Could someone explain what vapor lock means? Layman terms..cause,symptom,etc.I have a 496HO and I have read some posts about vapor lock on this engine.
Vapor lock occurs when the vapor pressure of the fuel is higher than the surrounding environment. In older engines with "sucking" fuel pumps at the engine the pressure in the fuel line to the tank was reduced by the sucking action of the fuel pump drawing fuel form a fuel tank nearly twenty feet away, and when heated, the gasoline actually boiled creating a vapor of gasoline which the fuel pump could not handle, thus the name "vapor lock".
wink
I don't think vapor lock's even possible with the high fuel pressure run on injected motors plus the fact the unused fuel is recirculating to the tank. Feel free to correct me if necessary...
Vapor lock is a condition in which fuel boils in the fuel system, forming bubbles which retard or stop flow of fuel to the carburetor
VAPOR LOCK DOES OCCUR ON FUEL INJECTED BOATS. THE AMBIENT AIR TEMPS IN HAVASU CAN CAUSE THIS. I HAD VAPOR LOCK PROBLEMS WITH MY 2000 454 MAG. THE PROBLEM I HAVE SEEN IS THAT THE MANUFACTURERS DO NOT USE THE PROPER SUPER-FLOW DIVERTER FOR THE FUEL INJECTED BOATS. IMCO MAKES A SIX PORT UNIT THAT RE-ROUTES THE FUEL TO THE TANK TO KEEP IT AS COOL AS POSSIBLE WHICH SHOULD BE USED FOR THE FUEL INJECTED ENGINES. COMMANDER (MY BOAT) AND OTHERS HAVE USED THE 3-PORT DESIGN THAT DOES NOT CYCLE THE FUEL PROPERLY TO KEEP IT COOL. SECONDLY THE "FUEL COOLER" THAT MERCRUISER SUPPLIES WITH THE MOTOR IS MOUNTED NEXT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. EVEN THOUGH IT IS WATER COOLED, THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE BEST PLACE TO MOUNT THIS UNIT. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER THREADS THAT TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE (I STARTED ONE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO)
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