any tips or tricks for a clogged fuel line?

[rolliejoe]

Dropped the tank a few weeks ago to get the circa 1982 gas out. Used the fuel pump to try and clear the line. Cranked the motor until no more fuel. Now the line is clogged. Have the line unhooked from the tank and fuel pump. Cannot blow air through it with my compressor. Any ideas?

[oldmopar]

If its that blocked and most likely original I would replace the line and not waste time trying to clear it. You can buy lengths at NAPA or other auto store and bend as needed

[BobT-47P15]

You can use some lightweight wire, it is fairly flexible.....

Have you tried using a compressor and blow gun?

You can also straighten out a coat hanger to run thru the tube in the

gas tank. It may be clogged some too.

[pflaming]

Since (if) the fuel flowed for a while then the clogged area is a new clog. Put the air from the other end and blow it backwards. That might get it open again and avoid "tamping" it tighter.

Good Luck!

[Jerry Roberts]

An old choke cable housing or throttle cable housing on a drill makes a good auger . Do not use a coat hanger wire on a drill though as that wire is brittle , one guy broke his coat hanger off inside his tank outlet .

[rolliejoe]

An old choke cable housing or throttle cable housing on a drill makes a good auger . Do not use a coat hanger wire on a drill though as that wire is brittle , one guy broke his coat hanger off inside his tank outlet .

The old choke cable is a great idea! Of course it twisted up like a toilet/sink snake being used to try and unplug a sewer line. I poked the gunk in the line with some "mechanics wire/bailing wire" that my father-in-law gave me awhile back. Then went at it with choke cable housing with the cable still in it slowly and got the fuel line clear. Gunk was fairly close to the tank. Went at the tank pickup and could only get in 7". Hooked the clear fuel line back to the tank and still couldn't pull fuel through the line with the "mighty vac". Went at the tank again and got 11" but still no go.

Long story short: should have had the tank cleaned, doh.

[kevinanderson]

I just did this. I REMOVED the line, it was on a 49 ford truck, and made sure all the raw gas was out of it. Then took a propane torch and heated the line carefully to soften the gas that had turned to varnish. I then ran a stiff wire thru it and next, put a speedometer cable into it and ran it thru with a drill. Took awhile, but gas now goes thru it.

[kevinanderson]

Run the wire thru it so you can find the plugged spot(s) to know where to heat.

[BobT-47P15]

I recently asked two different radiator shops if they would boil out an

old gas tank. Their answer was.....not any more, we don't.

They said insurance was now a factor.

They told me that a particular shop in Pittsburg, KS would still do it.

But, I did not contact them to see.

Was helping unclog an old tank lately, had to jam for quite a while on

the gunk in the tube to the pickup. Used the mechanic's wire first,

then went to a coat hanger. Did not put it in a drill....just jammed on

it back and forward. Eventually got thru.

If the tank or line is clean with no gas, the heating thing might work

ok. However, it's kinda tough to heat a tube inside the tank.

[kevinanderson]

Guess I didn't see where it was in the tank anywhere.

[rolliejoe]

The radiator shop I went to was super nice and pointed out that my tank was pretty clean and that the clog was in the pickup tube/baffle. Sent me home with the advise of using Gumout and a wire to try and clear the tube. Said if I couldn't clear it they could put a new pickup in for me.

Well Gumout and working the mechanics wire cleared the pickup tube which caused all the problems. Tried to work the choke housing in the tube but my links were too short from working the fuel line.

[BobT-47P15]

If the radiator shop were to put in a new pickup they would have to cut

open the tank to work with it, I would think. Are pickups for gas tanks

easy to find......?? I suppose they would use a later model item.