Packard Forum Index » General

I have talked myself into replacing the fuel line on my 1954 Cavalier.

Have any of you found the perfect source for this?

The original line snakes along the frame on the driver side, then crosses over the front of the frame and curves back to the fuel pump on the engine.

It may be difficult to do this in a single piece with the proper material.

I don't know how the tank is connected to the line (flex section).

My car still has most of the original line in the little clips but it has several hose clamps on rubber hose shoved over the tubing.

I'm now convinced fuel siphons back to the tank after the sun sets.

I know there is a flex line from the pump to the fuel line and assume from the pump to the carb would have been a single solid section.

Jim McDermaid

I don't know how the tank is connected to the line (flex section.

Believe there was just a solid connection. The metal tube came across from frame rail, bent down and rearward going directly into the tank outlet. Connection was with an inverted flare nut. The only flex hose was the short piece connecting metal tube to pump in front. The pump to carb line was steel but had a couple of variations in bends depending on model and year.

I think the challenge is going to be keeping the straight tube look after install with one long piece. Don't know if 54 is like V8's but the tube goes above all the body braces on those. A few shallow bends thrown in for added pleasure. If 54 the same, possibly the outer body bolts and cushions can be removed and a partially prebent tube slid in. Still might be some work making a couple of the bends over the frame look decent in hard steel.

Classic tubehttp://www.classictube.com/ and others advertise premade fuel lines in various metal. When I checked one site a while back, the oversize freight to California was almost as much as the tube cost and tubing had to be bent to ship anyway. There was a discussion last year on a type of copper-nickel tubing vs the regular steel for brake lines. One of the attributes was being easier to bend. Wonder if that tubing might be a possibility on the gas line since it is supposed to look similar to steel.

Attach file:

---

  (8.20 KB)

Stainless steel for fuel lines is nice, but cunifer is also a fine choice and a lot easier to work with.

I ran a new fuel line in my 53 Clipper with one piece of cunifer tube. It was pretty easy to work with. I had a Lift and the engine was out which made things easier. Only had a simple tubing Bender and flare tool. Practice making a few flares on the bench before you do it on the car. I would also Try and Remote a few of The body Supports on that side to make more room to work. Between The clutch pedal area and Firewall was a Little tricky. But is a do-able Job. Good luck!

I REMOVED the entire fuel line intact from a 56 Executive.
Engine and fenders removed but i don;t think that made it any easier other than not having to twist my body into a pretzel to perform the operation.

Pulled it streight out from the front of the car. Had to make a few WIDE bends here and there to get it to clear a few obstalcles but the bends were wide enuf to reshape it after i got it out. The only reason i did it that way is so i could use it as a pattern for making a new line for my good Executive. Not tried to install one yet.

As someone else has mentioned the SS is extremely difficult to bend/flare etc. My opinion is that SS fule line is overkill relative to the fact that the gas tank is regular steel. Have an SS or plastic gas tank??? Well ok,then maybe SS fuel line is worth the effort.

Also note that SS does not hold well to vibration or flexing that can take place under routine driveing conditions. Jack up one corner of just about any car or truck. The frame flexes. So imagine what is happening one a 1000 mile trip at 70 mph.

I spent a little quality time under the beast this weekend and:

A section of the original rigid fuel line connects with a fitting to the fuel tank toward the top front left corner of the tank.

I don't know if this is a flare fitting, I don't know how the tank is constructed internally.

There is about 8 inches of fuel line coming from the tank and then former owners have removed a section of rigid line and replaced it with rubber hose. the hose must be fuel safe as I see no leaks or kinks in the hose. All the connections between too many fuel filters and rubber hoses and pumps and are done with worm drive hose clamps. The rubber hose loops over the top of the rear axle and connects with original fuel line.

The electric fuel pump and a filter is under the center post area horizontal on the frame. For an 8 mile drive this morning the electric pump almost never shut off. The car ran fine however. The clear filter is only 1/2 full of fuel so maybe the pump is 1/2 full of air.

I'm thinking the Cunifer line may be the answer with new line all the way or at least where the electric pump can be removed.

Can any of you more seasoned experts tell me how the inside of the tank is constructed? Can one access the pickup tube, is there a screen, can a cover be removed on the top?

Jim

There is a picture of the internal structure provided by another member in post number 9 of this thread.https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=71383#forumpost71383. There is no screen and unless you cut your own, limited access is only thru the sender hole. The tube just enters tank, bends a couple of times and then opens straight down approx 1/8" above bottom of the triangular depression on the floor of tank. Sediment, varnish and some of the tank sloshing compounds hardening in that depression have been known to plug the opening. Pinholes have also been known to happen at the top of bend above the opening and again where the tube exits tank.

The fitting on the side of tank should be a flare with an inverted flare nut on the tubing threading into the outlet opening.

Attach file:

---

  (22.58 KB)