BillCroasmun
Gold Member
Just to share my "vapor locking" issues as well. I had a few hours on my PT-180 before anything happened then I started to get the 25-30 min run-time problem. I could see an empty filter and bubbling in the line prior to the filter. I checked hose routings, cap venting, filter, and finally found some crud in the tank (in the elbow). Cleaned the tank, had about 8 more reliable hours then started having the same issues... Checked the tank again and low and behold more crud!?! I then did a quick cleaning thinking I just missed something last time. About another 5 to 10 hrs later and again issues!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Now, I rip out the tank and take a serious look around... Hardly visible at first, I notice that the inside of the tank has several spots of a milky white substance (nearly the same color as the tank) stuck on the sides. I used a coat hanger with a paper shop towel on the end to rub these areas and they would drop off. It seemed like a melted plastic maybe a sealant of some kind for the openings, they stuck like a melted wax to the sides kind of tight at first and then they would pop off and they were brittle once off the sides. I "scrubbed" off all the pieces then power-washed the inside. I didn't want to have to take the tank off any more for this!!!.
It's now about 11 hours later and it has been running great since. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Actually, the engine had a slightly different sound after this thorough cleaning. I wouldn't say it ran poor before (when it wasn't dying) but it does sound slightly better now. It must of always been slightly restricted and as the crud broke off or shifted into worse positions then the stutering and/or vapor-lock would appear.
This may not be your problem but I would look at the inside of the tank real close the next time your low on fuel. From the number of people reporting this issue, on this relatively small forum, PT needs to update their QC with regards to their fuel tanks!
Bill
P.S. I took pictures of all the pieces I got out on the third cleaning. I'll post when I get time. It was AMAZING how much was in there!
Now, I rip out the tank and take a serious look around... Hardly visible at first, I notice that the inside of the tank has several spots of a milky white substance (nearly the same color as the tank) stuck on the sides. I used a coat hanger with a paper shop towel on the end to rub these areas and they would drop off. It seemed like a melted plastic maybe a sealant of some kind for the openings, they stuck like a melted wax to the sides kind of tight at first and then they would pop off and they were brittle once off the sides. I "scrubbed" off all the pieces then power-washed the inside. I didn't want to have to take the tank off any more for this!!!.
It's now about 11 hours later and it has been running great since. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Actually, the engine had a slightly different sound after this thorough cleaning. I wouldn't say it ran poor before (when it wasn't dying) but it does sound slightly better now. It must of always been slightly restricted and as the crud broke off or shifted into worse positions then the stutering and/or vapor-lock would appear.
This may not be your problem but I would look at the inside of the tank real close the next time your low on fuel. From the number of people reporting this issue, on this relatively small forum, PT needs to update their QC with regards to their fuel tanks!
Bill
P.S. I took pictures of all the pieces I got out on the third cleaning. I'll post when I get time. It was AMAZING how much was in there!
