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judow

judow

Darth Vader - R.I.P
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all about Vapor Lock. Had this experience for the first time, didn't really need to know.

I wrote a few weeks about metal on metal sound. Seems that was my fuel pump just before the VLE (vapor lock experience). The sound came whilst I was just whistling down the interstate. Immediately exited after blasting the horn for husband to notice that I was in distress. He did, we parked and I then said you drive Agatha home. Off he went just zooming along, hair flying and looking as pleased as could be. I did a few errands before getting back on the interstate. Phone rings - it's husband. He says I am on Route 66 in front of the Western Shop and just watching the cars go by. Seems he experienced the VLE. After explaining the situation and after he confirmed that indeed I had plenty of petro, he poured water over the carbuerators, fuel line and exhaust manifold. He asked me to try and start her. I made him put the bonnet down first just in case. I tried, she started and I said, "Out of my way, I'm not stopping until I get to the garage." Got Agatha into the garage and called her mechanic. He and Healey 100 explained to me what happened and what the sound was (fuel pump) and why the temperature gauge wasn't involved. I couldn't understand the concept of VLE without the temperature gauge showing something that I would consider excessive.

I am pleased to say Agatha is alive and well and we have promised each other that when the outside temp is hovering at about 100, we will both bask in the coolness of her mountain garage.

Enough said.

:thankyousign:
 
Tell Snippy to put some of the heat-reflective material on the float bowls, maybe even around the fuel lines.
 
Good thought process. Husband said the same thing. Either Mr. Snippy or Husband will accomodate Agatha and me. :banana: :driving:
 
Do not use gas with alchohol in it..my V-12 Jag would pass out if I even thought of it...Sunoco here in Ohio is 100% gas.


Pete
 
HEALEYJAG said:
Do not use gas with alchohol in it..my V-12 Jag would pass out if I even thought of it...Sunoco here in Ohio is 100% gas.
Pete
Click to expand...

In some areas--think midwest and parts of CA--you don't have much choice (all stations serve 10%). My BJ8 runs fine on it.
 
Unfortunately in New Mexico we also don't have a choice. About every third fill-up I put in a couple of gallons of AvGas. Not sure if it helps but makes me feel better. I'd probably use straight AvGas but the local airport won't let me pump my own gas. I can only get about 5 gallons at a time.

I wished they start a filling station for those of us with classic cars that even know what a 'filling station' is.

:angel:
 
So.......the last saga with MA was some horrible engine noise that went away.....you weren't hearing the fuel pump rattling then, were you?


Dave
 
Today I was trying to locate some premium gas without ethanol for some of my friends that fly airplanes. Talking to the manager at the refinery where I used to work, he says that as of this January all gas must have at least 10% ethanol. I was also in California this week and we had a flat where a tire weight punctured our tire. The tire shop said that California has banned lead tire weights and now they must steel. The lead would have bent in two but the steel weight ruined the tire. If California thinks the lead is dangerous to its people, they should just tell the people not the eat the weights! Whats next!

John
 
California has banned lead tire weights and now they must steel. The lead would have bent in two but the steel weight ruined the tire. If California thinks the lead is dangerous to its people, they should just tell the people not the eat the weights! Whats next!

:savewave:

Lead wheel weights used to balance tires and prevent shimmying at high speeds are soon be a thing of the past with enactment of laws in Maine, Vermont and Washington and pending legislation in California.The rest of the country will be along shortly;---Keoke- :laugh:
 
judow said:
Unfortunately in New Mexico we also don't have a choice. About every third fill-up I put in a couple of gallons of AvGas. Not sure if it helps but makes me feel better. I'd probably use straight AvGas but the local airport won't let me pump my own gas. I can only get about 5 gallons at a time...
:angel:
Click to expand...

IMO, avgas (aka "100LL") wouldn't be particularly useful in a 100. I believe your car was restored recently, and it probably had 'no-lead head' components (valves and seats) installed, so you don't need the lead for valve seat protection, and 100 octane isn't necessary unless you have, oh, 11-to-1 compression ratio or higher. In fact, a stock 100M probably runs OK on regular 87 octane (ours seems to). The only advantage to avgas is it doesn't have any ethanol added.

In fact, lower compression aircraft engines--usually, with displacements less than 300ci--have trouble with 100LL. Compression isn't high enough to totally combust the lead, and it ends up fouling the plugs and, possibly, the rings and valve guides.

Don't know about NM, but in many states it's illegal to use avgas in a car, unless you pay the road taxes (pilots who use autogas in planes are entitled to a rebate).

Be careful handling the avgas--don't let the the 'LL' fool you, it's loaded with lead.
 
hum.... I need to ask Mr. Snippy about this one.
 
TOC said:
So.......the last saga with MA was some horrible engine noise that went away.....you weren't hearing the fuel pump rattling then, were you?


Dave
Click to expand...

Well, you've hit the hammer on the head! I'm learning.
 
Here in Hawaii, the got the ethanol addition removed for Marine engines.. Destroying tanks and fuel systems in boats.. So mebbe your local boat yard/marine supply store can guide you to a non ethanol source..
 
Bob - Mr. Snippy said you're correct and also said bringing the AvGas home is a PIA. Figured that one out. Guess I'll not do that anymore.

:hammer:
 
Overall, removing lead from gas has been very beneficial, not only for the environment--and our children's health--but for engines (lead and its combustion byproducts were responsible for a lot of gunk in engines). With modern materials, exhaust valve recession is not a problem. Eventually, lead will be removed from avgas (it's a hot topic in aviation right now). So far, however, no suitable substitute has been found.
 
I feel sure that there is someplace in ALB that sells race fuel--commonly called CAM 2 though that was a brand. But as Bob says you should not need lead if you have a "modern" head. The snipster will know--he knows everything and you can tell him I said so!
 
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