Short:
Vapor lock is when the fuel in the pump is warm enough to expand as
vapor so the fuel pump cannot produce a vacuum to draw fuel into the
pump.
Longer:
Basically when the diaphragm moves it produces a vacuum in your pump,
fuel flows into the pump through a check valve. If the pump is hot, the
diaphragm moves, but the fuel turns to vapor and not enough vacuum is
produced to pull in full through the check valve. Therefore you run out
of gas. The same thing can happen if the line gets too hot, the fuel
can vaporize in the line and the pump will be flowing vapor and not
fuel.
Usually you can wrap a wet rag over your pump to temporarily cure the
problem ( evaporative cooling ) ;- )
--
Philip Erickson Phone: (858) 622-7963
Associate Scientist
Medicinal Chemistry
Compound Management FAX: (858) 678-8277
Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
4215 Sorrento Valley Boulevard San Diego, CA 92121
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