16 replies to this topic

[Prav_007]

Thanks Bishop for this thread, because I have the most random question in the world to ask in a Bond forum.

Q: Can automatic cars stall? It sounds dumb, but I really wanna know! If they do, its because of vapour lock, right?

[Mr. Somerset]

Yes they can. Especially if they're old, haven't had a tune-up in a while, oil change, or has had the incorrect gas pumped into it.I'm not sure about the vapour lock, though.

[Kingdom Come]

Non-automatic cars stall much more.

[Prav_007]

Thanks you guys!

[SnakeEyes]

Non-automatic cars stall much more.

If you're a bad driver.

[J.C.D'Arc]

A car is usually known as "automatic" when it has an automatic transmission, i.e., the transmission shifts gears itself, the driver just puts it in "D" (which stands for "Drive") and goes. A car which is not "automatic" has (usually) a manual transmission, where the driver selects the gear he or she wants to be in by moving the gearshift lever and operating the clutch pedal.

Neither of these types of transmissions has much bearing on whether a car's engine will stall or not, except that driver error with a manual transmission can stall out the engine by selecting the wrong gear before re-engaging the clutch. One advantage of a manual transmission is that one can use the car's own momentum to start it by pushing the car up to a modest speed (5 mph or so), selecting first gear (with the clutch disengaged) and engaging the clutch--the rear wheels turn the clutch and transmission, which turns the engine. If there's enough energy in the sparking system and the fuel/air mixture is right, the engine will start. This operation is impossible in a car with an automatic transmission, since an automatic transmission has no direct, physical connection to the driveshaft.

Vaporlock is a condition which occurs in carbureted engines which are hot on hot days (usually). A carburetor is a rather sensitive device which depends on air passing through its venturi body to suck gasoline in along with the air, rather like an airbrush. Normally, fuel will be pumped to a small reservoir on the carburetor called a "floatbowl." The fuel is drawn into the engine at whatever rate is dictated by the throttle opening, or by "accelerator pumps," which are used to add enough fuel to rapidly increase the engine's speed or power output. Vaporlock happens when an engine gets hot on a hot day, and then is shut off. What happens is that the fuel in the fuel lines and/or the carburetor actually get hot enough to boil. These bubbles (vapor) in the fuel interfere with the pumping of the fuel and the drawing of the fuel through the carburetor's venturi. The engine won't start because the fuel supply isn't great enough to allow it to run. It must be allowed to cool sufficiently to deliver liquid fuel to the float bowl.

Edited by J.C.D'Arc, 14 March 2005 - 01:36 AM.

[SnakeEyes]

Wow, that was really concise, technical AND correct. You even wrote it using a painfull to read mono-space type-face. Full marks!!

[Kingdom Come]

"If you're a bad driver."' Snakeyes, I'm glad you think excellent drivers never stall their car!

[Taboo]

"If you're a bad driver."' Snakeyes, I'm glad you think excellent drivers never stall their car!

That's exactly right. Excellent drivers don't stall! I haven't stalled since I was a learner.

[SnakeEyes]

Yes, i've stalled my car. But it was due to bad driving. When i'm driving well, it doesn't stall. It doesn't just get bored with my driving and deviously think "I shal stall now".

[mattbowyer]

I vote for more threads like this.

[J.C.D'Arc]

I vote for more threads like this.

Yeah, they're great, aren't they? Especially when they're really concise, technical AND correct. AND written in a painful-to-read mono-spaced type-face.

[Prav_007]

I vote for more threads like this.

Yeah, they're great, aren't they? Especially when they're really concise, technical AND correct. AND written in a painful-to-read mono-spaced type-face.

You also have to credit the guy who started this thread who was stupid enough to ask such a question and to bet his idiotic British friend

[Blofeld's Cat]

[quote name='Prav_007' date='19 March 2005 - 06:52']You also have to credit the guy who started this thread who was stupid enough to ask such a question and to bet his idiotic British friend

[Taboo]

[quote name='Blofeld's Cat' date='21 March 2005 - 00:54'][quote name='Prav_007' date='19 March 2005 - 06:52']You also have to credit the guy who started this thread who was stupid enough to ask such a question and to bet his idiotic British friend

[SnakeEyes]

This is CBn, we all play nice here, even when we play with ourselves in public.

Er...

[Prav_007]

Sorry BC, I know it can be offending to make fun of ourselves. Unless I am making fun of my British Friend. Yeah, he's alright, no offense to the British, but to him in particular. Anyways, I will play nice like the other sheep in barn.