vapor lock??
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Parma Ohio
vapor lock??
I was driving my 60 (stock 283 single wcfb) on a 90 degree day, car was running better than ever and suddenly I noticed a slight shutter and slowed for a traffic light, all of a sudden it just quit. Would not re start, just crank over, checked for spark--spark ok, ended up running the battery down, got a jump, still would not start---sat 20-30 minutes then fired off like nothing had happened--engine was running 180 degrees no puking or anything. Guys have said to block off the intake manifold heat ports under the carb. I have never had this happen before, any ideas, my girlfriend had to help push off the highway and now she wants me to sell it and buy a C-6!! Help!!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
It could very well be fuel percolation....the symptoms you describe are typical. The accelerator pump can't get a good shot of fuel because its vapor instead of liquid and it takes a 10-20 min cool down to get restarted. I had to block off my intake manifold heat risers passages with a fuel injection gasket set and make up a set of 1/4" phenolic heat spacers to go between my dual quads and the intake manifold (you can't buy anything off-the-shelf for WCFBs) and that dropped my carb bowl temps 40-50 degrees as measured with my IR temp gun.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
I would recommend you get rid of the girlfriend now. She sounds like she doesn't have much of a sense of humor and the next time it quit'
s you'll probably have to push the car by yourself while she takes a cab home.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,830
Likes: 491
From: Florida
Get the C6, C7, whatever, keep the girl, give me the '60. EVERYBODY'S HAPPY... ;{ )
I've got similar percolation issues.
Last edited by 6T7L71CPE; Aug 13, 2009 at 05:21 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
Here are the specs: Part Number: 85315K164 Grade XX Garolite Sheet Black, 1/4" Thick, 24" X 24".
You will need carbide bits to work with this tough material.
Here is the article from John Hinkley I used to change the manifold gasket...lots of good tips including using a 1" dowel in the distributor hole to position the intake before assembly (attached). Consider wiring open your heat riser in the passenger side exhaust manifold too.
Be aware that the new intake manifold gaskets will MAKE YOUR CAR SOUND DIFFERENT! I didn't like the sound and wound up adding a balancer pipe between the exhausts to get the original harmony back (pic attached).
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,016
Likes: 331
From: Southeast Missouri
Here's another item you may wish to check out. I chased a similar problem for some time on my '66. It only happened when it was warm, but the temp gage wasn't showing all that hot. I rerouted lines, insulated lines, etc., and it turned out to be a weak fuel pump. I finally found the problem when the pump started leaking externally and had to be replaced.
Shazam!! After the pump was replaced I never had a hint of the problem again, went back to the original routing of the fuel lines, etc. Just something you may wish to check also!
Shazam!! After the pump was replaced I never had a hint of the problem again, went back to the original routing of the fuel lines, etc. Just something you may wish to check also!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
Worth a look but these WCFB's can operate off really low pump pressure...it usually high pressure that screws them up. If you have 4lb-5.5lb its plenty. The fuel line (on my 2X4 anyway) didn't go too near anything hot....it was strictly fuel percing in the carb bowls themselves..
