Cleaning Out A Gas Line

[Wiedemeyer]

Hi Y'all, Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning out a plugged gas line on a TC? This car was okay about a 2 years ago, but hasn't been driven since then. The fuel line is now blocked, probably with sludge. I'm looking for something to pour into the line from the fuel pump end that will dissolve the crud without reacting with anything else when it's ultimately pumped back through the fuel pump and into the carbs with the gas. I prefer not to take everything apart to clean it. Thanks, Bob

[JTPAKI@aol.com]

Bob, How about just a little air pressure from the air compressor? Use a rubber tipped blow gun and very little air pressure. Have you pulled the screen out of the bottom of the tank. Probably where its plugged anyway. Might as well pull it out. Joe Potter Eugene, Oregon USA www.hometown.aol.com/capaciousmg/vasale/vamain.html http://hometown.aol.com/jtpaki/index.html In a message dated 6/6/2001 7:24:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time, boxweed@thebest.net writes:

Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning out a plugged gas line on a TC? This car was okay about a 2 years ago, but hasn't been driven since then. The fuel line is now blocked, probably with sludge. I'm looking for something to pour into the line from the fuel pump end that will dissolve the crud without reacting with anything else when it's ultimately pumped back through the fuel pump and into the carbs with the gas. I prefer not to take everything apart to clean it.

Thanks, Bob

[Frank O_ The Mountain]

In a message dated 6/6/01 7:24:55 PM Pacific Daylight Time, boxweed@thebest.net writes: > Well, you might have too because the most likely thing to be plugged is your gauze filter inside the gas tank... Terry

[John T. Seim]

Two years is too short a time for a fuel line to be blocked with sludge. I am sorry to say that you probably will have to disassemble the line from the tank. Check the filter screen, soldered to the tank fitting. If there is no filter screen there, you should install one. Think of the fuel line like a drain pipe. The filter screen keeps debris from falling into the pipe. No screen, no stopping debris from collecting in the pipe. At some time, enough will collect in the bend to obstruct the flow. If the screen is intact, and you suspect sludge collected in the fuel line, it will collect near the tank end, from the low point of the line up to the tank. I would recommend that you cut open the fuel line to install an in-line fuel filter (5/16"). Locate a low visibility stop back near the tank. With the fuel line severed, you can push a wire through the remaining length of pipe, as long as the pipe is disconnnected from the tank. I have sucessfully used insulated 14 ga. multistrand wire to clear the fuel line after 23 years, as long as there was fuel to keep the sludge from drying out. If it has dried out, you could straighten the line, and use a gun drill to remove the sludge, which will be like plastic or rubber, once dried. John Seim Irvine, CA

[C Sherriff]

If you use an air line two points:-- 1. Blow from the engine towards the tank. 2 Disconnect at the tank end to prevent the tank exploding / distorting if the pressure does get through!!! Clive

[Wiedemeyer]

Thanks to everyone for the advice! I'm now convinced that the best course of action would be to take everything apart at the bottom of the tank and see what the problem actually is, so that I can fix it right. Bob

[b]-----Original Message-----[/b] [b]From: [/b]JTPAKI@aol.com JTPAKI@aol.com> [b]To: [/b]mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> [b]Date: [/b]Thursday, June 07, 2001 12:46 AM [b]Subject: [/b]Re: [mg-tabc] Cleaning Out A Gas Line Bob, How about just a little air pressure from the air compressor? Use a rubber tipped blow gun and very little air pressure. Have you pulled the screen out of the bottom of the tank. Probably where its plugged anyway. Might as well pull it out. Joe Potter Eugene, Oregon USA www.hometown.aol.com/capaciousmg/vasale/vamain.html http://hometown.aol.com/jtpaki/index.html In a message dated 6/6/2001 7:24:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time, boxweed@thebest.net writes: Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning out a plugged gas line on a TC? This car was okay about a 2 years ago, but hasn't been driven since then. The fuel line is now blocked, probably with sludge. I'm looking for something to pour into the line from the fuel pump end that will dissolve the crud without reacting with anything else when it's ultimately pumped back through the fuel pump and into the carbs with the gas. I prefer not to take everything apart to clean it.

[i][/color][/i] Thanks, Bob Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Mark Andrew]

Use a vacuum pump such as one to bleed brakes and suck from the pump end of the line. If the fuel is bad siphon with the same pump and some tubing first to drain the tank. Mark TC 5146 Wiedemeyer wrote:

Hi Y'all, Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning out a plugged gas line on a TC? This car was okay about a 2 years ago, but hasn't been driven since then. The fuel line is now blocked, probably with sludge. I'm looking for something to pour into the line from the fuel pump end that will dissolve the crud without reacting with anything else when it's ultimately pumped back through the fuel pump and into the carbs with the gas. I prefer not to take everything apart to clean it. Thanks, Bob

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[C Sherriff]

Message text written by INTERNET:mgandrew@nextek.net

>Use a vacuum pump such as one to bleed brakes and suck from the pump end

of the line. If the fuel is bad siphon with the same pump and some tubing first to drain the tank.