[Spridgets] 78 Midget fuel system

Sat Jun 24 02:04:29 MDT 2023

Karl,
This is a fine mesh original filter on the inside end of the fuel tank 
exit pipe.  It can get clogged with dirt or sufficiently clogged so as 
to restrict the fuel flow. It is part of the fuel tank and is not 
designed to be accessed by the user and/or the garage service mechanic. 
However, modern technology (cameras on the end of wiggly sticks) let you 
see it.
Cleaning the gunge collected over decades is normally a reverse blow 
through the fuel pipe but using a 150psi air line can destroy the filter 
so start off low!  You can never tell if you have cleaned it properly or 
what type of gunge was blocking it so deliberately destroying it was not 
unknown, especially after trying a couple of times to clear a blocked 
system. Pushing a stiff length of wire through the filter was a common 
way of destroying it.  I've not known anyone replace an in-tank filter 
but have known those who destroy it put an in-line fuel filter in the 
system, usually close to the engine to make it accessible.

Stay well,

Guy R Day

------ Original Message ------
From: "Karl Vacek via Spridgets" <spridgets at autox.team.net>
To: "'Rich Hill'" <ra_hill at icloud.com>
Cc: "'Spridgets'" <Spridgets at autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, 23 Jun, 23 At 23:55
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] 78 Midget fuel system

Sure did.  It’s a hose between two steel tubes on this car.  I’ve 
suspected for years that there was a little leak in one of the (5? 6?) 
little hoses in the fuel line, so I once again changed them all.

I put a camera into the tank through the filler hole on the top of the 
tank.  The inlet tube is part of the fuel sending unit on this car, and 
there’s what looks for all the world like a white nylon mesh filter with 
a plastic cage around the inlet tube, as part of the fuel sending unit. 
Nothing like that in any parts books, not even the BMIHT CD parts book.

This is a California-emissions 1978 car.  Not the first thing that’s 
different from the parts books, Moss, etc.

But it’s all okay and air blew through beautifully after I had the tank 
open to look.  And now there’s fuel flow to the pump.  I don’t know – I 
didn’t change anything, just looked in there and put the same air hose 
onto the fuel line as I’d done a couple of times before.

FM Principle

Thanks for the info !!!

Karl

From: Rich Hill [mailto:ra_hill at icloud.com]
Sent: Friday, June 23, 2023 4:15 PM
To: Karl Vacek
Cc: Spridgets
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] 78 Midget fuel system

There’s a section of plastic tubing on the side of the transmission. 
Make sure that’s OK. Although if you’ve replaced all the hoses, you’ve 
probably done that one.

Rich

‘79 Midget

‘58 Sprite

On Jun 22, 2023, at 7:52 PM, Karl Vacek <kvacek at ameritech.net 
<mailto:kvacek at ameritech.net> > wrote:

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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