85 Reliant carb 2.2 engine

[val61]

Engine stalls when weather gets very hot.
It happened once last summer and yesterday again.I left the engine to cool off and then it started again.
Any idea what could cause that ???

[Pete in NH]

HI,

This could be caused by any number of things from temperature sensitive electronics to a fuel delivery problem. One possibility is vapor lock. This is when the fuel literally boils away into a vapor.This can happen in the fuel lines or carb. The newer alcohol blend fuels seem more prone to this as the alcohol has a lower liquid to vapor temperature than gasoline. The vapor then blocks the liquid flow in the carb . or fuel lines. It's a difficult issue to deal with because it involves the fuel characteristics. Check your fuel presure and delivery rate as it could be a failing fuel pump or dirty fuel filter

[val61]

Yes it could be the fuel problem.When I cranked it the inline fuel filter was full of gas but when the engine runs the filter stays like 3/4 full.
I will check the whole fuel system.Thanks !!!

[ohpoppy]

I have this nearly solved..my 83 2.2...the ethanhol in the gas changes the boiling point of the way gas used to be. It now boils (vapors, foams) at a lower temp. New cars use high pressure fuel pumps along with F injection to solve it. Gas boiling point is RAISED at higher pressure. You can use no ethanhol fuel but these cars had a problem even in 83 due to the proxcity of the intake being above the exhaust manifold.

This what I did. Disconnected the mech fuel pump completely leaving the core still installed. Installed a 4 lbs electric fuel pump near the gas tank and routed the fuelline avoiding all the metal lines in front of the engine. Ran a hose from passenger side cowl area directly to carb and insulated the hose. The filter is now inline before the pump. Removed the carb and installed a fiber spacer at the carb base. It's 1/3" but it not quite think enough. I will install a thicker one when I get the chance. To install a thicker one it is nec to remove the studs that hold down the carb and replace with longer ones. They don't thread out..they are like wheel studs that are pressed in at the back so you must remove the lower base, too. New studs may be hard to find so I intend to fashion bolts instead and find a way so they don't rotate when tightening the nuts. Also...I moved the electric fan far over towards the battery side and installed 2 7" electric fans on the passenger side of the radiator. It runs cooler now. Radiator was replaced with new aluminuim one from Advance which was around $75 (so cheap) and it really modern and good.

regarding the carb spacer..determine how room is beween the top of the air cleaner and the hood to make sure the hood will close after the spacer in installed. I believe only a 3/4 will work unless you raise the hood with spacers at the hinges or find a way to squash the top of the aircleaner a little. Hope this helps someone. Bob