Round One: Initial Part and Design - FIGHT!
This week I learned that there is such thing as -AN to Tube fittings using the ol' compression sleeve design. And since all after market tubing and fuel filters are in AN (reasonable priced anyway), this makes my life a million times easier. (Thanks Mick).
So, in this corner,in black and silver:
- 4 -6AN to 3/8 Tube fittings
- 1 -6AN inline fuel filter
- 1 90 degree, -6AN to 3/8 NPT (to my stock replacement Fuel pump)
- 25' of stainless steel, bendable fuel hard line!
Mike comes out swinging!
Fight plan: 90 degree fitting from the pump, tubing that routes around the front of the engine, fuel filter in front of the fan, and then route the tube around to the carb!
First thing to do? Go to my fuel pump and put that 90 degree fitting in! It should fit, after all, it's 3/8 in and 3/8 out on that pump....right......right guys??? FRIGGIN-NOPE!
Mike takes a direct hit!
**$&*%#@*!!!!Okay, if I would have searched a bit harder and actually MEASURED the old hard line, here is what is actually coming out of the pump: It's 3/8 line going IN to the pump.....buuuuuuuuut it is 1/4 line going OUT of the pump.
(BY THE WAY, I ONLY FOUND THIS OUT BY SOME RANDOM AD ON EBAY *rage*)
To be specific: The line is 1/4 and the fitting is 1/2-20. So yeah. I confirmed this by measuring my existing hard line and removing the inverted flare fitting. Time to go back to Summit armed with this new found information. *queue 1 hour music, driving and lunch interlude*
Also, These measurements mean nothing to me. NPT, inverted flare and AN are all magical numbers that are based on either internal diameter, external or the phase of the moon. Hopefully the Summit guy knows something.
One last thing before I go: Forgetting that NPT size is the diameter of the PIPE, not thread, I order this just to make sure I had EVERYTHING. *cough* So Yeah, if anyone needs one of these for a tractor or rocket ship, I got one for you.
Back to the fight!
The fitting is snug and ready to rumble. Rad. (Insert picture here...)
Okay, so I find out early on that my pipe bender is janky. The bender part falls off its axle. Also, I find out that I suck at bending. I'm making small kinks here and there. So, on the ever amazing Internet, I read that if you fill the tubing with sugar and pack it, it helps prevent kinks. Well, I think it worked...
Mike takes another hit!
Anyway, I take some coat hanger and bend to it the route I think I want. Before I start tube stuff, run into another snag; The carb fitting with my fuel pressure sender doesn't fit in the direction I need it to go. UGH
It's hard to see up there with my amazing picture taking abilities but what you see is a banjo nut, L-pipe pointing towards the front of my engine with a big, gold bell-like fuel pressure sender at the end. It is being blocked by my carburetor's electric choke. I seriously contemplated taking the dang thing off but I got a better, more destructive idea: I place that L-piece in a vice and slightly bent it outwards. BAM. It fits perfectly.
[Insert awesome picture of it fitting here]
(DANG IT, I keep forgetting to take more pictures, I'll get better I swear)
With that solved, time to start bending some tube.
DING DING DING - End of Round 1.
After bending the first section, I eagerly place the new Tube-to-AN fitting on and tighten it, locking it forever in place on the pipe. Yes, looks great....except now that I start planning the rest of the bends, I realize that the route I originally planned will NOT work.
So, I redesign the layout. (click to make bigger!)
Results:
Bruised from a beating to my pride again, I came out armed with more knowledge. (Yay...knowledge...)
I'll flesh this plan out a bit more and try attacking it next weekend. Of course I'll post the results and try to take more pictures of my progress.
BONUS ROUND:
Everything is ready to be picked up at the machine shop! Pistons were assembled to the rods, the 46(6) block is ready to be built, and the crankshaft is in great condition! Time to start working on that as well!
Until next time!
