Using My A Cowl Fuel Tank with a 350...

I am using the stock tank on my A, want to get the fuel lines running to my 350 with stock mechanical fuel pump. Do I need the 28 fuel shutoff, or will the gravity fed fuel not be an issue with the mechanical pump? Anybody got pics of how they ran their lines from the bottom of the tank to the moden fuel pump?

Les

 

I would leave the shut off . just in case you have to change something down the road ,you wont have to drain the tank.

 

I agree, I have already used it on mine.

I think you can see how the lines are run on our car, at least should give you an idea, be it good or bad...

Cheers
RustyNCA

 

If you are running the gas line from the tank to the mechanical pump make sure you use a cut off valve in the line somewhere. I made the mistake of not using one on a model A i had years ago and when i let it sit for a while the gas went through the mechanical pump through the carb and filled the entire engine with fuel. I went to start it one day after it had been sitting for some time and the engine would not turn at all.... (OF COURSE) After i figured out what had happened it scared the HELL out of me becuse i realized that if one SPARK would have went through those wires i would have been in OUTERSPACE!!!!!! So needless to say i put a shut off valve so i could turn the fuel off when i parked it.... Never used another tank like that again but i have not had a Model A either..... The lessons we learn i suppose..... KA BOOM......

 

Do you think it is smarter to take the line higher than the lowest point so it alteast has to climb back uphill and the pump will draw it more than it being fed? Just a thought. Definitely going to work it so there is a shutoff.

 

I think that GRAVITY will still over ride it and smart idea on the shutoff.....

 

gravity always wins. in theory.

 

Lots of old timers used to have to back their cars (mostly T's) up hills so they would get gas, but also because the reverse band was the only one strong enough for the task. Definitely use a shut off. You might even consider one that shuts off by itself when you turn off the engine. Lot's of 4 wheelers use one that opens from engine vacuum after the engine starts but I'd think there would be something electric that would do the trick. A tank switching valve from a late 70s Ford pickup would work, just block off the port to the main tank and run it on the Aux. side.

 

I have the shut-off valve on mine and I use it for safety. I have not had the carbs flood yet when I forget it on. Another thing is keep the carbs higher than the gas tank. Or at least the higher the better.

Neal

 

Most of the time it wouldn't but forget to turn it off just once when there is a little fleck of something in the needle valve and you could have problems.

 

Will there be any performance issues when the car is running? I mean does the gravity pressure affect anything as the mechanical pumps draws the fuel?

 

HOLY VAPOR LOCK........RUBBER FUEL LINE BAT MAN !!!!!
I would seriously re-engineer that my friend maybe its just the angle of the pic but i wouldn't want to be called "THE COMET " by my friends

 

I have a 1/4 turn 'Kant-leak' brand fuel shutoff valve at the bottom of the tank, easily accessible in a hurry if needed. Can get pics tonite if still needed.

 

I ran a 90 degree fitting , a brass ball valve(in the cab) and metal line down to the pump.No problems on performance feeds my 350 all through the rpm range.The model a catalogs have electric valves if you don't want to shut off fuel yourself.

 

I tend to drive my stuff on long trips and I don't remember the capacity of Model A tanks but they look small. I would probably put a fuel cell or '32 type tank out back between the frame horns.

 

You mean from the fuel pump to the carbs, etc. yeah, I just put that intake on a few weeks back. That's pretty much the same setup the tri-power had and it never gave us any issues (not that is proof the setup works....).

It got me running and back on the road, I haven't concluded how to do the fuel lines best yet and affordably. I just keep doing stuff to it in small steps....

 

The most I have ever put in mine is about 12.5 gallons and it was about dry.

 

You are running a fuel filter right, so you need a shut off.

 

Mine has the stock shut off valve. Never use it, but it is there. Small block and has been on the road for 12 years. Tank is 10 gal and trust me, at my age, I am ready to stop for a rest before the Model A runs out of gas. I do have a gas gauge and it is pretty accurate, so I do not worry about if I have gas or not.

 

Not a good idea

 

The late 31 was the first with a shut off. Thats why it has the dimple on the right side of the fire wall.

 

Nope. All Model "A"s had a shutoff valve. In late 31 it was moved from the inside of the car to the engine compartment, hence the dimpled firewall

 

Why wouldent you want a shut off?????

 

glad you posted this question, I will also be running the stock tank with a 350, great info, thanks

One of the guy's up here at the cruse nights that runs a stock tank says he stops about every hour to 1 1/2 hr for fuel and a pee break.

 

run a shut off it's silly not too, i have emptied a tank into my motor

all model A's had one, they are cheap and mount inside the cab

 

Using a stock fuel tank on my '29 with a 350. Body is channelled 4" so I had to build a cave-in around the distributor. Still use the fuel shut-off, then a fuel line down to the 350's stock fuel pump. Works wonderfully!

 

So does the height of the fuel bowl and mechanical fuel pump have any bearing? I mean do I need to plan where or how high I should put the bowl and lines, pump is obviously low on the 350, so regardless the fuel is higher than the pump and carbeurator

 

Fuel can flow through a mechanical pump, so if it's got gravity behind it the only thing stopping the fuel from running over in the carb and down into your engine is the needle valve in the carb.

 

I am also keeping the stock tank in my '29 tub. I added an additional 10 gallon s.s. tank under the floor.The fuel line from the original tank runs through the floor to the second tank,which feeds an electric fuel pump that is also under the floor.I will only use the original tank when traveling over 150 miles or so ( reserve tank).

 

im running a stock fuel tank on my sbc -30 ford tudor to and its working fine, i have the stock fuel shot off, i have a newer engine with a elektrik fuel pump, last sommer the fuel pump broke on the road to a event, i just took the fuel line from the tank and put it on the carb and it ran great, when i kicked full throttle it souked in but ran great.
sorry bad english!