Ford 4400 - Fuel Line Overhaul

MNHunter01 · Nov 22, 2022

New owner of a 1970 Ford 4400 gas. The tractor was having fuel issues when I picked it up. Runs well for a few seconds (occasional minutes) and then just quits. Always restarts without issue, but same failure occurs. Its starving of gas.

Digging into it now and I can see that the fuel setup between the fuel tap to holley carb has been overhauled in a frankenstein manner. The mechanical pump has been replaced with an electric pump. Some of the existing metal lines are still used and in between those metal lines is rubber lines. The sediment bowl is gone, but a brass fuel filter exists.

When I went to work on the tractor I discovered the pump was not getting fuel. Blowing backward in the line to the tank cleared a blockage and then the pump worked as I'd expect, however in messing around, the metal line feeding the carb pulled out of the carb fitting. I am struggling to get it back in...My question is, can I replace all lines with rubber?

That would mean replace the fuel port on the carb to accept a rubber line and hose clamp over the top. Thoughts? I will also be cleaning out the gas tank and ideally replace the fuel tap with something with a filter. If I can't get at it, Id prob shop vac out the tank to pull the garbage... but not sure if it will be effective.

fuel setup plan would be:
New fuel tap > Rubber line > new in line fuel filter > Existing Electric pump > New fuel line directly to carb port

Appreciate the feedback from the experts

Jim.ME · Nov 22, 2022

(quoted from post at 18:26:35 11/22/22) New owner of a 1970 Ford 4400 gas. The tractor was having fuel issues when I picked it up. Runs well for a few seconds (occasional minutes) and then just quits. Always restarts without issue, but same failure occurs. Its starving of gas.

Digging into it now and I can see that the fuel setup between the fuel tap to holley carb has been overhauled in a frankenstein manner. The mechanical pump has been replaced with an electric pump. Some of the existing metal lines are still used and in between those metal lines is rubber lines. The sediment bowl is gone, but a brass fuel filter exists.

When I went to work on the tractor I discovered the pump was not getting fuel. Blowing backward in the line to the tank cleared a blockage and then the pump worked as I'd expect, however in messing around, the metal line feeding the carb pulled out of the carb fitting. I am struggling to get it back in...My question is, can I replace all lines with rubber?

That would mean replace the fuel port on the carb to accept a rubber line and hose clamp over the top. Thoughts? I will also be cleaning out the gas tank and ideally replace the fuel tap with something with a filter. If I can't get at it, Id prob shop vac out the tank to pull the garbage... but not sure if it will be effective.

fuel setup plan would be:
New fuel tap > Rubber line > new in line fuel filter > Existing Electric pump > New fuel line directly to carb port

Appreciate the feedback from the experts

I would re-think the idea of using a shop vac to vacuum a gas tank out. Gas fumes + static electricity, and possibly a motor spark ???

Steve@Advance · Nov 22, 2022

I am not a fan of rubber fuel lines. If there is any way to save the steel lines, or make new steel lines (the premade steel brake lines at the auto supply work well, bend easy even without a bender if you take your time and don't kink it). Rubber lines are a temporary fix, eventually they will rot, ethanol will take its toll on them, mice will chew them, and worse case, turn a small fire into an out-of-control situation!

Also not a fan of electric pumps. Unless you go to the trouble of wiring in the proper circuitry to prevent it running when the engine is not, they have potential to flood the carb. If you can find a new mechanical pump you will be ahead of the game.

Really don't need the sediment bowl using ethanol gas. But there should be a way to turn off the fuel, and there should be a screen standing inside the tank.

The fitting going into the carb should have a screen in it. It really needs that screen as the last line of defense to keep trash out of the needle valve. If the carb is damaged, might be a good time to rid yourself of that Holley carb, they are notoriously troublesome. A rebuilt Zenith or Marvel Schebler would be my choice if in the budget.

And NEVER EVER!!!! use a shop vac to clean out a gas tank! It WILL ignite the vapors in the vacuum and ... Well, you get the picture!

caterpillar guy · Nov 23, 2022

Wash out tank whether you remove it or just keep washing on it is your choice. As for the lines I guess that is your choice too. Although I would just put an old good used sediment bowl back on it and using the copper nickel line put new lines on to the fuel pump then would depend on how the rest of it is strung on verdict for rubber or metal line. Metal lines usually are less trouble in the long run. A good flared fitting is better than those junk ferreled set ups. Flared will get tight and not be loose in a few months or when bumped like ferrels will. Only place for a ferreled line is in synflex air line with the plastic/nylon line. Only because metal line will not take the pounding of the road at the axles.

MNHunter01 · Nov 25, 2022

Thanks for the tips. Definitely seems like I should move towards getting the legacy fuel system up and running again. Seems like a decent winter project. In regards to cleaning the gas tank. Any tips on what the best way to do this is without removing it? Just keep dumping fuel in and straining it?

MNHunter01 · Nov 25, 2022

Thanks for the tips. Father in law shared the issue with the shopvac yesterday at Thanksgiving. Hadn't realized that would be the case, appreciate the tip and avoiding a trip to the burn unit. G

Going to take the time this winter to get the legacy fuel process back in place. Seems like that is going to be best case scenario for long-term operation.

MNHunter01 · Nov 25, 2022

Thanks Jim, that would have been bad. Didn't realized they made that much static, but have heard from a few now this is a bad
idea. Any tips on other ways to clean out the tank? Definitely need to do that...

showcrop · Nov 25, 2022

(quoted from post at 08:33:10 11/25/22) Thanks for the tips. Definitely seems like I should move towards getting the legacy fuel system up and running again. Seems like a decent winter project. In regards to cleaning the gas tank. Any tips on what the best way to do this is without removing it? Just keep dumping fuel in and straining it?

I have had good success cleaning tanks out by siphoning. You need at least a half inch tube. Siphon into CLEAR 5 gal buckets. You can get them from a restaurant. Then you just siphon it back into the tank with the intake up as far off the bottom as needed. repeat until you are getting clear gas.

Ford 4400 - Fuel Line Overhaul

MNHunter01

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Jim.ME

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Steve@Advance

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caterpillar guy

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MNHunter01

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MNHunter01

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MNHunter01

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showcrop

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