Vapor lock is a problem that mostly affects gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines.
It occurs when the liquid fuel changes state from liquid to gas while still in the fuel delivery system. This disrupts the operation of the fuel pump, causing loss of feed pressure to the carburetor or fuel injection system, resulting in transient loss of power or complete stalling. Restarting the engine from this state may be difficult.
The fuel can vaporize due to being heated by the engine, by the local climate or due to a lower boiling point at high altitude. In regions where higher volatility fuels are used during the winter to improve the starting of the engine, the use of "winter" fuels during the summer can cause vapor lock to occur more readily.
Read more about Vapor Lock: Causes and Incidence, Motorsports, Incidence With Other Fuels
Famous quotes containing the word lock:
“They learned to rattle the lock and key
To give whatever might chance to be,
Warning and time to be off in flight:”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)