[Spridgets] 78 Midget fuel system

[Karl Vacek]

We've had this car since 2006 -almost second owners.  About 17,000 miles, 
very original.  Jill stopped driving it a couple years ago so I'm renewing 
everything in preparation for selling it.

It's a 1500 (Spitfire) engine and all the emissions stuff.  Which is all 
there and everything I've checked is working.

We bought it from a kid who owned it for about as month, just putting in 
the cheapest fuel pump he could find and jamming the wrong size battery 
between the heater and the firewall.  It's always seemed to lose fuel pump 
prime and needed lots of cranking for the first start after sitting a day 
or two.  I only just now finally replaced each and every hose in the system 
(not the evap circuits, but for now I've unhooked the evap tank line.

Running with fuel directly to the carb I only got a little spit from the 
pump, and off the car it seemed dead.  Soooo - I bought a good new fuel 
pump, the one with the infinitely clockable top, which also actually has a 
filter unlike the POS the kid put on the car.  Pump seems to suck but it's 
still not pulling fuel though the line from the tank even after getting 
some fuel in the lines and running the engine a few minutes on direct fuel 
to the carb.


I want to check the rest of the fuel supply system but I cannot remove the 
feed line from the tank - it's a non-existent size for flare wrenches, 
Kroil hasn't worked it's usual magic, and my Knipex pliers wrench can't 
turn the fitting either.  Not to the cave man stage yet - this is a very 
original, rust free car, so I'm not using a pipe wrench or etc.


I want to directly blow through the fuel line to make sure it's clear - 
blowing from the front with the gas cap off is inconclusive.  I'm working 
alone and I'm just not sure it's passing as much air as it should.


Aside from cutting the line off (really original car that we want to sell 
as soon as I'm done renewing everything) I'm stuck.  I can't really drop 
the tank (to fill it with water and have at the fitting with serious heat) 
without destroying the original fuel line.


What is the pickup like in the tank, presumably leading down from the 
bulkhead fitting to the bottom.  No in-tank filter that I see in the parts 
books.

My last hope is to remove the huge filler hose in the trunk and put a 
camera in there tomorrow.

Any other suggestions ?

Thanks!
Karl
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