How to clean out a fuel line on the car?

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Hey Bob, Good to see you up and full of vinegar again!

Yep, always good sound advice from Super!

[Ralph Moore]

This kinda reminds my of someone I knew, he had a pick up that would shudder at a certain speed. He checked the drive line, etc. and ws finally convinced it needed a transmission rebuild(automatic). Rebuilt tranny and $$$$ later, same problem. Someone suggested checking spark plugs, he hadn't done that, sure enough they were really bad.
$24.00 later and it ran great.
Never overlook the simple things.

[Royal Ryser]

This has been so much fun! I hope it keeps going.

[Bluebell]

So where did this start?
Is it as simple as the fuel pump sucking air at the site glass seal?

[Old Henry]

The story started here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171201

Then went to here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171851

Then here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171979

Then this one you're on.

The story will continue . . .

[Tinker]

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So Craig. What did you find out? 3 threads running now. Just curious on how it turns out... Wonder if this is less about the car or the attention. Not my bag man.

Just a side note. New fuel lines might be a good selling point, even if it doesn't total turn out to be the biggest issue. Nice thing when handing a vehicle off to a buyer anyway.

Best of luck!

[Tinker]

But hey I might be on your ignore list!

[Old Henry]

I won't know more until I rebuild the fuel pump when the parts arrive in a few days. Hopefully that will solve the problem without any more fussing with anything.

When I decided to get my 47 back on the road 9 years ago I had to decide what approach I would take between customization and authenticity. I opted for original stock authenticity as much as possible. Part of that commitment was to not replace any part that was still working or could be made to work and, if it absolutely had to be replaced, replace it with NOS first and authentic new replacement part last. I started that engine that had sat for 31 years with all of the original spark plugs, belts, pulleys, pumps, generator, everything except the battery that hadn't lasted sitting 31 years. The video of that first start has had over a million views on YouTube. (Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY389S_KUjs) Others have other priorities and enjoy working and tinkering on their cars more than I do and replace parts pursuant to a different philosophy than I do. That's good for them and mine is good for me. Theirs makes them happy and mine makes me happy. I don't condemn them for the way they like to do things and hope none will condemn me because I like to do things differently.

Thus, I won't be replacing the fuel line in the 51 Custom unless absolutely necessary.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Tinker

But hey I might be on your ignore list!

You are not. I have always enjoyed your posts and you have been a great help to me with many of your suggestions.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

You are not. I have always enjoyed your posts and you have been a great help to me with many of your suggestions.

You'd be a first! Ha ha.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Tinker

Wonder if this is less about the car or the attention. Not my bag man.

I'm just trying to solve a problem. That's all. Nothing more nor less.

[uncle max]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

I won't know more until I rebuild the fuel pump when the parts arrive in a few days. Hopefully that will solve the problem without any more fussing with anything.

When I decided to get my 47 back on the road 9 years ago I had to decide what approach I would take between customization and authenticity. I opted for original stock authenticity as much as possible. Part of that commitment was to not replace any part that was still working or could be made to work and, if it absolutely had to be replaced, replace it with NOS first and authentic new replacement part last. I started that engine that had sat for 31 years with all of the original spark plugs, belts, pulleys, pumps, generator, everything except the battery that hadn't lasted sitting 31 years. The video of that first start has had over a million views on YouTube. (Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY389S_KUjs) Others have other priorities and enjoy working and tinkering on their cars more than I do and replace parts pursuant to a different philosophy than I do. That's good for them and mine is good for me. Theirs makes them happy and mine makes me happy. I don't condemn them for the way they like to do things and hope none will condemn me because I like to do things differently.

Thus, I won't be replacing the fuel line in the 51 Custom unless absolutely necessary.

I have a KR Wilson fuel pump holding fixture that you're welcome to borrow if you're in SLC anytime soon. It's like having an extra pair of hands while working on them.

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

Others have other priorities and enjoy working and tinkering on their cars more than I do and replace parts pursuant to a different philosophy than I do. That's good for them and mine is good for me. Theirs makes them happy and mine makes me happy. I don't condemn them for the way they like to do things and hope none will condemn me because I like to do things differently.

