Noticed today that the short length of fuel line that runs from the float bowl to the carb body (dual SUs) was leaking. It was cracked and decayed.

I had some quarter-inch fuel line lying around. The old stuff I pulled off the carb had a fabric-y woven covering. The new stuff was regular rubber. OK to use?

Steve M.

Raleigh, NC

73 145
84 240

If it's really fuel line, sure. Should be marked on it. I'd replace any remaining fabric-covered line while you're at it.

It was marked as fuel line.

The old stuff has a sort of nostalgic, Nixon-era appeal to it, but I guess I'll go ahead and change it.

Side note: Got methodical today and set my dwell at 60 degrees, timing at 10 degrees btdc, new plugs, rotor, cap, points. For some reason the car seems to be running more smoothly. I may make a habit of this.

Steve M.

Good habit. You might try nudging the advance a bit further, see how
it does. Good way to start is to loosen up the distributor and turn it
to where it idles the fastest, tighten it down and see how it drives
all the way warmed up, especially under heavy load. If it doesn't knock
or ping, you have gained a few free horsepower. A little pinging under
heaviest load is usually considered acceptable.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Central US

I'll give that a crack next time out. Meantime I have to do something much less fun. The license plate lights keep shorting out that circuit. It's driving me slightly nuts. They work fine hanging out of their holes in the tailgate. Stick 'em in and ... poof! I can't figure out where the short is and I'm having to assume a second mortgage to pay for all the electrical tape I'm using.

By the way, someone seems to have removed the vacuum advance mechanism from my distributor. Is this unusual?

Steve M.

In that case you definitely need to advance it further. I guess it is not
rare, but a lot of them came without vac advance. Is there a hole where it
came out? In any case, it is no great loss, unless the emission requirements
are getting you down.

Have you looked at the wire all the way back? If the wire goes through the
hinge it could be shorting there.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Central US