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I am putting a 71 numbers matching LS6 back together and I am missing a couple of under hood acessories (heater hoses, fuel lines, etc.) I recieved the car in a dissassembled state so I am not 100% on how everything is suposed to be routed and so on. I was wondering if anyone out their had any decent photos or information on how the finished product should look. I have looked over a few LS5's, but there are some minor differences. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch.
If you don't already have one, an assembly manual would be of great help. It won't be exact on everything, but it will help you get it put back together then you can fine tune the little things as new info becomes available to you.
Good luck! If you can find a documented original LS6 to photograph, that would be the ticket. I saw a beautiful specimen at a car show a few years ago. The owner had purchased the car fairly recently. I noticed that the car was equipped with a 68/69 style inline fuel filter with a fuel return line. My understanding was that Holley-equipped cars did not have fuel return lines. Didn't have the heart to raise this question with the new owner and never received a definitive answer from the experts. Does your vette have a fuel return line?
Good luck! If you can find a documented original LS6 to photograph, that would be the ticket. I saw a beautiful specimen at a car show a few years ago. The owner had purchased the car fairly recently. I noticed that the car was equipped with a 68/69 style inline fuel filter with a fuel return line. My understanding was that Holley-equipped cars did not have fuel return lines. Didn't have the heart to raise this question with the new owner and never received a definitive answer from the experts. Does your vette have a fuel return line?
If you search the posts you'll find this question/myth comes up alot.
Holley equipped 1971 LT1 cars had no return fuel line.
Holley equipped 1971 LS6 cars do have a return fuel line.
If you search the posts you'll find this question/myth comes up alot.
Holley equipped 1971 LT1 cars had no return fuel line.
Holley equipped 1971 LS6 cars do have a return fuel line.
question, yes.. but what's the myth part? All through the 68 and 69 run only the Qjet engines (smallblock and bigblock) had fuel return lines while the holley (tripower and L-88 with a single 4bbl carb) equipped vettes had no fuel return line. So it is pretty unusual, even unique that they used a fuel return line with the Holley-equipped LS-6. Do you think there was a genuine reason they wanted to have a fuel return line with the Holley equipped LS-6 or was it because there were just so few of them they didn't bother to change the design from LS-5 to LS-6?
The LS6 that I am reassembeling came with a box full of parts. In that box was a a pump with the return off the bottom, and the feed to the carb had an inline that was spliced in with some nasty clamps and miss measured legnth of hose. The new set up is a solid line from the pump to the tee at the carb. So where did the filter go in the stock set up with all of this hard lining? Also, the new pump has the return kicked out at an angle much different compared with the other 3ed gens we have here (all small blocks), so the premolded hose doesn't match up either. It is these unknowns that really slow a project like this up
question, yes.. but what's the myth part? All through the 68 and 69 run only the Qjet engines (smallblock and bigblock) had fuel return lines while the holley (tripower and L-88 with a single 4bbl carb) equipped vettes had no fuel return line. So it is pretty unusual, even unique that they used a fuel return line with the Holley-equipped LS-6. Do you think there was a genuine reason they wanted to have a fuel return line with the Holley equipped LS-6 or was it because there were just so few of them they didn't bother to change the design from LS-5 to LS-6?
Sorry I was vague. What I meant to say is the subject of the fuel return line on the 71 LS6 has come up several times on the forum. It happens each time someone attempts to document an LS6 car. For whatever reason, urban legend says that there is "no fuel return line" for Holley equipped cars and therefore, no fuel return line on the 71 LS6.
In several of those posts this legend has been debunked by RatRacer and Rowdy Rat - one of the post even has photos of a LS6 restoration clearly showing the return fuel line.
As for why "the General" decided to include a fuel return line on the 71 LS6...no idea; but I tend to support your "so few of them" hypothesis.
71 was the beginning of the end for high performance vehicles of the muscle car era. Fuel economy and emissions concerns were beginning to be addressed which may be the reason for the fuel return line on an LS6.
I have an original low mileage '71 LS-6 coupe. I may be able to answer some of your questions.
I would be interested in knowing the last 5 digits of your VIN, and some information about your car. I have been assisting with the NCRS survey on LS-6's for some time. Would like to know if we have information about your car. Thanks.
EARLY SHARK,
You could really be of some help. If you had any pictures of underhood shots that would be fantastic. Shoot me an Email at chuckblair23@yahoo.com and let me know. I do much better talking rather than typing. The number at my shop is (763) 427-2901 or if that is long distance hit me up with your number and I can call you. Thanks in advance for any help. Also, those pictures from an earlier thread could be helpfull. I am not really that computer inclined so if there is a way to search that out myself that would be great too. Thanks again guys.
Chuck B - I dug up an old thread that might help you. Typically, I am in the middle of the discussion and it shows you how I "forget" that which I have previously learned!! My mind is a sieve!! But hey, the thread was almost 4 years old!
be sure to see the pic on page 2 of the thread. Looks like even the rowdy rat had a moment of confusion on the fuel return line issue and edited his post.