Fuel feed line removal at tank?

[mkIIIman089]

I thought I would swap in my new fuel pump this afternoon but I'm held up on one thing: getting the fuel feed line off the tank.

I have put as much force as I can with average length wrenches and I have not even gotten it to budge the slightest little bit. I feel like I'm about to round off the male fitting even with the proper flare wrench.

Is there something about that connection I don't understand? I'm assuming its a standard right handed thread, and isn't some kind of special fastener.

Any suggestions? Or is it simply a matter of getting more leverage somehow?

Thanks!

 

[MassSupra89]

I had the same problem this weekend. Mine will not budge no matter what. I soaked it in PB for hours, and tried everything possible with those flare wrenches and I felt like any more pressure would have just snapped the thing. I dropped my tank with it still connected and it slightly bent the line(whole new pickup assembly is $85 from Toyota BTW)

Hope you have better luck as It looks like I'll be replacing the pickup and the line to the filter.

 

[mkiiSupraMan18]

Sounds like you need to save up the ~$80 for the fuel line from the tank forward...

most of the ones like that end up twisting off and you can't find the right end for it... cant rig it up because there aren't any straight spots around the area.... something along those lines.

In theory, however, it should just 'unbolt' from the line on the tank... 20 years of 'awesome' have done their damage and you get to pay for it. :icon_surp

It's an easy line to change though, that should make you feel better.

*edit*
^ he beat me to it...

 

[MassSupra89]

20 years of 'awesome' have done their damage and you get to pay for it. :icon_surp

:cry: So true.

 

[theDon]

I ended up hacking mine up and buying a new housing - good insurance and you won't have to touch it for another 20 years Don't forget to install a walbro while you are at it.

 

[crazysupra2JZ]

i wonder if replacing it with ss braided line would be the best route. it would cost more, but more reliable. i thought i almost ruined mine when i put in the walbro. luckily when i bent it back it looked fine

 

[mkIIIman089]

Well, at least I'm not the only one who has seen this before...

Mass - Are you replacing it because you had to bend it to drop the tank or something else?

bcg - The Walbro was the entire point of this. LOL.

It's not the money thats the problem for a new one, its the extra down time...

EDIT: crazysupra pretty much answered my question on bending it right there. Although it seems like it's going to be that much more difficult to change the pump with the hanger still tethered to the car.

 

[mkiiSupraMan18]

i wonder if replacing it with ss braided line would be the best route. it would cost more, but more reliable. i thought i almost ruined mine when i put in the walbro. luckily when i bent it back it looked fine

^ That's... silly. You'll drop the tank what... once, maybe twice in the amount of time you'll own the car? If you were super worried about it replace it w/ the Toyota line for $85.

Do replace the fuel filter while you're back there. THAT is the biggest PITA.

I had to replace the line because I just HAD to replace the filter... I dropped the rear subframe to make it easier and twisted one of the bolts supporting the front of the diff off... That car was one twisted bolt short of a road flare. :icon_evil

 

[MassSupra89]

I dropped the tank with that line still attached, the rubber line gave me some moving room but it must have twisted alittle bit when I was trying to remove the hanger from the tank, which requires some moving around to get the oddly shapen pickup out. It's not bent bad but I don't want to risk having to drop it again if I fire it up and find a problem.

I'd say you can definetly get away with just leaving it attached, just be careful when removing the pump. It will also require you to install the walbro all while sitting under the car. Mine was jacked up with the wheels about a foot off the ground which gave me just enough room to take the pickup out and work under there.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Mine was jacked up with the wheels about a foot off the ground which gave me just enough room to take the pickup out and work under there.

Hmm... my jack isn't going to get the wheels any more then 6 inches off the ground. I'm so discouraged with this stupid line (the line itself is starting to twist since while putting so much force on it, I guess I'm stressing the lines as well.) I'm just going to try to do it with it attached, if it shears or kinks then it'll just have to be replaced...

 

[mkiiSupraMan18]

^ Get the approval for the $85... :icon_bigg

 

[mkIIIman089]

Well, it looks like I may be spending more then I wanted to, and this will need to be put on hold for a little while longer. My fuel tank seems to have a TINY (not even enough to drip) leak in it that I didn't notice until now, so 375+ for new fuel tank setup, (I'll also need to replace at least part of the strap assemblies due to rust), 60 for the new hangar assembly, 30 for new fuel filter kit and hardware... ugh.

 

[jtran8]

Yeah , that fuel feed line is almost impossible to loosen it . that's why i didn't loosen it , i just unclampped on other side of rubber hose and pulled that rubber hose off , it took me 15 seconds.

 

[mkIIIman089]

You know, I was wondering about that rubber hose. Funny I didn't think (mostly because it was so hard to see) to check the other end of it, I simply assumed since it was a high pressure setup that it was probably all threaded fasteners from the tank to the FPD.

 

[jtran8]

Those rubber hoses are on fuel tank side , it connected to hard lines that on top of fuel tank . one for feed line and one for return line , use a pair of plier to remove clamps and pull hoses off . it should not take you more than 15 seconds .

 

[mkIIIman089]

Oh, see I mistakenly thought you understood what I was asking.

If it were simply clamps that it would take 15 seconds for anyone to do it. The fuel FEED at the TANK (just like it says in the title) is all threaded fasteners.

BTW, the fuel filter doesn't seem anywhere near as hard to get to as so many people seem to think it is.

 

[2543arvin]

Im not sure if Im on the same page as you but, when I dropped my tank to replace my fuel pump I couldnt disconnect that line either, so I just disconnected it from the fuel filter. You may be talking about a different line, but it sounds like the same one, cause it was a bitch to remove.

 

[jtran8]

My car is 89 7mgte supra and i believe yours the same . I remove my fuel tank 3 months ago and all i need was a pair of plier to disconnect fuel hoses . if you don't know what i'm talking about , just hang on there . I can take a picture tomorrow if needed ,i'm currently at work.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Im not sure if Im on the same page as you but, when I dropped my tank to replace my fuel pump I couldnt disconnect that line either, so I just disconnected it from the fuel filter. You may be talking about a different line, but it sounds like the same one, cause it was a bitch to remove.

Yep, thats the one. Although it still seems pretty well fused on to the filter, I think I have a better chance there seeing how it is at least a normal bolt head that won't so easily round off.

jtran - If you can show a picture that will allow me to disconnect everything simply via clamps, I will be amazed. It would certainly make this a whole lot easier if it were true though.

 

[2543arvin]

Yep, thats the one. Although it still seems pretty well fused on to the filter, I think I have a better chance there seeing how it is at least a normal bolt head that won't so easily round off.

jtran - If you can show a picture that will allow me to disconnect everything simply via clamps, I will be amazed. It would certainly make this a whole lot easier if it were true though.

I think he is referring to the return and vapor line IIRC, but yeah you will have a much better chance removing it from the filter. I twisted on the feed line for about 20 minutes before I just decided to remove it from the fuel filter. It only took me like 2 or 3 minutes to remove it from there and out the tank came.