Thus, I won't be replacing the fuel line in the 51 Custom unless absolutely necessary.

I admire your tenacity, but consider a plugged fuel line (as you were)...there's no way you could get it completely clear and clean...only hope would be replacement.

You'd be pushing crud into the tank, and flowing it back through.

Anyways, I'd take UM up on the offer...extra hands are nice

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Mike B

I admire your tenacity, but consider a plugged fuel line (as you were)...there's no way you could get it completely clear and clean...only hope would be replacement.

See post #20. The fuel line is not plugged nor restricted in any way as I had supposed when I started this thread. It may have air leaks but I won't know that until I rebuild the fuel pump and try it.

[Lanny]

I had a very slight leak in a fuel line. This was a NEW fuel line that
the previous owner had installed, and I could not find the small leak.
I reversed the hose on my shop vacuum cleaner so it blew air out,
and stuck the hose in my fuel filler. It didn't take long at all to see
exactly where the leak was, as a lite bit of gas started comming
out, just enough to show a definate leak.
The previous owner had drilled a very small hole in the floor under
the rear seat for a clamp to hold wires secure. As luck would have it,
he drilled the hole right into the new gas line, that went under that
part of the floor, and when I blew air into the tank, the gas seeped
out, so I found the leak.
When I took the small screw out, it leaked plenty then, mystery solved.











.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Lanny

I had a very slight leak in a fuel line. This was a NEW fuel line that
the previous owner had installed, and I could not find the small leak.
I reversed the hose on my shop vacuum cleaner so it blew air out,
and stuck the hose in my fuel filler. It didn't take long at all to see
exactly where the leak was, as a lite bit of gas started comming
out, just enough to show a definate leak.
The previous owner had drilled a very small hole in the floor under
the rear seat for a clamp to hold wires secure. As luck would have it,
he drilled the hole right into the new gas line, that went under that
part of the floor, and when I blew air into the tank, the gas seeped
out, so I found the leak.
When I took the small screw out, it leaked plenty then, mystery solved.

Great idea! I did that very thing to test gas flow through my fuel line. (See post #20) I will do that again if I'm getting enough air in the line to bother the engine after I rebuild my fuel pump to confirm that there is, indeed, a leak. Whether or not I can find a leak, if there is too much air coming in. I will then replace the fuel line. I've had some great suggestions for doing that and will use them if and when I absolutely have to do that.

[Old Henry]

Drum roll . . . . Envelope please. . . . And the winners are: ford38v8, oldford2, Ross F-1, Tinker, and anyone else that suggested replacing the fuel line. I just did that and it solved the problem. But, I didn't do it until actually diagnosing that such was the problem by doing the winning diagnostic procedure that goes to: 51 MERC-CT for suggesting running the engine on a line from a gas can. I got a nice long piece of clear tubing, hooked it to the fuel pump, ran it through the firewall to a gas can inside the car, and drove it. Worked great and didn't stop or die no matter where I went, how far I went, or how long I drove. That clinched it for me that, even though I wasn't sure what was wrong with the old fuel line, I knew it was the problem. Had it replaced yesterday and works fine now.

Unfortunately, I have discovered another problem - the car is very susceptible to vapor lock. I'm not going to install an electric fuel pump on this car that I'm just trying to sell for the wife of my friend who died. I'm just going to park it in the shade whenever I can and hope I can find someone to blow into the gas tank filler pipe to get it started if it vapor locks.

[itslow]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

The story started here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171201

Then went to here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171851

Then here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171979

Then this one you're on.

The story will continue . . .

This is a good example of why it's wise to start a thread and then continue it instead of creating multiple subsequent ones, or at least include a summary in the initial post of the symptoms and previous remedy attempts. It makes it very difficult to determine the back-story on the newer threads when there's no link back the the prior ones.

[trainguy]

VAPOR LOCK!!! O NO!!! lol