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I have a fuel drip near the filter and I suspect that the filter may need to be replaced. I am trying to get into it so I take a look at the filter and replace if needed. However I can not get the nut off. This has happened to me before in a different situation but I eventually had to cut the fuel line. It's as if the small nut seizes up on the line. I have not applied maximum pressure because with my luck (as many times before) I will break something else trying to do this. Is there any secret to this???
I saw a video online and the guy got his out with no issues ... however he skipped the video to when the nut was already loose.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The fuel filter has nothing to do with your fuel leak. You need to put a 1" backup wrench on the fuel inlet fitting, and you MUST use a 5/8 Flarenut wrench on the fuel line nut. Position the 2 wrenches so you can squeeze them together to put maximum force on the fuel line nut without allowing the fuel inlet nut to twist. Once you get it apart, you need to clean up all threaded surfaces and the inverted flare sealing surfaces. You need to replace the nylon gasket on the inlet fitting. Lubricate all threads with grease, including the back of the flared surface of the tube. and reassemble with a new filter (even though the filter has nothing to do with the leak). DO NOT use Teflon tape on anything - it will shred and get into the carb, and it serves no purpose in sealing an inverted flare system.
Lars
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The fuel filter has nothing to do with your fuel leak. You need to put a 1" backup wrench on the fuel inlet fitting, and you MUST use a 5/8 Flarenut wrench on the fuel line nut. Position the 2 wrenches so you can squeeze them together to put maximum force on the fuel line nut without allowing the fuel inlet nut to twist. Once you get it apart, you need to clean up all threaded surfaces and the inverted flare sealing surfaces. You need to replace the nylon gasket on the inlet fitting. Lubricate all threads with grease, including the back of the flared surface of the tube. and reassemble with a new filter (even though the filter has nothing to do with the leak). DO NOT use Teflon tape on anything - it will shred and get into the carb, and it serves no purpose in sealing an inverted flare system.
Lars
The fuel filter has nothing to do with your fuel leak. You need to put a 1" backup wrench on the fuel inlet fitting, and you MUST use a 5/8 Flarenut wrench on the fuel line nut. Position the 2 wrenches so you can squeeze them together to put maximum force on the fuel line nut without allowing the fuel inlet nut to twist. Once you get it apart, you need to clean up all threaded surfaces and the inverted flare sealing surfaces. You need to replace the nylon gasket on the inlet fitting. Lubricate all threads with grease, including the back of the flared surface of the tube. and reassemble with a new filter (even though the filter has nothing to do with the leak). DO NOT use Teflon tape on anything - it will shred and get into the carb, and it serves no purpose in sealing an inverted flare system.
Lars
Thank you. In the video I was watching that gasket was a potential problem also. I just need to get it off. I guess at worse case I have to cut the fuel line again. That wont be so bad. Leaking too much fuel to ignore. I have the wrenches and were using them. Will give it another try in the morning.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The nylon gasket on the fuel inlet fitting is very seldom a leak problem. It can only leak if the fitting is loose, or if it was originally improperly installed or double-gasketed.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
I've never had to change a carb - only rebuild. I rebuilt the Q-Jet I'm running on my '71 Judge about 35 years ago. Last year, the accelerator pump finally started going weak, so I pulled the carb off and re-did the whole thing, including re-plating it. I don't anticipate that I will ever have to rebuild it again in my lifetime. All other Q-Jets I've had have had 1 rebuild when I first bought the car, and then the carbs out-last the duration that I have kept the car, usually 10-20 years with no further work on the carb.
Lars
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Oh, yeah there is... That's the wrong inlet fitting gasket - it doesn't fit and will never seal. Get the right gasket. No wonder it leaks - looks like some farmer found that ill-fitting POS gasket in his barn one night.. And 'fer chrissake, get that crap-*** Teflon tape off there and get it all cleaned out of the bowl threads and fuel inlet! That whole system is completely messed up...
The seal should look like this - seal and the fitting with the correct seal correctly installed:
The fitting shown is the "long" fitting used on some carbs. The Vette fitting is short, like yours. The seal, and seal installation, is the same. And no Teflon tape...
...and I hope and assume you have the correct filter spring correctly installed behind the filter...? I don't see it in your photos above. And your filter does not appear to have the checkvalve in it, but maybe it's not in view in your photos.
Oh, yeah there is... That's the wrong inlet fitting gasket - it doesn't fit and will never seal. Get the right gasket. No wonder it leaks - looks like some farmer found that ill-fitting POS gasket in his barn one night.. And 'fer chrissake, get that crap-*** Teflon tape off there and get it all cleaned out of the bowl threads and fuel inlet! That whole system is completely messed up...
The seal should look like this - seal and the fitting with the correct seal correctly installed:
The fitting shown is the "long" fitting used on some carbs. The Vette fitting is short, like yours. The seal, and seal installation, is the same. And no Teflon tape...
