Fuel Line fittings

[SkipBurney]

I was wondering if there is a special tool to remove the fuel lines from the tank sending unit on a 90 F-250. It looks like there is a plastic fitting that can be squeezed from the backside and pulled out but I have changed out fuel pumps in Chevrolet tanks and have to have a special tool to remove the fuel line. Has anyone ever changed theirs out? thanks Skip

 

[7.3 powerstrok]

hello sir no tool needed the plastic collar has a small white plastic u-clip inserted into the collar that must be removed first then just pull the line off

 

[icanfixall]

Thats how the lines are removed but let me add this... They have differant size clips and the lines are 5/16 for the return and 3/8 for the supply. Do not attempt to use the clips from one side for the other side. I recall one side is black and the other is white. Of course the 5/16 side wont fit on the 3/8 side. If you dropping the tanks becareful of the fuel in the tanks. It will shift causing the tanks to be off balance and thats a mess... also cut loose the lines at the rear cross member. Then you can drop the tank low enough to reach the line fittings without breaking the lines. Dropping the rear tank sucks the big one....

 

[G. Mann]

On the subject of dropping a tank with fuel in it..... it's a royal pain in the ass and an invite to hurting yourself. Very easy and very simple to make up a pump arrangement to suck the fuel out of the tank first. All you need is a few bucks worth of 3/8th fuel line, any kind of external 12 V fuel pump, some fuel cans and a battery.

Unplug both the lines at the tank , supply and return, slip the 3/8th line over the supply pipe coming out of the tank, drop the line from the 12v pump into the fuel can, plug in to the battery and let it do the work. In a few minutes the tank will be empty or nearly empty with less than a quart of fuel in it and dropping the tank will go wAyyyyyyyyyyyy faster. When you are all fixed, pour the fuel back in the tank and you are done.

 

[icanfixall]

G.Mann... That will not work if the suction line in the tank is broken off. Thats usually the reason someone is dropping the tanks. If you run out of fuel around 1/4 tank and it only requires around 12 gallons to refill said tank... then you have a broken suction and you can't use the last 1/4 tank of fuel. Now if your suction is capable of drawing the last 1/4 tank of fuel then your idea is a good one. Personally I would just run the 3/8 line down the fill spout and try to drain the tank that way... And we don't need to drop the front tank to remove the sender-pickup. Just reach up and remove the lines and wires. Then a hammer and punch on the locking ring and its lifted out.... The rear tank plain sucks to get at the sender.. Some feel the easy way is to cut a door in the floor of the bed. Then make a hinge and reinstall the door... Any further work on that tank is really easy access after that.....

 

[Revelstoke]

Park on a hill, let the front tank run low, and transfer fuel to front tank?

 

[G. Mann]

Icanfixall, good point on the broken pickup tube, I've done this trick to keep from dropping the tank with fuel.

The vent valve in top of the tank pops out easily with the bed in place. A piece of fuel line will thread through that hole to the bottom of the tank. Hook the electric pump to the piece of hose and pump the tank empty. Total time to pop the rollover valve [vent valve] out of the tank is maybe 2 minutes, the rubber grommet it sets in will come out easily even with my size 11 hands to make room for 3/8th fuel hose.... pump away....

Loads cleaner than fighting with a tank of fuel, or trying to snake a hose down the fill tube [good luck on that one]

I've never had any success replacing the sending unit with the tank in place, and the bed in place. On one truck, I did a cheat , unbolted the bed and tilted it up on one side with a 2x4 over the tire while someone stuffed blocks of wood between the frame and bed... gave enough room to do the sending unit,, "sort of"... since I didn't have enough people or machinery to pull the bed.

 

[gandalf]

The original question was about special tools to remove the clips holding the fuel lines. No, there are no special tools required. You can pull the clips by hand, or perhaps using a screw driver to pop them off. The clips usually break in the process. They're cheap enough to replace.

You want to buy a Ford Retaining Clip Assortment pack, 5/16" and 3/8". You want Dorman 800-015. I've found these clips where the fuel line connects to the tank, and at the fuel selector valve. The only problem I've had is the fact that the position/location is so awkward. Of course, I done this only when lying on my back under the truck. It would be so much easier with the truck up in the air.

 

[towcat]

Park on a hill, let the front tank run low, and transfer fuel to front tank?

won't work that way on our trucks. the feul switching valve will prevent you from doing so.