vapor lock

A condition in which a pocket of vaporized gasoline forms in the fuel line of an internal-combustion engine, obstructing the normal flow of fuel.

va′por-lock′ v.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

va′por lock`

an obstruction to the flow of fuel to a gasoline engine caused by the formation of bubbles in the fuel.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

vapor lock - a stoppage in a pipeline caused by gas bubbles (especially a stoppage that develops in hot weather in an internal-combustion engine when fuel in the gas line boils and forms bubbles that block the flow of gasoline to the carburetor)

vapour lock

blockage, stoppage, occlusion, closure, block, stop - an obstruction in a pipe or tube; "we had to call a plumber to clear out the blockage in the drainpipe"

Translations

bouchon de vapeur

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

Secondly, the low boil point of methanol leads to high possibility of vapor lock by raising the vapor pressure of methanol-gasoline [12-17].

Development of the Adipates as Bifunctional Additive in Methanol-Gasoline

Vapor Lock: The reason engines don't always restart after a tank is run completely dry is that some fuel system designs may develop a vapor lock in the lines before the switchover to another tank is complete.

Run it dry? If you need every last drop of fuel in that tank, you may be doing it wrong

We've been given theories such as vapor lock and boiling fuel, and advice that included clothespins, but I don't feel comfortable betting my safety on clothespins.

Detective work can go a long way

To prevent vapor lock in engines taken to high altitude, the ASTM D-910 spec for avgas calls for vapor pressures between 5.5 and 7.1 PSI.

Airworthy Autogas: will mogas fly this time: by blending mogas to meet Lycoming's SI 1070, Airworthy hopes to overcome bias against car gas and carve out a significant market

The filling technology creates a vapor lock with carbon dioxide, stopping oxygen from entering the growler.

Growler growth keeps pouring in

But it is also liable to evaporation in hot weather, causing vapor lock, where liquid fuel changes to a gas in the fuel lines, and the evaporation contributes to air pollution.

High on butane, refiners celebrate winter's arrival

Sometimes, you can actually hear them make a "Hup!" sound as they go into vapor lock.

Thoughts on breath control: in conventional marksmanship, breath control is a cornerstone fundamental. In combat handgun shooting, not so much. Is that as it should be?

The 620 hypochlorite pump features off-gassing to prevent vapor lock while maintaining +/- 0.1% accuracy in hypo metering.

Watson-Marlow introduces Sodium hypochlorite pump

Obviously the heat from the exhaust was causing the gasoline to vaporize in the line, causing a vapor lock. The elbow was removed; the silo filling was resumed.

Intrigued by Bates Steel Mule

On the other hand, too high the vapor pressure can lead to hot-fuel handling problem (warm start problems, stumbling engine, vapor lock) and increased evaporative hydrocarbon emissions.

SYNFUEL: DIVERSIFICATION OF PRIMARY ENERGY