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Q: My car stalled and a friend told me it sounds like vapor lock. What is vapor lock? - Andrew

A: Andrew,

The additives in today's gasoline have raised its volatility, which is the ability to change from a liquid to a vapor. During hot weather, gasoline may actually boil, causing it to stop flowing. The result is vapor lock; the engine is deprived of fuel and lets you know with symptoms such as rough running, loss of power, and in some instances, stalling.

Modern electric fuel pumps located far from the heat of the engine provide more constant pressure to the system and have alleviated the problem in most cars. But if yours isn't one of those, and vapor lock is a problem, try switching from your regular brand of gasoline to another reputable brand. If that doesn't work, it's possible that the fuel lines can be rerouted so they are farther removed from the hot spots of the engine.

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