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  1. #1

    Default Fuel line replacement - 83 Continental

    Hi all, I'm trying to get my '83 Continental up and running and am having trouble with the fuel lines (I posted a pic of the car in the introductions forum):

    This car has 2 fuel pumps: one in the tank and one mounted below the tank on the frame. I have already obtained a replacement for both fuel pumps and the fuel filter and dropped the fuel tank. My problem is obtaining fuel lines. They were leaking right out of the fittings where they attached to the external pump. I want to change the lines from the tank to the external pump, and from that pump to the filter, but cannot get pre-made lines the right lengths with the fittings.

    It seems to me that it should be possible to make these lines if I had some of this nylon tubing, the right fittings, and some sort of tool for attaching them. But I want to know what exactly I need to do that before I order a bunch of stuff online wait for it to arrive and than have it not be what I need. Any help would be appreciated.

    Also, how do you remove the clips that hold these fittings on without breaking them? And I need a different type of clip that I can't find to reattach the vapor return line to the tank. (I took a picture of what remains of it)

    First pic = the two fuel lines I need to duplicate. (long one is tank to pump, short one with the 90deg fittings is pump to filter)
    2nd and 3rd pic = close up of the fittings on those lines

    Fourth pic = the clip I'm looking for (one side is broken off)
    5th pic = the fitting that clip goes to

    Thanks

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    Last edited by 83Continental; 06-18-2020 at 04:54 PM.

  2. #2

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    There's o rings inside of that fitting so you might be able to replace the o rings. Dorman makes the fittings and splice kits if you wanna go that route to repair them.
    Matt
    1984 Thunderbird -- 1989 302 HO, GT40 heads w/ Trick Flow springs, E303 cam, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Edelbrock 600 4bbl, 85 Mustang dizzy, Jegs o/r h pipe, Dynomax mufflers, Mustang AOD & shifter, Mustang 8.8 w/ 3.73s, Mustang front & rear sway bars, KYB 87-88 TC struts & shocks, and Mustang 11" front brakes.

    1988 Mustang GT hatch -- Explorer intake, GT40 heads with Trick Flow spring kit, Crane 1.7 rrs, E303 cam, 70mm MAF, 70mm throttle body, o/r H pipe, Dynomax mufflers, Kirban Kwik shifter w/ Pro 5.0 Deluxe handle, clutch quadrant & firewall adjuster, and 3.27s
    (86 Mercury Cougar 5.0, 89 Lincoln Mark VII LSC 5 speed, 80 Mercury Zephyr 4 door) sold

  3. #3
    FEP Senior Member
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    Default

    What he said. Check to make sure the o-rings are present. I can't imagine much else that could go wrong with the lines. For the clips I would give NAPA a shot. They usually have a very good selection of all kinds of plastic clips and retainers. I would do a google search for NAPA fuel line clips or fuel line retainers or just go into the store and they should be able to help you. It would be helpful if you take a sample of each.
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  4. #4

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    I replaced both the in-tank, and external fuel pump, the fuel strainer in the tank, the fuel filter after the external fuel pump, the fuel line from the tank to the external pump, and the rubber seal where the filler tube goes in the tank. I should replace the rubber seal where vent tube attaches on the top of the tank, but Im still waiting for it to arrive by mail.

    In making the new fuel line, I got these fittings that are way nicer than the original ones. There's no separate clip (that breaks every time you try to remove it). The clip is a part of the fitting, and you just push in both sides to attach or release the fitting.
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    Anyway, it's running great now, no fuel leaks and no more problems starting.

    Next up I'm going to have to take the dash apart: I have to replace the heater core, the leaky vacuum operated switch which releases the parking brake, and I have to do some work on the radio (I want to get the cassette player working) and probably replace at least one of the speakers on the left side I think is blown. And two of the power windows aren't working, the hydraulic lifts that hold up the trunk lid need to be replaced...
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  5. #5
    FEP Senior Member
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    Where did you source the lines and fittings? Did you have to form any of the nylon lines?
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  6. #6

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    Here's a pic of how I got the fittings on. That's a flaring tool for steel line holding the line in place. I experimented with heating the line with a heat gun to get the fittings on, but it was too easy to heat the line too much. With this method you don't need to heat the line much, if at all. I just got the line and fittings off of ebay.

    It turned out the only leak was from that longer line that goes from the tank to the external pump which didn't have any tight bends. I just reused the original shorter line that goes from the external pump to the filter. How would you form bends in this stuff, I would assume you would have to heat it?

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  7. #7
    FEP Senior Member
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    You might be able to dip the section of the nylon hose you are working with in some hot water to help form it. Nice improvised fixture for installing the hose ends.
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  8. #8

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    Dorman makes these parts. Im going to repair a 93 F150 and with no replacement hoses available I got 10 ft Dorman 3/8 nylon hose and a pair of the 3/8 female adapters from OReillys for $25 total. They had them in stock. Amazon sells too but minimum hose footage was 25ft and the price higher accordingly. The lines are pliable enough to arch around objects. Use tape around hose to keep flare tool from "biting' into the flare tool and a bit of silicone grease to reduce friction. One guy was apple to use a socket and tap it into place with a hammer vs using a clamp.
    Steve

    1983 Mustang GT
    Popular Hot Rodding Project Car '83/84

    1983 Capri 331 ci, TKO600

  9. #9

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    I picked up a couple of those heater elements you hang on the side of a mug/cup to heat the liquid.

    Boils the water pretty quick, then you can let the line sit in it for a bit to soften. Also pretty easy to get near where you're working, if you're not on the bench.


    I was able to press the lines on by hand, while pushing against the workbench. The flaring tool vise works well too, with a rubber mallet to drive the fittings in.
    83 TC "Clone"
    85 Marquis LTS
    86 LTD Wagon

  10. #10
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    About those trunk struts.....Lincoln went through a few design changes from 1982 on. The right struts depend on date of build, theoretically, but sometimes old parts got put on newer cars. Take an old one to the parts store and know the build date for your car. For mine, NAPA catalog specified pin-and-clip strut ends, but the car has ball & socket mountings. I only found one place on line that listed mine. As I'm sure you know, that trunk lid is a heavy SOB. Have somebody else nearby to call 911 if you drop it on a fragile body part.

  11. #11

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    I replaced that trunk strut (it turned out only one was bad). My car uses the pin-and-clip kind.

    It started idling rough - but that just turned out to be a worn out distributor cap and rotor. Unlike the fuel filter those weren't original parts, but they looked like they hadn't been changed in a very long time. I also picked up new spark plug wires, but haven't gotten around to putting them in yet. I already changed the spark plugs right after I bought the car last fall (those were the original plugs).

    This car only had 88k miles on it when I bought it (90k now). It hadn't been driven nearly at all since 2011 (I found a record of when the oil was changed last in 2011 and the milage had only gone up a few hundred since then). I have a lot of maintenance records that came with it: It was well maintained in the 80s and 90s when it as newer, but not so much in the 00s, and then it just in sat somebody's garage for nearly 10 years.
    Last edited by 83Continental; 08-16-2020 at 11:07 AM.

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