Well the fun never ceases. I posted a while back about my 70 mgb-gt not
starting after a couple of months in the drive awaiting a replacement for
a spousally smashed right fender. Got an aftermarket fender which "fits"
close enough after substantial banging and enlarging bolt holes. Started
it up to go to paint shop. Engine died. Followed advice re: fuel system
and worked back from the carburettors since the fuel gauge showed 1/2
full. No blockages or fuel in any of the lines right back to the tank.
Checked tank- near dry. Filled up tank and it ran fine. tooled around town
for a while and smelled fuel. I thought I might not have tightened the
lines properly and looked at them where I saw fuel dripping off the tank
to fuel pump line. I tightened the lines up a bit and bent them a bit to
better fit with the aftermarket low pressure purolator electric fuel pump
I previously installed. It turns out that I crimped the lines a bit when I
was connecting the new fuel pump. This caused a pinhole leak in the lines
that caused the fuel tank to run nearly dry while the car was inoperative.
When I manipulated the lines the second time, the lines cracked completely
through spewing about a liter a minute of fuel on the >100 degree driveway
and on yours truly. I was able to get a spare piece of neoprene fuel line
between the broken off piece and the pump before I was overcome by fumes.
This situation has to be corrected some time however!
My question(s) are as follows:
Since I've replaced the old fuel pump, the OEM replacement fuel pipe from
tank to pump is not optimal. What materials are acceptable for fuel lines?
Copper? Aluminum? Steel (brittle and hard to bend)? Stainless steel? The
line appears to have fittings like gas pipes. The wrench I used to get the
things tight were, IIRC 5/16. Is this correct? What type of fittings will
properly attach to the fuel tank? I'd like to just buy tubing and make my
own lines. Preferably, the new tubing will be ductile enough for me to
bend easily and connect directly to the tank and fuel pump. Any
suggestions as to the connections and connectors I need? I'm stuck with
whatever is on the tank as I don't want to change that!
Thanks for your suggestions!
"Never ascribe to Malice that which can be explained by Ignorance."
John J. Peloquin, Assistant Research Entomologist
Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
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