Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Garden Tractors Discussion Forum

JD 212 Vapor lock?

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Martin Holford

05-23-2004 12:20:22




Report to Moderator

I have a JD212 that on a hot day will run out of fuel when hot. I can restart and it runs with the choke pulled on fully. Friday I gave up trying to mow and Sunday it was much cooler,it mowed 2 acres without problems. I originally thought I was getting water in the tank but now it looks more like vapor lock. Any one else have this?




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
AUBREY V.

05-25-2006 11:17:49




Report to Moderator
 Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Martin Holford, 05-23-2004 12:20:22  
This won't apply,but water or comtaniment
gets in the float bowl. quit often, If it's running bad adjusting carb some times fixes bad running , but I have found that when it starts runing bad it's usually water in the bowl.removeing the cover, air filter cover,back plate
losen float bowl drain nut. if the bowls comes loose geting the gasket back in place is not easy ): unless you remove the carb. the change of heat effects vapor, moisture , builds up ! drain it.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Pat

05-26-2004 19:02:50




Report to Moderator
 Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Martin Holford, 05-23-2004 12:20:22  
Hi Martin. Sounds like a bad coil. I work for a John Deere dealer and see these symptons quite often. I have a hard time with the vapor lock theory but the new plastic fuel pumps stink. Hot days will and should not bother these units. I have a 216,210,110,112, and a 140 and when these pulled off this stunt, and after a little diagnostic look i replace the coil and off I go! Good luck.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Deere John 2004

05-24-2004 06:02:11




Report to Moderator
 Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Martin Holford, 05-23-2004 12:20:22  
For years, I fought with a car that the manufacturer said, “…couldn’t vapor lock, because it was fuel injected.” Well, it can and it does. First, use the LOWEST octane fuel you can get, lower octane resists vapor lock better. (Use current [new] fuel, using ‘winter’ gas in the summer really compounds the problem.) Mixing Sta-Bil with the fuel at the recommended rate can help a little. Second, clean the engine well. A small amount of oil and dust will retain a tremendous amount of heat. Remove and clean the side panels, remove and clean the shrouds and the cooling fins then replace the shrouds; don’t forget to clean the fins on the flywheel, they are a squirrel-cage fan for your engine. Be sure to clean the crankcase and the oil pan, even in a water cooled engine, the oil removes much of the heat from the engine. Finally, if you want the voodoo fix, put a ‘line’ of wooden, clip-type, clothes pins on the fuel line near the fuel pump to dissipate the heat. (Yes, I know wood is not a good conductor of heat, but, I was desperate and it (the car) hasn’t vapor locked since I did that.) lol, Jon.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Ron

05-24-2004 08:27:09




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Deere John 2004, 05-24-2004 06:02:11  
Fuel injected engines operate under anywhere from 12 to 60 lb. of pressure in the fuel line... and have return lines back to the tank. Vapor lock is impossible.

If you fail to use the required octane you'll soon have much worse problems than vapor lock.

Your point about winter/summer gas is right on the money.

Your suggestion about clothespins gave me a good laugh... thanks!



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Deere John 2004

05-24-2004 10:10:05




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Ron, 05-24-2004 08:27:09  
I know this is getting way, way off the subject, but I can't let this pass, vapor lock is very possible in a fuel injection system. (Chrysler won't admit this, at least Ford will.) The reason that the theory doesn't hold up in practice is that the electric fuel pump shuts off at the 'operating pressure'. The pressure release valve operates intermittently, and the return line carries very little fuel back to the tank. The fuel pump does not distinguish between liquid fuel under pressure and vapor under pressure. The reason I know it IS 'vapor lock' is that when the car does stop running, I have a bleeder valve ahead of the injector rack (with an exhaust line that ends well away from the engine and any source of heat) that I can open manually. It releases a lot of vapor before I get any liquid gas; most of the time I have to 'cycle' the ignition switch several times to get liquid gas to the injectors. The 'octane' suggestion is to counter any well meaning suggestions that higher octane will solve 'vapor lock', it only makes it worse. I have 120,000 miles on my original engine. The “clothes pin” trick came from a State of Illinois “Highway Helper” when he stopped along side of the freeway while I was draining my ‘vapors’. If it does anything, it might hold the fuel line away from the engine, and, on steel fuel lines, because it is supposed to be a solid line of clothes pins, might tend to insulate the fuel line from engine heat. I think aviation fuel line “fireproofing” sleeves would do a better job because they also help to avoid vapor lock too; I just haven’t gotten any yet.
The more I think about it, I think the problem here is that a rebuilt, tight, engine runs hotter and the solution might just be waiting until the engine is 'broken in'.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
ken

