MTFCA Forum

I am intrigued by Jay's collection of gas vapourisers:
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/2490
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/2582
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/2368
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/2368
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/2083
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/app.php/gallery/image/2685


If you look at the sales blurb that comes with this last one (Imperial) at: https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/1 ... 93159.html (scroll down) my question is - DID THESE ACTUALLY WORK/ DO ANYTHING USEFUL?

I am half tempted to try one!

Experts, please advise

Yes they do work, I have two cars with them that have been touring for over ten years.

And he hasn’t need to gas them up either.

They do work, but today's gasoline does not require their use. They were designed to help vaporize and carburate the low-volatility (more kerosene-like) gasoline commonly sold during the 1920s. Using one could be an advantage when running a Model T under cold and wet, humid conditions, since Model Ts lack an intake manifold heat system like later cars had. However, the same effect could be had by using the Ford sheet metal heat pipe arrangement. Gasoline sold today is, if anything, excessively volatile for use in a Model T in warm and hot weather. If I had a Vaporizer on a car that ran well under the conditions where I used the car, I would not take it off. For average driving situations using today's gasoline, I would not consider adding one. In this area, I've had problems with gasoline boiling in the fuel line and causing hot weather performance issues with a '27 car. Today's "gasoline" is designed for use in non-vented fuel systems with fuel injection, where the gasoline is held under low pressure in the tank, and higher pressure from the tank all the way to the fuel injectors. The pressure prevents the gasoline from boiling in the lines from ambient heat and underhood heat. Model Ts have an atmospheric tank and very low pressure fuel feed to the carburetor, and fuel boiling/percolation can be an issue in warm to hot weather. Hot fuel was an advantage with low-volatile gasoline, but it can be a disadvantage with modern high-volatile gasoline.

That might explain why my car runs so much better without the heated air intake.

Thanks Pat, that was a clear and helpful explanation,
Cheers
Adrian

I was talking about the 26-27 model Ford OEM Vaporizer. If you are referring to the various aftermarket intake pre-heater devices to be used to heat the intake BEFORE starting the engine, yes, they work, too, but are probably not needed except in extremely cold weather. A propane torch would be a safer and more convenient modern alternative for pre-heating the intake. Obviously, any such procedure is somewhat hazardous, especially if raw gasoline runs out of the carburetor. These days, cold start issues with Ts are usually related to thickend oil.

I have always been intrigued with the Imperial Primer.
They made one all brass style with a brass reservoir that mounted on the firewall.
I am still considering mounting that on my 13 speedster which is a stemwinder with a
Bosch DU4 ignition. I would not be afraid of using it.
Harry

Today's fuels are much better than what was available in the 1920's.

JohnH, I replaced my hot air stove with a filter a couple of years ago and saw my mileage improve from 15 to almost 20 mpg. I've never had any problems resulting from not using the stove, driving my car in temps ranging from the lower 40's to 90+ °F. Others may have a different experience.

John, in almost 50 years of T ownership, I have never run a hot air intake to the carburetor. In our climate, with our fuels, they are superfluous.
Allan from down under.

Allan,the intake heater was on my car when I got it, and I can only assume the fuel quality prior to 1954 (when the car was last used before I got it) was worse than now, or the original owner just assumed the performance to be normal. It runs much smoother and with more power without it.