Vapor lock!
 

I went out to start the vette today after about a week of sitting and it would not stay running. I cracked the gas cap and got a ton of vapor. Car still wouldn't stay running. Everytime I touched the gas it would stall. After awhile I finally got it to run but it was missing real bad and the check engine light was on. I drove about 300 feet and shut it off. When I started it back up everything was normal no check engine light and it was no longer missing. Any ideas as far as what might of happened? Any help would be greatly appreciated.[sm=dontgetit.gif]By the way the car is an 1985 all original.

RE: Vapor lock!
 

That is a head scratcher. I hate when that happens.

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Indigestion?

RE: Vapor lock!
 

check engine light on? run the code and see what you get.

sounds like an electrical problem since it went back to normal. could be fuel pump, computer, MAF, or a number of other things. check that code and get back to us

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Sounds like condensation in the distributor cap. Is your car an LT1 or L98?

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Car is an L98.

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Have you checked trouble codes through diagnostic connector by shorting the 2 together in the upper right hand corner of the connector?

RE: Vapor lock!
 

You will have to excuse my ignorance I am new to the Vette world Could you explain in more detail?

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Do you know where the diagnostic connector is? If you are sitting in driver seat, should be right above your right shin. It should be a 10 -12 pin connector. Take a paper clip and short the 2 in the upper right hand corner together, then turn on ignition switch and watch your check engine light. It will blink codes in sequences of 3 per code. The 1st wil be a code 12, that is 1 flash followed by 2 flashes and that will happen 3 times. Pay no attention to 12, because it is going into diagnostics, just watch if any blink after that.

RE: Vapor lock!
 

MECH259, you're something else !!! All we need is a paper clip to check our diagnostics, and I just bought an OBD I and an OBD II for our family vehicles at great cost. Honest to God, I'm glad I joined this Forum with guys like you around..:)

mypetu39

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Well, the paper clip only works on OBD I diagnostics. OBDII is a little more complicated. Your code reader will read codes, but if the codes are P1xxx codes, you might not be able to diagnose those codes without factory information. P0xxx codes are for emissions, P1xxx are manufacturer specific codes. Get back to me if there is a code. [8D]

RE: Vapor lock!
 

I located the connector. It wasn't mounted . So now I am confused on which is the top right hand corner. I know it sounds stupid I just don't want to short anything out. The side I think should be top right has a black wire with a white stripe and a white wire with a black stripe. Is it still going to show a code even though my engine light is no longer on? Thanks for all your help guys!:)

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Well, the "bottom" side of the connector has two flanges that protrude about 1/8 inch. Use that as a guide and any codes will be stored in memory unless the battery has been disconnected. :)

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Alright today I tried to start it and had the same problem. I assumed it was vapor locked again. I loosened the gas cap and got no vapor. Finally the car stayed running but barely. Everytime you give it gas it would die and wasn't getting enough fuel to even get the rpm past 400. So after about half an hour of messing with it I tried the paper clip trick to get the error code. I turned the ignition on and got a code of 12. One slow blink and two fast ones. With the paper clip still in the connector I started the car and it ran fine. I shut it off and removed the clip and it ran fine. I Don't know if it was coincidence or if the computer had it locked out for some reason. When i did put the paperclip in when I turned the key it sounded like the fan was running. Is this a coincidence or a start to finding the problem? I drove the car 20 miles and restarted half a dozen times with no problem. MECH259 thanks for your help so far I owe you a beer!

RE: Vapor lock!
 

Well, code 12 doesn't mean anything other than the car is in diagnostic mode. It should blink each code 3 times and when it returns to 12, then it's over. Fuel injected engines don't "vapor lock". That was n old term used back when fuel would literally boil in the fuel lines from getting to hot. You have another problem, either fuel pump relay, maybe, could be spark. But if you finish checking codes like I described, maybe it will lead us in the right direction. [8D]

RE: Vapor lock!
 

I checked the codes today. The only code I am getting is 12. No other codes besides that. It looks like this is going to be a real pain in the ass to find.

RE: Vapor lock!
 

WEll, if no codes are present, the next step would be to check fuel pressure, check dist. cap for signs of moisture, carbon tracking, check under the center spring tip on the rotor to see if a burn hole has appeared which would send spark straight to ground. All looks ok, might be pick up coil problems in the distributor. Hard to say with out test equipment.