On Thu, 22 Feb 1996, Bart Schwartz wrote:
> I'm trying to remove the fuel tank from my '76 Midget so that I can
> put a new float in.
>
> When I tried to remove the fuel line from the tank, I tried to turn
> the nut connecting the line to the tank and CRACK! It crumbled into
> pieces. I hate when that happens, but I can't say it's the first
> time.
>
> Anyway, now I have the fuel line connected to the tank with no nut and
> I still can't budge the fuel line at all (at least without damaging
> it. So I have two questions:
>
> 1) There appears to be a washer flush against the tank at the end of
> the fuel line. I can't tell if it's part of the tank or the line and
> I can't budge it. Anybody know if I should be trying to get this
> thing off? Any ideas on how to get the fuel line out at all?
>
> 2) Now that I've destroyed this nut, is there an easy way to put a
> new one on without having to buy a new fuel line?
I would quit trying to turn the washer that is flush against the tank; I
am pretty sure this is brazed into the tank to provide the threads that
the departed nut screws into.
I think you are going to find it hard as all getout to fix this while the
tank is still on the car. If you can tolerate some non-originality, I
would get a tubing cutter and cut the gas line in some easy to reach
place in the rear wheel area. Then you can remove the tank. When it's
off, you can decide if the remains of the nut should stay put with the
tube attached, or be removed.
Either way, you can buy gas-resistant tubing with an id matching the od of
the gas line and worm gear clamps at your local parts store and reconnect
the line when you reinstall the tank. You may have to cut a bit more off
the line to get the tubing on.
Ray Gibbons Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu (802) 656-8910
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