I have heard the legend of wood clothes pins on the fuel lines for a while, but never seen it first hand. I was looking on CraigsList and found a picture with clothes pins so I actually have proof that the myth exists. Anyone have any expereince with this? Does it really work? Myth? Old Wives Tale? Trail Secret?

Works. I've used it and used to have about half a dozen clothes pins on my fuel line when I drove my 48 Willys for a daily driver in high school. That thing would vapor lock on a regular basis and my dad told me to do it. I though B.S. and waited. It took me a couple of weeks to cave in and when I finally did, I never vapor locked again. But the thing is, it only works on rubber line, doesn't work on steel.

So the idea being that the clothes pins act as a heat sink? Interesting. I bet you could make something out of a couple old copper computer heat sinks to go around a steel line. Could probably even put a fan on it.

I think those are fake footprints.................

the line they are on is the fuel tank vent line going to the charcoal canister which you can barely see in the photo

actually, on 2nd look...........isn't that part of the wiring loom ?

I was gonna say it works on the fuel line not the wire harness.

I'm trying to figure out why it works. I don't buy the common idea that it acts as a heat sink. If that were the case, as Dukie mentioned, there would be all sorts of heat sinks for sale made specifically for fuel lines. That and wood is a lousy conductor of heat.

Those work when they are on the steel fuel line that is on top of the intake manifold that runs into the carb. Thats where the heat is making the fuel to boil causing vapor lock. I have no idea why there is a couple of them on whatever it is near the firewall. It takes a lot more than just a few. A better way is to have a metal coffee can with fuel line inside spiraling upwards then a guy can put something like dry ice inside it to prevent vapor lock. Old hot rodder trick known as a cool can. Had one on my 65 K code car.

Could it have something to do with forcing the fuel through a compressed area causing the vapors to reform into liquid? Just a thought. Would make sense as to why it only works on rubber lines.

That's the early model headlight harness. The cloths pins are being used to actvate the process of electron bunching to prevent the flashing headlight syndrome.