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

Good advice and I always make sure to thread at least a couple turns by hand, making sure it's actually threaded together, before even using a wrench.

Thank you all again. Full day today and just starting to work on it tonight. I removed the fuel pump and am going to install the tank. The old tank - the line was cut and fitted with a short piece of rubber fuel line. I'm soaking the old connection currently to see if I can remove it safely. I didn't realize the way it was designed until now. Sorry for the confusion. I did find a proper fuel fitting that fit and threaded on easily just to be safe if I needed it.

I got ahead of myself ordering a fuel pump rebuild kit. Can you assist me in correctly identifying the rebuild kit I need for this pump?

Also I'd like to run proper fuel lines once I get this running - are there pre-bent ones available for purchase or just make your own?

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Other side of pump.

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What fuel pump rebuild kit did you order? If it's wrong, then I would suggest getting a kit from Max Merritt, Kanter, or Then and Now Auto. All of them will have the correct kit. Easiest way is to call them and tell them what you have, they'll make sure you get the right one. Max Merritt is great about answering the phone.

There should be a flexible fuel line attached to the pump. Looks like the previous owner cut a hard line and attached fuel hose between to make a flex line. It'll work, but you probably ought to replace it with the correct flex fuel line. Again, Max Merritt will have it. Dwight Heinmuller also has one at packardparts.org that will work.

For the connection to the fuel tank, it is supposed to be a hard line all the way to the tank. On my '54 it was a nightmare trying to get the hard line to line up with the tank properly. So I ended up cutting out a section of the hard line and spliced a a 4" section of rubber fuel line between the main hard line and the flare connector to the tank. Much easier to line up now. I'll need to change out the rubber line periodically because they get hard and rot. But that'll take all of 2 minutes to do.

I did not replace the entire hard line from front to back. After replacing the tank, rebuilding the fuel pump, and rebuilding the carb, I kept an eye on the gas in the glass bowl and it has been nothing by crystal clear. I have had no leaks from the original fuel line, and no problems with fuel delivery. If you choose to replace your line you will need to make it yourself. There are no pre-bent ones available.

Others can better say if pre bent tubes are available but I can advise that a one piece pre bent line will be difficult to install on an assembled car because of how it routes in and around objects at the front. Here is the routing and as you can see the factory line had to have been installed when the frame was mostly bare and before the radiator, front fenders and maybe the entire body was on since IIRC, it goes above one or two of the body support outriggers.. I suspect it was also done before the front suspension was all connected together because between the end at the right side of the radiatorl it routes across the front crossmember under the radiator and goes from the inside of the frame under some of the suspension over top of the frame then to the outside of the frame and back to the tank.

When I did the 47 I got a length of the copper-nickel or Cunifer line and started at the front pushing the end thru under the radiator and suspension pieces and gradually following the path to the tank. The line bends fairly easily but it was still quite a job with only the fenders and radiator removed. I expect it will be next to impossible to do it that way and expect a decent result with a finished hard steel line.

Great info as always. Thank you so much.

I ordered this kit from then and now - my mistake as I did not give them a pump number, but rather this part number. I'll give them a call tomorrow and order the proper one.

The fuel tank came with what I believe is some butyl tape. Is there a specific spot this is supposed to go?

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Fuel tank.

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The rubber strips go between the tank and tank mounts under the trunk, and between the tank and tank straps on the bottom. Insulators to prevent noise and chaffing.

I think your fuel pump is the same as mine and this is the kit I used.