Re: Posible vapor lock solution?

Posted by BH On 2012/6/30 10:18:01

bhappy -

Glad to hear that you haven't jumped to any conclusions. Otherwise, you run the risk of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

WRT your '50, have you verified that your carb has an insulator sandwiched between two base gaskets and that the fuel pump has the insulating bushings and heat shield (and insulating washers)?

To illustrate the importance of insulators, the V8 Packards never came with a fuel pump shield, but I once solved an owner's chronic fuel/heat problem by having him make his own carb insulator from a thin piece of phenolic board. It took some convincing to get him to try that, but it worked.

I should also mention that, instead of placing rubber hose over the steel fuel line, there is tape, wrap, and even sleeve material available for insulating fuel lines. Most commonly found in performance catalogs. The dual quad set-up on '56 Caribbean used a sleeve type on the feed lines from the filter to carbs.

I, too, wonder if the mechanical fuel pump is in need of rebuilding (a fairly easy job for the DIYer) or replacement.

A good scientist manipulates only one varible at a time in his experiments; as inconvenient as that sounds, I hope you take the same approach. Insulating the entire fuel line is the last thing that I'd try.