I've got a 1939 Chevrolet with a 216 engine and I am having trouble with starting when the engine is hot. If I run the car for more than 1/2 hour (completely warm) and then let it sit for 20 30 minutes the car is very hard to start. I suspect vapor lock, but how can I tell? What I did do feel the carburator after just shutting down the engine. It was relatively cool. I also looked down the throat of the carb and I could not see any fuel bubbling out. I checked every couple minutes. The carb seemed to be warming up and after a while I noticed that a mist of fuel started to appear in the throat of the carb. I suspect that this is from the fuel bowl and is condenseing in the manifold and thus flooding the engine. Is this vapor lock? What can I do to stop this? There is a large (1/2 inch thick) insolator gasket between the carb and the manifold. I'd apprecicate any help. Thanks

Mike Z -<BR>There have been several great threads over the past 18 months discussing warm weather stalling, etc. It would be worth your time to take a look at these for ideas.<P>Click on the two most recent: 1. <A HREF="http://www.aaca.org/cgi-bin/ultimate...&f=7&t=000024" TARGET=_blank>http://www.aaca.org/cgi-bin/ultimate...7&t=000024</A> <P>And 2. <A HREF="http://www.aaca.org/cgi-bin/ultimate...&f=7&t=000686" TARGET=_blank>http://www.aaca.org/cgi-bin/ultimate...7&t=000686</A> <P> [img]images/icons/cool.gif" border="0[/img]

Mike, what is happening is that the fuel is evaporating out of the carburetor, and you have to crank the engine till the gas gets back up there. I had the same trouble with my Packard 1404, what I did was add an electric fuel pump as close to the gas tank as posable. the way I have it pipe in is, gas tank> new filter> electric fuel pump, then to the stock gas line, I have it wired in from the ignition switch>on/off switch>electric pump. I used a bellows type pump, 6 volt, from J.C.Whitney, 4-1/2 to 7psi, it shuts off automatically at 7psi. I've had it in the car for 3 years now, and haven't had a problem with it yet. Hope this helps.

Thanks, I read the threads that you had shown. There is quite a lot of stuff here. I had not thought of the pressure in the fuel line between the pump and carb. And the fact that it is not relieved when the engine is shut off. Next time I run the car after it gets hot, I'll open the fuel line to relieve the pressure and see what happens. I'm not sure I want a electric pump, but may be a bypass may be ok, if turns out to be the problem. Thanks

[fordee9r (Ron Springstead)]

Hey Mike,<P>You mention that your car is hard to start when warm (hot?). What you don't say is whether it is hard to start because it cranks slower than normal or if the starter turns the engine over at normal speed but fails to start for some reason. This input is necessary to determine where your problem lies. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img]