I have been a 1973 Maverick 302 owner for 2 weeks and I cant figure out what to do. I have a very hot engine compartment after running car for a period of time say 20 miles in stop and go traffic. As I am driving the car it starts surging or hesitating like its running out of gas it revs then drops revs then drops then it stalls out. I can start the car and it will be in idle right after that and ass soon as I start to press the accelerator it starts hessitating then stalls. I think it is vapor lock issue going on. The engine compartment gets really hot. It doesnt help that ford made a metal fuel line from fuel pump to carb, and that the line runs literaly almost against motor. The motor and timing are good the motor runs like a beast. The water pump is good. I drive the car occasionally as I make and improve the car it is a project. It just seems like on hot days in florida due to the metal fuel line next to motor and not having a good fan overheats the gas causing vapor lock. I wanted to know everyones take to make sure its not anything else. When I freshly start the car and its cool no problems what so every runs like a charm. What should I do?
Do you have a temp gauge to verify that the engine is keeping within an acceptable temperature range? The engine compartment should get hot, but no hotter than any other engine compartment. If it is feeling exceptionally hot, you may be overheating. I lost the metal line early on and went with rubber lines up and over the engine, and then switched to braided stainless.
If the car has sat for a while, might be crud from the gas tank. That would plug a filter fast. Have you been running it near empty?
