I am considering putting an in-line fule filter on my car, (stock L48 350). Can I simply cut the metal fuel line that runs from the fuel pump to the carb and insert a filter in this line? Can it be that simple? I was think about just cutting out a length of the factory fuel line the length of my filter, installing with 2 small lengths of rubber hose and a couple of hose clamps.

Pros & cons.

 

Why bother? There should be one in the carb. .02

 

Its not really that simple. Your plan will leave you with two rubber hoses on the pressurized gas line under your hood. There is a risk factor there. If you have the stock Qjet, use the filter in the carburetor. Leave the metal line from your pump to the carb as is.

 

OR you can purchase one of these at Summit Racing...it has the filter built into the line..I have one and it works great!!

 

Use Fuel injection rated 3/8" hose only, and a Metal only filter. Do not let the hose contact any engine parts- Air only. I cut the steel hose just after the last upper bend, so it's straight dowm (see last pic). I have about 3" of hose on the fuel line and 2 hose clamps- not to tight, just till they 'bite'. There's hose fittings in the adapter isle at auto zone-ect that will fit the Quadra carb. You will need a 3/8" line adapter. You will need to remove the line to cut it- metal shavings. When you do, you will have to either raise the bottom of the fuel pump above top of the fuel in the tank, or clamp the 3/8" inlet hose (the larger one) at the pump, if your is new and in good shape, or the gas tank will empty on to the ground through the fuel line fitting. Not fun.

 

I have a dumb question, running man. I see from your pics that you have your AC mounting brackets in, but what is that orange painted mounting bracket piece for? Just curious...

 

You could add a in-line filter without cutting any of the metal lines.

Put it right at the end of the metal line on the frame. Where the rubber 'S' shaped hose hooks up. Or back at the rear of the car, right after the fuel sending unit. Both of these places have rubber lines from the factory that need to be checked with normal maintenance items. Why check 3 places when you already have a spot you could add one?

It's never a good idea to have to rubber lines touching and rubbing, they will wear through, at the very least get flat spots. Not a good idea at all, when one is hot water from the engine block that makes the heater, hot, and the other is fuel... (gas boils at 140* IIRC)

Only pro I can think of is, your not going to forget about changing it, cause every time you open the hood you will see it.

I had a set up like running man, recently got the proper line and filter for the carb and put a new in-line filter in the rear of the car, where I described above.

I believe that bracket is/was for the A.I.R. pump. Are you going to put it back on there?

"When you do, you will have to either raise the bottom of the fuel pump above top of the fuel in the tank, or clamp the 3/8" inlet hose (the larger one) at the pump, if your is new and in good shape, or the gas tank will empty on to the ground through the fuel line fitting. Not fun."

To further explain this, cause I looked at it and did the classic 'huh'. Gravity. The tank is higher than the pump, if you pull the fuel line off (pump to carb section) you need to stop the flow of fuel. I'd plug the 'S' shaped hose or squeeze it with a pair of vise grips. If you just squeeze it, one less thing to hook back up.

I remember hacking my bent and twisted fuel line off with a dremel, while it was still on the car.... I don't know what I was thinking at the time, sparks from dremel, still on the car, liquid fuel and vapors... All I did was wipe the line down ever so often to dry the outside and kept cutting.

You do watcha gotta do, when it's your daily driver.

 

Smog Pump

 

Yep.

 

I agree, it's not an ideal set up. The best one's I've seen have the thread on fuel filter as part of the line, steel in and out, and a steel fuel filter, that's what I'll probably go to eventually, So your advice is good, but for a right now approach??? It works and is reasonably safe IF DONE CAREFULLY with the correct parts. The running next to the heater hose is pretty close to the stock steel set up, so i don't think this is all that different from stock, steel being more thermally conductive by a good margin, but to each his own, it works. C

 

Not saying it doesn't work, my car was like for almost a year and a half. But I think he may be disappointedly if he doesn't like the set up and has to go back and buy another fuel line after he cuts his.

The two spots I mentioned are fairly easy to get to, it's your call, Vet76te.

 

Use an all metal in-line filter (Jegs and Summit have them) and steel braided line. The bronze and/or stainless screen in the filter is re-usable and the stainless steel lines won't cut if something happens to hit them......like an errant fan blade or who knows what else. Plus steel lines stay more rigid and won't flex and bounce around like rubber lines do. Periodically check the connections while you're checking other "stuff" under the hood.

 

it is not that simple, that set up would leak, and if not leak, be a major fire hazard (always avoid splicing fuel lines). you need to install two shorter lines, check summit, to properly splice in a filter. Also i may suggest to avoid glass filters like the devil, they can turn into little Molotov cocktails.

 

There's a reason GM didn't use rubber on the pressure side of the pump. A small engine fire will turn into a bonfire after the flames burn through the rubber.

If you'e dead set against running the in-line filter in the Q-Jet (why not?) then I'd run the pump-to-carb lines that 68 and 69 SB Q-Jet Vettes used which had an inline filter, GF-432, that uses flair fittings.

 

Do it right the first time 'cause you won't get a second chance if it dumps.


FIRE BAD!

 

Do it right the first time 'cause you won't get a second chance if it dumps. If you use the rubber line be sure to do as the others have said and use high pressure type.



FIRE BAD!

 

Can't think of any pros, only lots of cons.

Why bother?