Fuel line replacement (maybe)
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Mountain Pass
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 121
Likes: 4
Fuel line replacement (maybe)
I haven't decided yet, but I may replace the steel fuel line on my 69 E100. It has a 302 with a 2150 motorcraft carb. I'm having problems with fuel reaching the carb consistently. I have one of those small glass filters near the carb and I can see bursts of fuel and then not very much.
I might put in an electric fuel pump too. Any recommendations on a fuel pump? Does anyone know the inner and outer diameters of the steel fuel line?
Thanks much!
Scott
I might put in an electric fuel pump too. Any recommendations on a fuel pump? Does anyone know the inner and outer diameters of the steel fuel line?
Thanks much!
Scott
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,501
Likes: 2,651
From: Near Salt Lake City
Have you taken the sending unit out of the tank?
You might want to do that before replacing the fuel line
Your fuel line would be 5/16 " (you could sure run a 3/8 line and be even better off)
Your sending unit pickup tube has an intake filter known as a "sock"
You need to visually inspect that sock on a truck as old as yours
You can blow it off of there with compressed air blowing back into the tank
Then see what comes out of your tank
You might want to do that before replacing the fuel line
Your fuel line would be 5/16 " (you could sure run a 3/8 line and be even better off)
Your sending unit pickup tube has an intake filter known as a "sock"
You need to visually inspect that sock on a truck as old as yours
You can blow it off of there with compressed air blowing back into the tank
Then see what comes out of your tank
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,031
Likes: 134
From: Maryville
Glass will break and burn your van, get rid of it, second, drop the tank and check the sock on the pickup, mine had wadded up and became an issue in my 73, you may be able to pull the pickup without dropping the tank but be careful, there are no replacements, the truck is different.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 45
Likes: 3
I just replaced the mechanical pump on a 69 e200 with an airtex electric fuel pump on a new fused branch. Mostly due to ethanol heat soak and hard to start when hot. There is a thread on here a few weeks ago.
Like others say you might actually have a clog in the tank or fuel line or mechanical pump might be weak. They are weak in general and might be sucking air.
It's a drag to drop the tank without a lift but get ready to replace the filler hose and replace the sender. Very likely the filter sock is gone. Alternative is to replace the inline with a metal wix filter and blow the line out and replace the mechanical pump. Then get a vacuum/fuel pressure gauge and check you are getting 5psi
If you do replace all the fuel line then get a double flare kit to get the proper bubble on the metal ends where it must connect to rubber. No sharp edges
Like others say you might actually have a clog in the tank or fuel line or mechanical pump might be weak. They are weak in general and might be sucking air.
It's a drag to drop the tank without a lift but get ready to replace the filler hose and replace the sender. Very likely the filter sock is gone. Alternative is to replace the inline with a metal wix filter and blow the line out and replace the mechanical pump. Then get a vacuum/fuel pressure gauge and check you are getting 5psi
If you do replace all the fuel line then get a double flare kit to get the proper bubble on the metal ends where it must connect to rubber. No sharp edges
Last edited by Oggy Bleacher; May 31, 2026 at 03:55 PM.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,031
Likes: 134
From: Maryville
From experience, the fuel evaporates in the fuel bowl, requiring added cranking to start, I had the same issue, 73 Econoline 302 with Autolite 2100 2 barrel, tho when I ran 100% gasoline the problem did not exist.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 45
Likes: 3
So my thinking is the vapor had reached the mechanical pump next to the manifold... And the pump could not create a vacuum to suck liquid fuel because it was full of vapor. So cranking for a while would eventually get liquid fuel to the carb.
The mystery was why did it not start if there was liquid fuel in the float bowl and I think fuel pressure or intake manifold temperature (or maybe the head was flooded) had something to do with it or my whole experiment was not too scientific and there were other issues.
Electric fuel pump near the tank to delete the mechanical pump seems like the solution.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,031
Likes: 134
From: Maryville
Mine the bowl was empty every time, accelerator pump was still good and not leaking, I wanted to put a spacer under the carb, never got around to it, rusting fuel tank was filling the fuel pump before I started filtering before the pump, replace the filter every 3 months. I did have to remove the insane fuel return setup to stop some of the problem, fords arrangement for fighting vapor lock, keep the fuel flowing around in a loop, quick drain back when shut off.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 45
Likes: 3
That sounds plausible. i could smell and hear all the fuel boiling or the vapor being forced through the float bowl. Maybe that was flooding the cylinders.
So I would disassemble the carb to look and I remember it would be low but there was enough I still had liquid from the throttle. But no ignition. So I spray starting fluid through a hose I rigged up to the transmission vacuum line tee to the cylinders. Then it would start.
I had my tank off when I ran into some debris and it was surprisingly clean.
So I would disassemble the carb to look and I remember it would be low but there was enough I still had liquid from the throttle. But no ignition. So I spray starting fluid through a hose I rigged up to the transmission vacuum line tee to the cylinders. Then it would start.
I had my tank off when I ran into some debris and it was surprisingly clean.
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