Re: Ops checking Fuel pump
That reminds me of my own similar story. When the AF sent me to Grand Forks in 1971 I did not want to keep driving the SWC in that environment, so I ordered a new '72 Vega GT from a Portland dealer and in October '71 drove the SWC to Seattle to store in my parents garage until I could get to a better climate and drove the new Vega GT back to Grand Forks.
After buying and getting settled into my new house in Redondo Beach a friend of mine and I flew up to Seattle to collect the Corvette in March, 1975. As part of the storage process I completely drained the fuel system, so after completing the various inspections prior to start I poured in three gallons of gasoline. Not long after I noticed fuel dripping from around the fuel pump area and closer inspection revealed that the rubber hose from the frame pipe to the pump inlet nipple had ruptured. It was original to the car that had about 110K miles at that point. I had replaced the fuel pump circa 1969/70 while I was at the U. of Wisconsin for grad school, but didn't replace the hose. Dumb move!!!
So I removed the hose, put my finger over the pipe and gave the hose to my dad who went down to a local gas station for a new length of 3/8" fuel hose, and for the next 20 minutes or so I did the "Little Dutch Boy" thing. The drive back to SoCal was uneventful other than a blizzard in the Siskiyous, which caused us to divert to 101 over on the coast for a very long, wet, and dreary ride to where we RONed in the Bay Area on the nearly bald Pirelli CN-72s listening to the axle "clunk" at every throttle reversal due to spider gear slop from the worn Positraction clutch plates.
That was my first lesson in "aging elastomers" especially when they are exposed to heat.
I don't think most guys understand that due to the high placed C2/3 fuel tank any break between the tank and fuel pump, including a leaking fuel pump will cause, given enough time and size of the break, ALL the fuel in the tank to drain out, and over the years I've heard of several such stories.
That's why I always say that the fuel hoses, especially the frame pipe to pump inlet nipple should be changed about every ten years, and for sure whenever the fuel pump is replaced!
The good news is that modern SAE fuel hose is more durable than back in the sixties, but it's still a periodic maintenance item.
Duke
P. S. After getting back home two of the first "restoration" jobs I did was overhaul the axle and J-65 brake system with all new GM J-65 parts along with a new set of Pirelli CN-73 to replace the 72s. The shoes and drums came in the old tan and brown GM boxes, and I figured they had been sitting in a warehouse since my car was built. Then I pulled the engine for inspection and overhaul and Magnaflux inspection revealed a very bad bolt seat crack on #7. I dodged the bullet, and it still has the original block. And some guys wonder why I always harp about those first design 327 connecting rods.
That reminds me of my own similar story. When the AF sent me to Grand Forks in 1971 I did not want to keep driving the SWC in that environment, so I ordered a new '72 Vega GT from a Portland dealer and in October '71 drove the SWC to Seattle to store in my parents garage until I could get to a better climate and drove the new Vega GT back to Grand Forks.
After buying and getting settled into my new house in Redondo Beach a friend of mine and I flew up to Seattle to collect the Corvette in March, 1975. As part of the storage process I completely drained the fuel system, so after completing the various inspections prior to start I poured in three gallons of gasoline. Not long after I noticed fuel dripping from around the fuel pump area and closer inspection revealed that the rubber hose from the frame pipe to the pump inlet nipple had ruptured. It was original to the car that had about 110K miles at that point. I had replaced the fuel pump circa 1969/70 while I was at the U. of Wisconsin for grad school, but didn't replace the hose. Dumb move!!!
So I removed the hose, put my finger over the pipe and gave the hose to my dad who went down to a local gas station for a new length of 3/8" fuel hose, and for the next 20 minutes or so I did the "Little Dutch Boy" thing. The drive back to SoCal was uneventful other than a blizzard in the Siskiyous, which caused us to divert to 101 over on the coast for a very long, wet, and dreary ride to where we RONed in the Bay Area on the nearly bald Pirelli CN-72s listening to the axle "clunk" at every throttle reversal due to spider gear slop from the worn Positraction clutch plates.
That was my first lesson in "aging elastomers" especially when they are exposed to heat.
I don't think most guys understand that due to the high placed C2/3 fuel tank any break between the tank and fuel pump, including a leaking fuel pump will cause, given enough time and size of the break, ALL the fuel in the tank to drain out, and over the years I've heard of several such stories.
That's why I always say that the fuel hoses, especially the frame pipe to pump inlet nipple should be changed about every ten years, and for sure whenever the fuel pump is replaced!
The good news is that modern SAE fuel hose is more durable than back in the sixties, but it's still a periodic maintenance item.
Duke
P. S. After getting back home two of the first "restoration" jobs I did was overhaul the axle and J-65 brake system with all new GM J-65 parts along with a new set of Pirelli CN-73 to replace the 72s. The shoes and drums came in the old tan and brown GM boxes, and I figured they had been sitting in a warehouse since my car was built. Then I pulled the engine for inspection and overhaul and Magnaflux inspection revealed a very bad bolt seat crack on #7. I dodged the bullet, and it still has the original block. And some guys wonder why I always harp about those first design 327 connecting rods.
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