05-24-2004 13:57:24




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Deere John 2004, 05-24-2004 10:10:05  
you could always try cow magnets eh,and dearjohn has a good point a new tight engine will be hotter,as i suggested try mowing later in the evening if possible ,it's usually lots cooler, i myself never mow before 6:30 at nite



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
LeJo

05-23-2004 16:45:26




Report to Moderator
 Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Martin Holford, 05-23-2004 12:20:22  
On mine I too thought at first ,it was vapor lock. Turned out to be the valve would stick. Solved the problem by useing a detergent oil.
10 W 30 rather than the straight 30 which is called for in the manual.Ran ok for 15 years now and no stopping.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bob

05-23-2004 14:03:16




Report to Moderator
 Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Martin Holford, 05-23-2004 12:20:22  
I believe your 212 has a mechanical fuel pump. If this is working properly, it should not vapor lock.

Check your flywheel screen (if applicable), and inside the air shrouding for debris that could be restricting air flow.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Ron

05-23-2004 13:23:11




Report to Moderator
 Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Martin Holford, 05-23-2004 12:20:22  
Sounds a lot more like the gas cap vent is plugged. Easy to tell... next time the engine dies, remove the cap. If it starts right up, then you know.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
ken

05-23-2004 13:28:41




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Ron, 05-23-2004 13:23:11  
it's vapor lock my 112 and 140 and 214 would all do it on good hot humid days.i cured the problem by mowing later in the evening when it's cooler,they suggest mowing late in the day anyway and maybe thats why they put headlites on em? but i have heard that fuel pumps when the start to go will do that but it never helped me and my 214 had a new cap (dang lenses),so that wasn't it either,you might try taking off the side covers that seemed to help my 214 go a little longer.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Martin Holford

05-23-2004 18:39:30




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to ken, 05-23-2004 13:28:41  
If a valve was sticking why will it run with the choke on? I am useing detergent oil,currently rotella 10-40. Gas cap is new and did the same thing with no cap. Fuel pump is several years old but pumped ok today. The only part of the fuel system presurised is the hose from the pump to carb leaving the rest of the system unpresurised or even in a vacuum. A buddy said his had the same symptoms but not heat related and found debris in his tank. Once I pulled the fuel line off the intake side of the pump and it was dry,then gravety started fuel flowing again, I thought the fuel must have vaporised and pushed back into the tank because it had nowhere to go. I might add a clear filter to watch.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Martin Holford

05-23-2004 18:49:01




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Martin Holford, 05-23-2004 18:39:30  
This motor was just apart because of a piston failure and all airflow pasages restored,but it is an early 212 with the screened side covers they changed to louvered later. If a valve is sticking would something like marvel mystery oil help?



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Ron

05-24-2004 03:09:38




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: JD 212 Vapor lock? in reply to Martin Holford, 05-23-2004 18:49:01  
It's not a valve sticking.

Is 10w-40 the recommended oil weight?

A hot engine that dies and restarts with the choke on is either a plugged gas cap, contaminated gas (usually water), or a vacuum leak between the carb and head that gets worse with heat.

I'd take it back to whomever rebuilt it and ask him to look into it.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy