How to solve the vapor lock issue on the 3.0?

ric · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 7:45 pm

I've been dealing with it since I got the boat on hot days, really getting tired of it. On hot days it will vapor lock if you attempt to start hot. My typical solve (instant fix) is to just pour water on the fuel pump on the side of the engine, fires right up.

I've been reading around the net and this is quite a common issue on the 3.0 with it's mechanical pump with these fancy 10% ethanol fuels. Is the only fix switching to an electric pump?

Giffo · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:23 pm

I have never had that problem in any of my motors. Car engines, yes. In Australia obviously temps get up to high 38= deg celsius. (105-110 f).
What I used to do was wrap fibre lagging around the fuel line and maybe a heat shield near the fuel pump. Worked for me on car engines. Should work the same for marine.

ric · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:40 am

The fuel line does wrap VERY close to the engine, I was thinking something like this?

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/produ ... loop/61/47

Giffo · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:04 am

Can the fuel line be re-routed away from the engine? Would make a huge difference.
PLUS the lagging......

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 6:58 pm

I have never had this problem with my old 4.3 with the 4 bbl Quadrajet but I did have a similar problem with my old 1970 Ford with the 302 V8 and 2 bbl Autolite carb. I insulated the fuel line with heat tape to keep the heat from the engine from getting absorbed by the metal fuel line. It helped a lot.
Does Volvo use an insulator under the carb between the manifold and carb, my boat does have that and it keeps the carb from getting heated by the heat in the intake manifold.

Aussie_Horizon_190 · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:20 pm

Try insulating the fuel lines for a start - this may work and be an easy fix for you. For a more permanent fix, personally I'd go for an electric fuel pump. But try the easy way first!

Ccmblack · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:49 pm

We had this issue on our 4.3 180 Rx on hot days and at altitude. Bought some insulation tubing at an auto supply store and worked well. Although we did still have some issues on very hot days.

ric · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:50 pm

Florida has been VERY hot this year and it's only going to get worse. Today for example... 90 degree air temps, water is already in the mid 70s, and the sun is insane. On my 3.0 (2000 charcoal gs) the fuel line from the pump to the carb hugs the engine all the way around to it. Poop.

I'll order the fuel line insulation and also a carb spacer, it doesn't have one. I want to avoid an electric pump, just something to break.

Phenolic heat spacer 2bbl holley:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOLLEY-2-BBL-2-HOLE-PHENOLIC-SPCR-STOP-HEAT-DAMAGE-1-2-/180683321844?pt=Race_Car_Parts&vxp=mtr&hash=item2a1190b1f4#ht_500wt_892

gregs · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:05 am

This site has some really good information to consider.

http://newboatbuilders.com/pages/fuel2.html

pet575 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:35 am

I've heard of people leaving their blower running constantly on hot days to combat this. I guess that solution is a lot easier to live with if you have two batteries on a switch.

www.iFourWinns.com

How to solve the vapor lock issue on the 3.0?

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