NewbVetteGuy

I'm having problems removing fuel the fuel line clip circled in the AIM photo above. I can't comprehend how you're supposed to remove this thing with the floor pans still in the car. A normal wrench won't fit, even a super short socket won't fit....

The clearance is freakishly tight; not sure what other people have done but I'm out of ideas.


My only idea is to cut the fuel line before and after this and try to jam a screw driver in there and rotate the whole fuel line holder bracket thing counter clockwise to loosen the nut.


Another question: What tool would be good for cutting the fuel lines? I just have a small wire cutter and it is NOT good enough to do the job; a pair of tin snips would be too large to fit in there, IMHO...

My Dremel cutting wheel seems out because I don't want to explode myself.



Adam

Mooser

I cut a cheap (real cheap) socket in half and welded it to a small strip of metal for a handle for reaching a few of those bolts holding the lines
M

Mooser

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1593476848

M

Alan 71

Hi M,
NICE ONE!!!!
Regards,
Alan

NewbVetteGuy

Mooser, color me impressed.

I'm not that handy and don't have access to a welder, but the fact that someone had to make such a tool like this, let's me know that it's not just me this time, at least.


My go to method of dealing with bolts that really **** me off like this is just to cut their heads off with a cut-off wheel, but given that these are screws and I need to actually get the threads out of the hole, I'm stumped.

I could just cut the head off the screw anyway and then drill a new hole nearby, but I'm holding out hope that something else will work.

Right now my best idea is cutting the fuel line and removing it and trying to pry in the hangar / hose clamp thingy and just rotate it counterclockwise enough to loosen it up... (yea, my best idea doesn't seem very good...)



Adam

Mooser

Those two bolts were probably the worst to get at of all the things I've done under the car. So close to the lines and just no clearance.

If you can find a set (harbor freight?) of cheap boxed end wrenchs that have a steep (75 degree type thing) drop that also isn't very deep (harbor freight has a set of steep offset on their site but they drop about 2" by the looks of it so too far) then you could probably just grind some clearance on the inside corner to fit behind the lines.

Cutting the lines to get them out is fine as long as you don't want to put a bolt back in otherwise you're still having an issue tightening it up
M

Mooser

Might be able to take a cheap socket and grind some wrench flats on the outside and sort of mimic what I did with the welded piece?
M

Silvertone

Hi Adam. I have a flat ratcheting box end wrench that might fit. When I get home I'll give it a test fit and post a picture of it. My office is in Canyon Park, so it would be very close by for you to borrow it.

Steve

resdoggie

What did the mechanics at the dealerships use for a tool back in the day?

flyeri

I've got one cut already and am doing the same thing. Glad to know it worked.

cardo0

You may have gotten the clip out but you will trash the fuel lines pulling them out let alone putting them back in. What I should be saying is you need to lift the body off the frame to R&R the fuel lines. At least on that side of the car. Someone mentioned at least 10 inches.

terrys6t8roadster

There is one of those on my 69 for the brake line that is so close to the body that a wrench wont even fit in, much less enough distance to unthread the bolt out before bottoming into the body. Haven't found any on the fuel line circuit that cannot be removed. Lots of the bolts required the use of some very old Craftsmen box wrenches. T

NewbVetteGuy

That's literally my goal: to trash the fuel lines.
I'm installing all new Earl's Vapor Guard as a part of the EFI conversion.

-It's quite flexible so I sure as !@$@#% hope the new fuel lines will go in without removing the body. (There will be no removing of the body; it's traumatizing me just to think about the possibility.)


Adam

NewbVetteGuy

Thanks, Steve. The round fuel line holder+the angle I have to come at it, just prevents the wrench from going on it. Now that I stopped to think a bit more about it, cutting out the fuel line and then using a punch and a hammer to flatten the fuel line holder / hangar thing will let me get on there with the ratcheting wrench that I have currently, I think...