Lars
LOL!! Please direct me to the correct gasket. Is it something I can get locally? Hoping to put this back together tonight as I need to drive the car in the morning.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
A lot of places sell the gasket individually, but they are mail-order places. The gasket is such low cost that NAPA only sells them as a "kit." This kit comes with several of the correct white nylon gaskets as well as the larger coated steel gaskets for the early-model fittings. Do not use the black early model gasket - use the white nylon gasket in NAPA kit NOE 7309573. If your NAPA store is competent, they should be able to get this kit out of your local Atlanta Distribution Center ("DC") this afternoon if they don't have it in stock.
I just checked, and the Atlanta DC has 2 of these kits in stock right now, but they're showing a 2pm order cutoff time.
Lars
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
If it helps, the same gasket kit is sold by Dorman Products under part number 55143. Dorman Products are sold by Advance Auto, O-Reilly, AutoZone, and CarQuest stores.
Lars
Found it. In a 3 mile radius from my house I have 2 PB's, 2 O'Reilly's, 2 AutoZone's and an Advance Auto ... none of them had it. But one AutoZone a little further away has one kit. Bought it and will pick it up asap.
Hopefully last question ... which one is the right one?? LOL!!
Oh, yeah there is... That's the wrong inlet fitting gasket - it doesn't fit and will never seal. Get the right gasket. No wonder it leaks - looks like some farmer found that ill-fitting POS gasket in his barn one night.. And 'fer chrissake, get that crap-*** Teflon tape off there and get it all cleaned out of the bowl threads and fuel inlet! That whole system is completely messed up...
The seal should look like this - seal and the fitting with the correct seal correctly installed:
The fitting shown is the "long" fitting used on some carbs. The Vette fitting is short, like yours. The seal, and seal installation, is the same. And no Teflon tape...
...and I hope and assume you have the correct filter spring correctly installed behind the filter...? I don't see it in your photos above. And your filter does not appear to have the checkvalve in it, but maybe it's not in view in your photos.
Lars
Also I have the GF471 filter ... the spring appears to be in place.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Your short fitting is correct as noted in my post above. The GF471 is also correct. The long fitting shown was used on front-inlet carbs with short filter housings, such as Buick and Pontiac.
Your short fitting is correct as noted in my post above. The GF471 is also correct. The long fitting shown was used on front-inlet carbs with short filter housings, such as Buick and Pontiac.
Lars
I have given up for the night ... disgruntled. Put everything on and the problem is no better yet. I can't get a tight seal between the fitting and the carburetor. I'm thinking the way they had it setup may have been by trial and error. Something is not right. I have to do something though because I need to drive the car on tomorrow (Thursday).
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The spring is OK, but has nothing to do with fuel leakage. If the inlet fitting is not sealing with the correct gasket installed, you have a defect on the sealing surfaces, improper torque, or an incorrectly installed seal. I have no idea what you mean by your comment, "the way they had it setup may have been by trial and error." There is only one way to install the seal (correctly) and to install the fitting into the bowl. There is no "trial and error" about it. With that incorrect inlet seal you had installed, there's a possibility that the gasket sealing surfaces are damaged. Did you inspect the sealing surfaces and verify that they are smooth and defect-free..? Is your new gasket correctly and properly installed, being fully seated in the gasket groove on the fitting (you cannot install the gasket into the float bowl)? If it is, it will not leak if there is no damage to the surfaces. Are you sure your leak is at the inlet fitting/float bowl interface and not at the fuel line interface to the fitting..? The fuel line interface is more likely to leak - the fitting-to-bowl seal is highly unlikely to leak if the gasket is correctly installed.
...and if you're relying on an antique vehicle for daily transportation, with no backup, that's probably not a very good idea...
Lars
The spring is OK, but has nothing to do with fuel leakage. If the inlet fitting is not sealing with the correct gasket installed, you have a defect on the sealing surfaces, improper torque, or an incorrectly installed seal. I have no idea what you mean by your comment, "the way they had it setup may have been by trial and error." There is only one way to install the seal (correctly) and to install the fitting into the bowl. There is no "trial and error" about it. With that incorrect inlet seal you had installed, there's a possibility that the gasket sealing surfaces are damaged. Did you inspect the sealing surfaces and verify that they are smooth and defect-free..? Is your new gasket correctly and properly installed, being fully seated in the gasket groove on the fitting (you cannot install the gasket into the float bowl)? If it is, it will not leak if there is no damage to the surfaces. Are you sure your leak is at the inlet fitting/float bowl interface and not at the fuel line interface to the fitting..? The fuel line interface is more likely to leak - the fitting-to-bowl seal is highly unlikely to leak if the gasket is correctly installed.
...and if you're relying on an antique vehicle for daily transportation, with no backup, that's probably not a very good idea...
Lars
Thanks again. Not relying on the car for day to day travel. I have a car stereo appointment I had to schedule 30 days out and this happens. 🙃
Got the gasket kit from Autozone and put the new filter, correct gasket, and inlet fitting in and the fitting will not torque down completely. Not sure if threads are damaged but it would not stop turning.
The trial error comment was about the fitting actually being tight when I took it off. Somehow it was working. Not sure exactly where the leak is at but it's clearly in that inlet area. Starting in the AM with a clearer head. Will read through your post again and take advice.
Fuel Filter Inspection / Replacement
Please direct me to the correct gasket. Is it something I can get locally? Hoping to put this back together tonight as I need to drive the car in the morning.
