Stranded Already!
- Thread starter jagnweiner
- Start date
jagnweiner
Senior Member
Thanks, Sunshine. Helpful input. I'll have to check that.
Seth Swoboda
Well-known member
Bob sells two fuel lines. One is the original style with no check valve and the other has the check valve. I have the one with out the check valve. I also run an electric fuel pump in line with a switch hidden under the dash to prime the system if it sits for a long period. Thus I opted to go with out the valve.
rotorwrench
Well-known member
Many of the old cars suffer from a shellac build up in the fuel tank. A lot of them I've pulled have near 1/2 inch of the crud stuck to the bottom. This comes from years of inactivity. Fuel evaporates but also leaves some residue behind. After 50 to 60 years or more, it gets pretty thick.
Since you have been running the car, some of the crap can start coming loose and getting drawn into the line and pump. I make it a matter of practice to pull the tank and have a look inside. If you can't see the bottom of the tank then it's time for a good clean out. It's not as easy to find the lye crystals (sodium hydroxide) like we used to get in a can of Drano and other products back in the day but I mix up some in a small wash tub like the kind that will easily drop into the kitchen sink basin. I only mix up a few inches of the water lye mix at a time so I can work with it without spilling it on everything. You have to be careful not to get it on your skin or it will burn and eye protection is not a bad idea. Using a funnel, pour some in to the bottom of the tank and let it set over night. You will be able to pour the crud out the next day unless you have a larger amount of crud in there. This doesn't do all that much for corrosion but it will clean it down to the metal substrate so you can see if any thing else is going on in there. Rod the pick up tube out with an old section of speedometer cable and it might be good to go. If it is corroded badly, it may need to be sealed with one of Bill Hirsch's sealer kits or others that will withstand the modern ethanol mix fuels. The kit comes with a phosphoric acid to be used to remove the corrosion & convert whats left to iron phosphate.
Sometimes you can get by with out sealing the tank but it's rare in my part of the world. The bits of corrosion will just keep clogging up the filters.
Since you have been running the car, some of the crap can start coming loose and getting drawn into the line and pump. I make it a matter of practice to pull the tank and have a look inside. If you can't see the bottom of the tank then it's time for a good clean out. It's not as easy to find the lye crystals (sodium hydroxide) like we used to get in a can of Drano and other products back in the day but I mix up some in a small wash tub like the kind that will easily drop into the kitchen sink basin. I only mix up a few inches of the water lye mix at a time so I can work with it without spilling it on everything. You have to be careful not to get it on your skin or it will burn and eye protection is not a bad idea. Using a funnel, pour some in to the bottom of the tank and let it set over night. You will be able to pour the crud out the next day unless you have a larger amount of crud in there. This doesn't do all that much for corrosion but it will clean it down to the metal substrate so you can see if any thing else is going on in there. Rod the pick up tube out with an old section of speedometer cable and it might be good to go. If it is corroded badly, it may need to be sealed with one of Bill Hirsch's sealer kits or others that will withstand the modern ethanol mix fuels. The kit comes with a phosphoric acid to be used to remove the corrosion & convert whats left to iron phosphate.
Sometimes you can get by with out sealing the tank but it's rare in my part of the world. The bits of corrosion will just keep clogging up the filters.
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Scott H in Wheaton
Well-known member
On an older system I would use an ethanol-resistant fuel hose without the anti-siphon valve, but on a new system ( NEW tank, NEW sender, NEW fuel line) I think the anti-siphon version is a good option.
Cecil/WV
Well-known member
jagnweiner
Senior Member
Thanks, Cecil.
Rustedjunk
Senior Member
I recommend running a new fuel line also from the tank to the firewall. It's not that expensive, not hard to bend to shape, and was pretty fun to do. My 47 had original rusty line, poorly clamped rubber hose, and brake line from the tank to the firewall before I replaced it all. This way you will know it's done right, it'll save you future headaches, and give you piece of mind while cruisin.