Does anyone have any suggestions on a temporary fix for vapour locking? Here's the problem. My dad & brother are driving down from Seattle to OK, moving a couple of loads. The truck my brother's driving is a 1982 Ford F-150. They only got about 10 hrs down the road & the truck started missing & cutting out. When they stop & let it cool off, it'll run for a little bit before they problem starts happening again...only getting a little ways down the road. Before hitting the road they put on new plugs, new fuel filter & pump, new ignition module, sensor box, new exhaust system. Dad thought it might be the carb. so enroute they replaced that...twice...but still have the same prob. My uncle's a mechanic & he believes that the prob is vapour locking...that the fuel is getting too hot, but seems stumped on what to do, since everything's pretty much been replaced. They're getting nowhere quick! In reading some of the posts here, I guess the hot temps & high altitude doesn't help the problem. They hit Salt Lake City area last night.

Any ideas on temp & long term suggestions I can make to dad to help fix the problem? Thanks!

~ Deb

 

You might be surprised at how much good you can do with some aluminum foil & baling wire. Use the foil to shield the fuel line from any heat source or to direct air ONTO the fuel line, and use the wire to hold the foil in place.

 

Thanks....my uncle mentioned that to dad, and I believe he tried it but it didn't solve the problem; I'll double-check w/him this morning. Someone else suggested driving at night time, and they did that as well and the temps up in the higher altitudes was quite chilly....but still had the problem. They can go roughly 50 miles, then it starts cutting out and they have to stop and let it cool off for a couple of hours.

Any other ideas to try? This problem is aggravating to say the least...'specially when you're trying to go 2,100 miles and have to stop every 50....it makes for a long, long trip!!! *grin* I know they had a mechanic in Rock Springs, WY look it over yesterday...and he didn't have a clue. I feel very frustrated on my dad's behalf!!! Can't imagine how he feels! LOL

Thanks for the help!

 

Tell them to buy a Haynes manual (~$12) and a cheap multimeter (~$15) and test the ignition system - there are plenty of pics showing exactly how to do it. A hot coil can do that. If that's not it, tell them to read Chapter 0 (yes, zero).

 

Thanks....will do!!!