Adam

terrys6t8roadster

Adam, you should not have any trouble installing the new fuel line as I have a #8 and a #10 hoses running through the up-kick area of the frame. T

JohnRR

What size and P/N of the Earl's Vapor Guard did you use? Are you going to install new return lines too? If so, what size?
Thanks,
John

NewbVetteGuy

https://www.holley.com/products/plum...arts/752066ERL

20' of the high pressure, 3/8" tubing. The plan is to use 10' for the feed and 10' for the return. $93


The feed line will run along the frame like the stock line and then go up and over the top of the engine and feed into the rear of the driver's side fuel rail, go to the front fuel rail crossover (which is using the Earls smooth bend 90 fittings), and then coming out of the back of the passenger's side rail the fuel line will go into the Holley adjustable regulator (Which is by FAR the best value adjustable regulator out there). Then the return can also go along the passenger's side frame just line the original steel lines.


Apparently it's better to have the fuel pressure regulator AFTER the fuel goes through the fuel rails; still don't totally understand that but enough people in the know keep repeating it to me so I believe it.


Adam

NewbVetteGuy

I cut the stock rubber sections of the fuel line up by the fuel pump to drain the fuel out.

Then I cut the stock steel line at it's lowest point and let the fuel drain out (that was WAY harder than I expected it to be (cutting the line)). I used my dremel to cut the last 3 brackets that I can't get a wrench on, and then pried them open to get the fuel lines out.


This Saturday I need to: remove the remaining fuel lines, flatten the stock hanger bracket thingies, remove the screws holding the three cut and smashed hanger bracket things, then start wire brushing the crap out of the frame to prep for rust treatment and paint.

Realistically I'm probably 3-4 weeks out on getting all the fuel plumbing installed because I want to do all the rust treatment and painting before I put in the new fuel lines.

-I'm going to need to modify the 1982 hangar a little bit with my dremel, too because it doesn't quite allow the Walbro pump to connect to my Holley Hydra Mat properly, either. -I have 2 1/2" stainless worm clamps to hold the fuel pump in place against the pickup tube-my plan is to use a tiny bit of submersible fuel hose cut in half and put that in between the fuel pump and the worm clamps to hold it securely in place AND to decrease vibrations/noise.

-I'll take pictures.



Adam

NewbVetteGuy

Here's my full parts list for my fuel system for my EFI conversion:

Walbro GSS342 255 LPh Intank Fuel Pump: $76.50
Walbro pump wire harness: $6.23
Holley Hydramat "T"-shape HOL 16-111 (11mm fitting that fits the walbro pump) $160
Earls VaporGuard EFI Hose 3/8" -20 feet $93
Holley Billet Bypass Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator (up to 65 PSI)- 3/8" NPT fittings HOL 12-879 $129
Earls 3/8" NPT Male straight to 3/8" hosebarb $6.14 each (pressure regulator in, pressure regulator out, fuel rail in, fuel rail out)
Earl's 3/8" NPT 90 degree smooth bend fittings x2 -$9.22
Vibrant Fuel Injection Style Minihose Clamps for 3/8" hose -Pack of 10 $6
10 Micron Fuel Pump Post filter $13

1982 Corvette Gas Tank Sending Unit: $92 (1AAuto.com)

Not necessary for everyone but because I'm going with the Holley HP EFI I wanted to get a Holley liquid pressure sensor HOL 544-201 for the fuel pressure sensor $121.


Then the Tank Tone fuel tank paint from Eastwood (1.5 cans required), and the fuel tank install kit from Zip Corvette (new straps as I broke one, anti-squeak pads, bolts), and a new rubber fuel filler neck surround because the rubber was breaking down on mine.


Adam

60 SHARK

FYI,,,i used more than 10ft of my Earls Vapor Guard to feed my TBI on my '75,,, i came from top of the tank, followed factory routing to firewall, up to intake, ,,and only had 16" left after using balance to go from TBI return port to the original steel line at a location under the heater core,, and used the original steel line, as the return, from their to the tank,,,, (you may use less if routing a different way),,,teddy