Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Hi all!
It has been a while since the last update on our '49 Deluxe 8, but it's time to start putting the fuel system back together. What size fuel line is needed for the 288 c.i. cars? Most of our fuel lines have been removed so we're not sure what size is needed to do the whole thing over again. I am looking to get steel lines, probably about thirty feet of it. Was the whole system just 3/8" line or am I going to need a variety? We will also be installing a newly rebuilt dual action fuel pump. Thanks!

5/16 line. Gas tank end is a standard inverted flare with a nut that threads into the tank fitting. There were two types of terminations at the radiator end. Unsure if the change was made during or after the 23rd series. If none of the old line is present then it probably doesn't matter and you can use the second or easier termination method.

First type has the line brazed or soldered into a solid brass block fitting which has a tab to accommodate a bolt that secures the fitting to the cross member. The brass block terminates the line into a standard SAE flare connection to which the short length of flex hose to the pump connects. The proper flex hose is repro'd by one of the regions and is also available from the vendors.

The second type of termination just has the tubing clamped to the cross member at a point near the end. The tubing is terminated in a standard inverted flare nut arrangement identical to the gas tank end. Different type flex hose is needed to accommodate the inverted flare and those are also repro'd.

As to the line, many have used the Cunifer or copper/nickel line rather than steel. If the body and fenders are still on the frame it will be very difficult to get the stiff steel lines threaded thru a couple of places. The Cunifer line is much easier to work with because it is fairly flexible but is still a hassle trying to thread thru tight spots with the body and fenders in place. Downside to the Cunifer line is it has a copper tubing look whereas the steel (assuming it has a rust protectant coating) will stay the original dull grey.

Hi Howard!
Sorry for this really delayed reply and thank you for your help. It turns out, that upon closer inspection, the fuel lines are still present running the length of the car. A previous owner bypassed the original fuel pump, however, and I am not quite sure how to get all that back together (after we purchase a rebuilt fuel pump). Is there a diagram or map/photo I can use to get the engine area of the fuel system back together?

Here are a couple of illustrations out of the parts book. The fuel line you said you already have so it should end under the right side of the radiator where the flex hose to the fuel pump will connect. As mentioned before you may have a brass fitting with an SAE flare bolted to the crossmember or the later style with a nut and inverted flare directly on the tube. The long curved tube to feed the carb is shown between the pump and carb. The optional filter would have the line disconnect at the carb end and filter would be added in just before the carb.

The vacuum supply for the wiper motor is also shown in that full illustration but is kind of hard to see the way they drew the layout. All of that is on the passenger side of the car and is better shown as I drew it in red in the second illustration. The full factory illustration shows a later model where the source connection to the intake manifold is near the carb. On a 23rd series the vacuum source connection should be at a port near the top front of the manifold.

Depending on what fuel pump is sent there could be two methods of connecting the vacuum lines. Early models had fittings and tubing screwed directly to the vacuum section as the illustration shows. Later pumps that may be sent by a vendor instead of the original have small tubes pressed into the pump ports and short lengths of rubber hose are needed to connect between the pump and metal tubing. Unless you cut the old metal tubes you may need to get some barb fittings to work with what is there on the original tubing so the rubber hoses can connect.

Attach file:

---

  (100.55 KB)


  (84.05 KB)

That is exactly what I needed to see! What I am missing, unfortunately, is the line that goes from the base of the front of the pump to the carburetor bowl fitting. I might also be missing the line that goes to the windshield motor, but I can worry about that later. Is there any place I can get that line with the correct fittings in place? Additionally, what sort of filter was used in that line? I can't say I have ever seen one. The previous owners of this car bypassed the old pump so the fuel line was actually fitted directly to the carburetor so that would be why we are missing the line between that and the pump.

For an actual fitted Packard tube it would probably be from a parts car. Otherwise, Napa carries straight precut lengths of finished steel brake line in their Balkamp brand. I believe 1/4 and 5/16 tubing are both available up to 60". Don't know the length needed for the 5/16 gas line but one of the standard lengths might work. If the length needed falls between standard lengths then you would need to reroute it someway or cut any excess off and re-flare.

The wiper line is 1/4" and is also available in various precut lengths. Same applies if you need shorter although if you have the rubber hose connections at least it would not need a re-flare. If longer than 60" is needed then tubing would need to be pieced together or bought in a bulk roll and cut to length. Nuts are available separately as are the needed fittings.

One caution if you go into a Napa store. They sometimes do not carry all sizes so a particular length might need to come from a warehouse. Look out for the freight charge if it has to be shipped in special. Those lengths in stock are generally just pieces of tubing on a self serve rack and sometimes the labels are messed up and unreadable. The thing to watch for is metric sizes being intermixed with the fractional sizes. Without the label there is no easy way to tell them apart and you can guess how I know this. Other parts stores probably have a comparable item.

Attach file:

---

  (18.01 KB)


  (14.16 KB)

That missing section is an easy piece to make one sweep 90 bend. I made one for mine.
Best to have a good tube cutter and flaring tool, which are getting hard to come by. Even the expensive Eastwood I have, is light years above the clamp type, but still not commercial quality. I've been looking for a good radius bender for small OD tube, but they don't seem to exist, all for <1" or pipe. So I resort to bending by hand over shapes subject to kinking.
The older factory tubing often has a much tighter or much larger radius than what a typical tubing bender makes these days. I've done a lot of stainless, so I have some good tools but not that useful for restorations. I salvaged the fuel line(plugged) but redid all the brake lines.
I'm pretty sure it has a glass fuel bowl filter screwed to the carb.
I'd have to go look and take picture, if needed. Been sitting quite a while again. Memory fades.
Doesn't hurt to anneal uncoated tubing to make softer.