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

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Sounds like a good idea to me! Just like having a magnetic drain plug for your oil pan.

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Haha thanks. Great idea with the magnet. I received the fuel tank today. It appears to have a threaded bung for the fuel outlet. Is there a proper size for this?

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Factory was 1/4-18 pipe thread.

Thanks. Maybe I'm not using proper terminology. I have a drain plug from the old tank and a new one on the new. There's a threaded fitting where I can install an outlet for the fuel line to the front of the vehicle. I'm wondering what size fitting and where I can source one.

I believe that is a flare fitting and the fuel line is 5/16". What happened to the original? Are you replacing the fuel line from the back of the car to the front?

The old hard fuel line connects to that fitting. It's in the factory location and is the same size as original. Be careful not to cross thread or strip it. Keep the new drain plug with the new tank, no reason to change that.

The fuel tank outlet is the fitting and is known as an inverted flare fitting. It accommodates a 5/16 tube with a flared end so other than a threaded nut over the line there is no additional fitting used. If no old line is present and you are making a new line, then a 5/16 inverted flare nut goes over the end of the new tube and a flaring tool is used to make the flare directly in the tubing. That flare fits over and is pressed tightly by the nut into the matching flare machined in the outlet. Unless it is a special conversion or transition fitting, trying to add a new fitting for a different type connection is usually not successful and destroys the flare already present which will probably result in leaks.

If you are adding a new line I strongly suggest you use copper-nickel tubing as that is MUCH easier to flare, bend, and to work with in general than the original steel line.

Presuming the reproduction is the same (I've not yet looked at the one I have), the factory fuel line connected directly to it without need for anything else and it would be unusual for that to have been modified or changed so likely your car already has what it needs. Otherwise it would need a male 1/8" pipe to female 5/16" flare adapter but again, if you had that originally, it should be on your old tank to reuse.

For flare fittings, they are NOT a pipe fitting. It should thread in by hand or VERY LIGHT wrench force. If it starts to bind—STOP. The alignment is very important in flare fittings and they can take some time and frustration before they go.