Clothes Pins On Fuel Line

[Rock Hornbuckle]

Originally Posted by Richard Wilson

But not as much as my 6V alternator does.

But not as much as my skinny girlfriend does.

[Clem Clement]

The clothes pins do 2 functions: Keep eternal heat away from the fuel lines; make excellent conversation starters; a fuel line is as good a place to store them as any, I use several as antirattle wedges.

[theHIGHLANDER]

One time I put all the fuel mileage improvements I could on my A. Special distributor gave 25% better mileage, special carb gave 60% better mileage, special plug wires gave 30% better mileage. Imagine my surprise when the fuel tank overflowed!

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

Try aluminum if you can still find them, but they only come in one color, grey.
Terry

Now if someone had these I could say that it is acting like a heat sink and removing heat from the line.

[40 Deluxe]

Mike V., I don't think so. To remove heat from a fuel line, the surrounding air has to cooler than the fuel in the line, BUT that is not the case! We have cool fuel entering the engine compartment from the fuel tank at maybe 80-90 degrees on a warm day. Meanwhile underhood temperatures may reach 200 degrees. This is what heats the fuel. Aluminum clothes pins will only conduct heat into the fuel line faster!

[Mike V. Florida]

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Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Mike V., I don't think so. To remove heat from a fuel line, the surrounding air has to cooler than the fuel in the line, BUT that is not the case! We have cool fuel entering the engine compartment from the fuel tank at maybe 80-90 degrees on a warm day. Meanwhile underhood temperatures may reach 200 degrees. This is what heats the fuel. Aluminum clothes pins will only conduct heat into the fuel line faster!

If the air was stagnant then the case could be made but the air is moving through engine compartment, more surface area by way of the aluminum in the air moving by could be argued that it may be of help reducing the heat on the line (but most likely not), but it sure makes better sense than wood.

[steve s]

Originally Posted by steve s

... the problem is due to heat from the engine compartment getting INTO the fuel line, not fuel that was heated elsewhere needing to cool off as it traverses the engine compartment. ... Steve

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Now if someone had these I could say that it is acting like a heat sink and removing heat from the line.

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Mike V., I don't think so. To remove heat from a fuel line, the surrounding air has to cooler than the fuel in the line, BUT that is not the case! We have cool fuel entering the engine compartment from the fuel tank at maybe 80-90 degrees on a warm day. Meanwhile underhood temperatures may reach 200 degrees. This is what heats the fuel. Aluminum clothes pins will only conduct heat into the fuel line faster!

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

If the air was stagnant then the case could be made but the air is moving through engine compartment, more surface area by way of the aluminum in the air moving by could be argued that it may be of help reducing the heat on the line (but most likely not), but it sure makes better sense than wood.

Not surprising that this topic can never be resolved when we can't even agree which way heat wants to flow. Sorry, Mike, I'm with 40 Deluxe on this one: the problem is caused by hot air in the engine compartment heating the fuel line. Circulating hot air would be even more efficient at heating the fuel line since a layer of somewhat cooler air can not build up between the line and the larger heat reserve. Adding aluminum "fins" to the fuel line would only make it a more efficient heat sink for the engine compartment.

Now, if the fuel line were wet, so there could be evaporative cooling, it would be different.

Steve

[quickchange]

I have a custmer with 28 roadster that has had a problem for past few years, (a female) Carb & electrics fully rebuilt , The problem is she starts up, heads down the hiway & after about 7 miles the vehicle drops onto 2-3 cly,s, by stopping turning the engine off for a short time ,then fires up ,runs on 4 with no problem , I suggested the two wooden clothes pegs on the fuel line, Well this morning she turns up from a 50 mile trip sining my praises, for the 1st time it never did it , ??? On inspection it has a short steel pipe from the sediment bowl to a rubber hose , then another filter onto rubber hose & back to steel line as it enters the carb, I beleive the problem is the fuel line & it gets a vapour lock, the line as it enters the carb has a tight bend which brings it closer to the heat source, She is about to head off on a long tour so gave her an original fuel line & instructed her to take the micky mouse line she has on it off, BUT keep the clothes pegs on ,?Why well if they don,t work she can always use them to hold the washing out while on tour. Besides two must be better than one ? I expect a report after the tour as to the vapour lock problem , Thats my 2 pegs worth,

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by steve s

Sorry, Mike, I'm with 40 Deluxe on this one: the problem is caused by hot air in the engine compartment heating the fuel line.
Steve

Not a problem at all! What I did a poor job of saying was given wooden or metal clips, metal clips would make more sense but I also said "(but most likely not)".

I don't beleive anything hanging off the fuel line will help cool the fuel in that line.

[bhiland]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Not a problem at all! What I did a poor job of saying was given wooden or metal clips, metal clips would make more sense but I also said "(but most likely not)".

I don't beleive anything hanging off the fuel line will help cool the fuel in that line.

I agree. Been following this just havnt posted. Ive heard a lot of old timers remedies but I think most are just BS.

[Arthur in AK]

Although I've never had a vapor lock problem on my A, I did experience terrible problems with it on my '51 Buick Roadmaster. It has a huge straight 8, and a very poorly designed path for the fuel line which crosses the front of the engine just south of the radiator.
My son and I drove it from Oklahoma to Alaska many summers ago. It was incredibly hot that summer - small wildfires alongside some of the interstates.
We kept getting vapor lock, until an 'crusty old' local mechanic we met along the way told me about the clothespin trick.
Honestly, at first I thought the guy was kidding. Or just plain nuts. But after getting stuck again for hours in the middle of nowhere, I found the closest store I could and bought a bag of wooden clothespins.
They sure looked ridiculous on the fuel line, but by God they worked! Got us all the way home without another vapor lock episode.
It doesn't get that warm up here in Alaska, but I still carry them in the Buick's trunk,along with my tools and parts.

[Clem Clement]

Did I mention that all the ladies ask about my clothes pins. I tell 'em we gotsta hang our clothes someplace...

[5window]

No,no. I have a set of brand new special clothes pins just perfect for your fuel line. Just send me$50 and $20 for shipping (insurance is extra). At absolutely no extra charge, I will even have my five yr old granddaughter print Ford rather neatly on them. She's a pretty good printer.

For that price, I will send you as many sets as you'd like.