RE:Vapor lock

[Chris & Ranae Procyk <procyk19@domain.elided>]

>    Sorry to hear about the problems you had. Could you hear the fuel
> boiling when you shut the truck off?

No, but you can't hear anything after 4 hrs of 70mph in a 1200D with aggressive bias tires and all windows (including the rear slider) wide open.   I have one of those clear glass Purolator cartridge filters, and it was bone dry-- we had actually gotten to the point of having a cop radio for a tow truck.  I figured the fuel pump was shot.

For some reason-nothing really better to do, I guess-, after 1/2 hr. or so, I gave it a try... and it fired right up.  I'm like, hmmm.  So I look under the hood and damn if the filter is full of gas.

I was 1/2 mi. from my mom's exit, so I asked the cop if he was willing to let me try to get the beast to the exit.  He said sure, so I went to my moms- no problem of course.  I took her car home, anyway, and got the truck the next day.  Saved a large tow charge.

So what really *is* vapor lock? I'm sure Tom H. or John L or H can give us a good technical explanation!!  I mean, I know that our mechanical fuel pumps are "self-priming"-- which means that they can pump air-- so why can't they deal with fuel vaporization??

Just for honesty's sake, I need to literally flesh out the story:  When the truck died, it was still daylight.  By the time it re-started, it was pretty dark.  So I had to ask the cop to point his flashlight on the fuel filter.  Of course, he didn't know where that was, so I helpfully pointed it out to him-- managing to stick my thumb into the fan in the process.  Ouch.  Sometimes we get to comfortable with these puppies-- I was lucky it wasn't a lot worse.

Oh, and here's a funny return story:  Since I'm almost qualify as one of those "Travellall driving Sierra club members" (so it's a Wagonmaster and the NPCA, close enough)  I get very upset when trash blows out the window.  My son had taken a toy he bought out of one of those filmy plastic bags, and when he let go of the bag, well, out it flew (passenger's side front).

As I launched into my stock "don't be so careless" lecture,  it whooshed back in through the rear slider!  Keith grabbed it and stuffed it down securely.  I can't imagine where it was for those 5+ seconds.