Fuel line routing

[alexblack13]

Hi David..

It isn't all sealed in tight. The fuel evap's and its gone. Then the accelerator pumps are pumping thin air when you 'pump' the throttle. And it takes quite a bit of cranking to fill the carbs (unless you have the lecy pump fitted that is) that's why you are spluttering and probably churning away at it.. And leaving my car for any time over say two weeks does make a difference if I don't prime it (You are only filling the carbs, nothing else.). And I have flattened the battery getting fuel up before now.

This is NOT to prime the engine & It does NOT replace the choke or priming your engine with the throttle pedal (I never use the choke) You still have to start your engine as you would normally once the carbs are filled.

However as I say to each there own....


Lotocone...At under a tenner to fit! And it works!! Pump away till you feel the carbs filling and stop when you feel the pressure. Carbs are then full. One turn should start your engine all things being equal.. My car does start first touch with no more than three seconds or so cranking.. It is fitted with Magnetronic EI though... By the way, I also tried filling the carbs up manually and it got a little dangerous I thought.

Been there guys. Think I did this for the fun of it?....... But... your choice! Just don't burn out your starter or ruin your starter ring.

What are the downsides? What's to loose? Fitted properly It's safe, It's dead easy to fit and cheap.

Good luck & whatever you do. Keep us posted...

Alex B....

[billwill]

Remember too that if you are inclined towards an electric pump, you should make provision for automatically shutting it off if you have a prang.

Generally done with an inertia-driven cut-off switch.

[tvacc]

I was going to say the same thing, dont fit an electric pump without some sort of inertia switch. I had an accident in my Elan back in 1986. Totaled the front of the car. While I am sitting there in shock, I hear the pump running and spilling fuel all over the ground. Lucky there was no open flame. I guess I pumped out about a pint or so before my brain kicked back in and I switched off the ignition. Now I have driven Elans most of my life without an inertia switch and with electric fuel pumps, but that was before i got smart. Smart with age I guess. But then I got smarter and put the mechanical pumps back on all my elans over the years. Never had an issue with starting even after sitting for a few months.

[cal44]

Some guys have been doing the bulb primer on 356's for decades...............works great.

[elj221c]

I'm one for the electric pump with inertia switch. A couple of reasons for this. I used the switch position of the instrument dimmer for a pump switch. This means that you can control the pump from the dash so no delving in the boot to start. The pump can be left off if one is doing stuff like a compression test without the need to disconect the fuel line. It gives you the chance to cut the fuel in an emergency if your not dazed!

It also acts as a basic theft deterent. Some years ago I used to park in a station car park to go to work. I came home one evening to find the car at the oposite end of the park. Some 'tea-leaf' had got just as far as a carb's full of petrol.

As for noise, once I was on the go the webbers and wind drowned out any pump ticking!

[alan.barker]

cal44,
that's where i saw the mod also on a 356
Alan B

[nigelrbfurness]

I've looked at this thread and can't find the anser to my question so perhaps someone can enlighten me - where the fuel pipe enters the boot, does it come over the top of the chassis cross brace and between the chassis and the body? I'm in the process of fitting a new pipe and I'm uncertain of the route it takes around the diff and I can't get underneath my other car to look at the moment! I'd be grateful for enlightenment!

Nigel Furness

[oldelanman]

Hi Nigel,
Yes it runs over the diff mount cross-member....

[nigelrbfurness]

Briliant, thanks very much Roger. That's tomorrow's job then!

Nigel

[Frank Howard]

Mike,

I discarded the plastic fuel line that came from the factory years ago. The line was routed low, down under the chassis and then back up. I used 1/4" steel brake line and routed it through the factory holes in the upper right hand side of the chassis bulkheads. As I recall, the rubber grommets were already installed with nothing going through them. I must have found a longer piece of brake line because mine comes all the way into the boot lined up with the nipple on the gas tank. I used a compression fitting like one would purchase for an ice maker to join the two so it is a hard connection because the tank and the fuel line do not move relative to each other. The front of the line ends maybe 8" from the fuel pump so I did use rubber fuel line to complete this connection to a metal flared stub that screws into the fuel pump. Without taking off the intake plenum and using some starting fluid or gas, there is no way to prime the carbs after sitting for awhile however this happens only once per year when the car comes out of storage. 15 seconds of cranking gets fuel to the Strombergs and I'm ready for another season of driving.

[TurbineHeli]

Does the original Elan fuel line lie on top of the rear frame cross member or actually penetrate it at two locations, front and back before entering the boot?
My chassis has two holes in the frame that would appear to accept rubber grommets for the fuel line.

Thanks

[pharriso]

Does the original Elan fuel line lie on top of the rear frame cross member or actually penetrate it at two locations, front and back before entering the boot?
My chassis has two holes in the frame that would appear to accept rubber grommets for the fuel line.

Thanks

On top... your holes are a mod & not advisable...

[TurbineHeli]

Thank you Phil

Could one of you recommend a "quiet electric fuel pump"?

Thanks

[prezoom]

Look at Carter rotary pumps. Otherwise, mount the pulse type on rubber isolators.

[TurbineHeli]

OK, can you suggest an appropriate Carter part number suitable for our Webers