Grant MacLaren's
1981 18' Century Resorter


Fuel line
(Click on any image for a larger version.)

Here's the tank, located behind rear seat:

It's a metal tank, like the original, but I suspect (and hope) it is not the original.

Notice the fitting atop the center of the tank. It's a backflow preventer (or "check valve" -- see the ball?), feeding a 3/8 inch fuel line running to the fuel filter/water separater. Because the fitting is sized for 7/16 inch tubing and the tubing is only 3/8 inch, the tubing does not cover all the barbs. (See "before" photo later.)

See discussion elsewhere about access to this part of the engine.

11/14/11 -- I removed the barbed fitting from the right angle threaded fitting atop the tank. It looked like this:

11/15/11 -- I cleaned and installed the backflow preventer, using teflon tape on the threads, then installed a short piece of 7/16 inch tube to the 7/16 inch barb, clamping it there. I then installed a "reducer" barbed fitting to connect the 7/16 inch tube to the 3/8 inch.

This is what it looked "before:"

And "after:"

I may WILL install new 7/16 inch tube for the entire run from the back-flow preventer to the fuel filter.

Mark say, "You know, I had a thought, if you are going to replace the fuel feed line, why don't you just use a new 7/16" fuel line from the tank to the fuel filter housing & buy a 3/8" thread to 7/16" barbed fitting to screw into the filter housing ... it will be much cleaner ... less clamps etc. ...

I said, "Good idea. I'll do that.
Actually, I had thought of that, but 7/16" does not seem all that common. I went to Grainger, 2 NAPAs, a hydraulics place, etc. to find the reducer barb. The only one I could find was 1/2 to 3/8 (at Lowes.)
That's what's installed. BTW, All the extra clamps are not needed. I found the new smaller ones were not "gripping" so I added good old ones from my own old stock, just to be sure.
Before buying new 7/16, I'll make sure the fitting you suggest is available."


Here's the NAPA receipt ($20.81) for the fuel line:

After installing the new 10 ft. piece of 7/16 inch tubing, the ends look like this (click on photo -- see the arrow?):

The 10 ft., 7/16 inch fuel line runs from tank to filter in the starboard bay which houses the water-cooled exhaust pipe. New plastic, single-screw tubing "hangers" are being installed.

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