Getting fuel from tank to fuel pump

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psogden

Member
Have a stock 1946 Mercury and recently installed a new steel fuel line but did not want to fatigue my starter motor pumping fuel from tank to carburetor. Went on the forum to get ideas about how to draw fuel from the tank to the fuel pump—but found none.

Now, will pass along a discovery I made. Used a Pump-A-Way which I purchased from Home Depot a couple of years ago for sucking the remaining water out of the bottom of my hot tub before cleaning it. It is a very efficient hand operated suction pump about the size of a bike tire pump.

Removed the cap from the suction side of the pump (which is removable for cleaning the unit) and inserted a lid from a 1 gallon Clorox jug into the opening after drilling a 3/8” hole in the lid. The lid fits perfectly into the opening of the pump. I then slid an 18” piece of clear ¼” fuel hose onto the end of my new fuel line at the dash and clamped.

I inserted the other end of the ¼” hose into the 3/8” hole in the Clorox lid. Found tighter connections can be achieved by wrapping a layer of electrical tape around the Clorox lid and the fuel hose at the Clorox lid side before inserting into the lid. I then operated the pump.

Required about 10 strokes to draw gasoline from the tank into the clear fuel line and no gas went into the hand pump (which is made to pump water). Then I proceeded to connect the stock fuel hose to my new line and fuel pump. I primed the carb with a bit of gasoline & reinstalled air cleaner. Then hit the starter button. Required minimal cranking to start up car because the fuel pump was already primed and full of gas. The “gap” between the fuel pump and carb filled quickly and the engine started right away.
 
I've found you have to crank a lot to get fuel from tank to pump--and this does work-- but puts a lot of stress on starter. My suction pump method avoids this.
 
Another cheaper method, and I know this works, get somebody with good lung capacity to blow into the tank and pressurize it while you crank the starter. That has worked for me.
 
Put a rag over the fuel fill, loosen the fuel line on the carb and with
your mouth fill the tank with air. Worked every time I replaced a fuel
pump on the road. G.M.
 
I think his fuel fill is about 5" down inside the fender so unless you had lips 5" long, there is no way to "blow in the fuel filler pipe":D. I go with the folks that said to just fill the carb bowl. Keep things simple.
 
On a 46 there's a bowl vent sticking into the carb throat up top. I fill the bowl through that. With full bowl it will start normally and with engine running it should be able to get the lines filled before the priming gas runs out.
 
Any one ever think of using a primer bulb from a boat supply,it has 2 check valves and fuel proof rubber.,could put in line and leave it there,have a vapor lock ,just give it a Couple squeezes,or use to fill carb after setting a long time.Don
 
psogden said:
I've found you have to crank a lot to get fuel from tank to pump--and this does work-- but puts a lot of stress on starter. My suction pump method avoids this.
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Good idea. Cranking and cranking on an engine is really hard on it. Having a mechanical pump with the glass bowl helps after a engine has been sitting awhile.
 
My starter is many decades old, it works great and I don't think they're "fragile". I squirt gas in the carb and let it run through that till it dies. Another squirt and that's usually enough to keep it running. Mine likes choke to.
 
Bruce Lancaster said:
On a 46 there's a bowl vent sticking into the carb throat up top. I fill the bowl through that. With full bowl it will start normally and with engine running it should be able to get the lines filled before the priming gas runs out.
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This works great! I use a plastic squrt bottle, like for catsup or musturd bottle, only use a clear one. Stick the end into the vent pipe and slowly squirt the gas in. Start right up.
 
I used a bus pump that has it's glass sediment bowl above the diaphragm and valves. It is always primed and my 35 1 1/2 Ton (engine factory rebuilt in Oct '47) started in 7 seconds after six months of Alberta winter. No BS!
 
I didn't think my post would generate so much interest but good discussion.
What about situation where you've installed a new fuel pump and a new fuel line from tank? You have to pull a lot of fuel from tank to carb. You "prime" carb & hit the starter. Engine runs for a few seconds. Think it would take a lot of carb priminga & engine startinga to draw fuel from tank, then to pump, then to carb. Much of this is avoided by manually sucking fuel as far as fuel pump. As to toughness of starter motor, I recall reading something in the past that warns to limit running starter motor for more than 15 or 20 seconds of continuous cranking with out resting for awhile or you run the risk of burning out the starter.
 
psogden said:
What about situation where you've installed a new fuel pump and a new fuel line from tank? You have to pull a lot of fuel from tank to carb.
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You've been given some pretty good real-world advice above. Have YOU given much thought as to just how much fuel it really takes to fill your 1/4" ID fuel line? Generously figuring that line to be 10 feet long from tank to carb, that's 120". 120" of 1/4" fuel line contains a volume of 5.89 cubic inches. That's only 2.44% of a gallon, or more accurately, 3.264 fluid ounces.........just over 1/4 the volume of a Coke can. You're probably worrying about a problem that really doesn't exist. DD
 
After the episode of the wife pumping the gas instead of the brakes to help me bleed the brakes...I bought a brake bleeder kit you operate by hand at the wheel. It worked perfectly for bringing up gas from the tank to the engine on my 52 Merc.
 
V8COOPMAN said:
You've been given some pretty good real-world advice above. Have YOU given much thought as to just how much fuel it really takes to fill your 1/4" ID fuel line? Generously figuring that line to be 10 feet long from tank to carb, that's 120". 120" of 1/4" fuel line contains a volume of 5.89 cubic inches. That's only 2.44% of a gallon, or more accurately, 3.264 fluid ounces.........just over 1/4 the volume of a Coke can. You're probably worrying about a problem that really doesn't exist. DD
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Docs did a fluorcentisis on me yesterday morning and siphoned 1620 ml of fluid .out of my chest, that's more than 1 1/2 litres. 1/4 of a coke can ain't much to fuss about. Make up one of those pumps with the bowl on top and notice how it keeps prime! What you got to lose? Hard starting after sitting a while for one thing. I bet every '53 '54 Ford and Mercury truck of any size came equipped with one in Canada. I was also hard to start when overfull, but I feel 300% better today.
 
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