor lock problem of my 1982 car. I was having some trouble finding one of those filter with vapor separator here in our place, but then I realized, that my carb has some sort of outlet, just right after the float valve. It's somewhat restricted, and is the highest point of the fuel system, it was plugged close before, then now I tried to hook it up to the fuel return line, and there goes vapor lock goodbye. =)

[kayeninetwo]

Very, very informative. Many people with older or classic cars have encountered vapor lock, but few understand the phenomenon. This was really help for me. Surprisingly, hardly any of the classic cars I've owned in the last 20 years have had the problem. I just put a new fuel pump on an early '60's car I own, however, and had a problem with the fuel system. Don't know if I changed something that resulted in a vapor lock situation. At first I thought the the new pump was bad, but it started up again today fine. I'm still investigating.

[farmthestars]

This is the best explanation of this ive ever seen. I actually understand what is going on here. Thank you.

[bobwolff]

Dude - really great explanations. I've watched several videos and none of them were terrible, but yours is the best explanation holistically. Thanks!

[NeoJK]

I really appreciate your content. Owning the last AMC developed jeep, I appreciate videos like this. Hope all is well and, as always, can't wait for what content you may have in store

[slicksnewonenow]

Another ancient Hillbilly trick that we used to employ, was clamping wooden clothes pins on the fuel lines about every foot or so... they work as heat sinks.

I grew up in Houston and some Old-timer taught me that trick.

Worked pretty good when the temperature was up above 90...

[bernielomax]

We had a lot of fun tonight. But there’s nothing funny about vapor lock.

[paulsthormes]

Thanks for sharing I just installed one made a big difference no more vapor lock.👌

[Darkipod]

I wish I could find one of these near me, super neat car! Love you videos!

[sweaspurdoddd]

0:47 sounds like me frying some fries at 02:30 at night

[avexp]

I recognize that AMC dash. My '78 Gremlin had that same instrument cluster.

[regpeeler]

Oh!!
Can you provide the part number to the evaporator filter?

[quewat]

On your fuel return line ..you stated that you installed a check valve...which direction (fuel flow.or arrow)..did you installed the valve?

[kikoramirez]

thank you for your video NO MORE VAPER LOCK 65 el camino back on the road up grade from a 230 to a 327 .

[jverrelli]

Very good explanation, you sound like a professor

[Fentertainment]

I have a 85 c10. Removed the 4.3 with quadrajet for a sbc 350. Added a electric fuel pump and the return to the tank is at the regulator on the side of the frame rail beside the engine. Starts easy cold, Hard start after its warmed up, ran and cut off like you explained. Thinking of capping the regulator return port, then running that return line up next the carburetor and adding this filter. The hard start when warm is the only problem I have. I wonder if I could remove the holley electric pump and regulator and add a mechanical pump back in the system to quiet it down? Thank you for this video!

[ecesarchavez]

Great video and perfect for me since it’s similar to an AMC 360

[hailtothe_rooster]

My pump has a return line already but still dealing with vapor lock. Do I place that filters vapor out inline between the pump and sending unit? Only thing I could think of

[TheThirdWheel]

Nice 👍 video thank you I have seen those fuel filters with a double outlet now I know why there used thanks .
I switched to a small external elec fuel pump and 1" plastic spacer on my old 69 Ford it did not have any emissions stuff not even a vent in the tank it had a vented cap and that's were my problem was I had vacuum instead of pressure in the tank ?? And it was fighting against the small 5-7 psi pump so much that I was getting fuel starvation similar to vapor lock but it was the cap diaphragm failed and allowed it to suck in vacuum instead of pressure.

I want to add a fuel return to the tank do you think that filter will do that ?? I'm thinking once my lil elec fuel pump dead heads fills the fuel bowls and has pressure against it 7psi it will go through that other port and start going back through that line toward the gas tank ? Then when it needs fuel in the carb it will stop and go through the other port ? .

I've seen a guy make his own makeshift return with the brass T fittings he just had the line to the carburetor being on the bottom ports and then the return being raised with an extension on the top so when pressure built up it would go through the top and go back to the carburetor.

[paneerpolice]

I have maruti suzuki wagonr LXI CNG which has a petrol engine with factory fitted CNG gas as alternate fuel. Once my father was waiting at a carwash in hot afternoon and suddenly car was not turning on. Later he opened fuel cap of petrol tank he heard a hiss. Then after 3 cranks car started on cng fuel automatically. Normally our car starts on petrol then gets transferred to cng after 20 seconds