[Paulforchy]

Hello all, I am new here...I apologize in advance if this has been covered in the archives, I looked through (some of) them and couldn't find it...
Here's the problem...I want to change the filters in my holley 4bbl, but the end nuts on my steel fuel lines are so rounded I can't unscrew them, even with locking pliers...so here's my dilemma...
I briefly thought of using a sawzall to cut off the line, so I could get the whole carb off...but I think it would ignite the fuel in the line. I was wondering if using a plumbers type of pipe cutter would work without sparking? I would appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks, this site is a GREAT source of info.
Paul
I should have probably mentioned, this is for an '85 with a 351 and said Holley 4bbl.

 

[Paulforchy]

Bumpin' this back to the top...come on now folks, somebodys got to have a trick on this...

 

[81Bronk36]

is it a screw in style on the carb???

You can probably use a pipe cutter, I had to use one to install my electric fuel pump and it worked good. THen you can just replace it with rubber, but if its a screw in style to the carb thats gonna be weird, cuz I think you would need a screw in on one end and a nipple for a rubber line on the other.

 

[Aikidoka]

Just unscrew the other end from the mechanical fuel pump in the front cover. Then remove the carb and work on the carb end of the line. You can replace the whole setup with steel braided once it's all off. That's what I did before my EFI swap. I think I still have the line and the fittings.

 

[85f150]

why not use a hack saw and go real slow. Or buy a quality pair of locking pliers and try it. And make sure the jaw/teeth are going the right way to dig into the line.

 

[Oldyeller]

They make a tube cutting tool that works perfectly for this kind of work, i think it's what you're referring to by "plumbers type of pipe cutter" You just put the fuel line in, tighten it down a little bit, then rotate it around the fuel line, it'll cut it neatly and without danger of causing a fire, but I think You should work on getting the Threaded piece out of the carb first, I can't believe that you couldn't get it out with vice grips.

Yeller

 

[Paulforchy]

Thanks a lot, you know 20 year old fittings that are severely rounded can be damned argumentative, even with a full bottle of liquid wrench...
btw, Oldyeller, nice avatar

 

[81Bronk36]

lets hope the fuel filters been changed at least once since it was new....

 

[monkeyhouse]

my sister's old 86 gmc had the same problem. we took the line off at the pump and took the carb off, just as aikidoka said and used a fairly new pair of vice gripes and clamped it down as hard as we could. we got a whole new line from a junk yard and cut it near the carb and threw in an external filter with some rubber hose and hose clamps. it wont hurt to leave the filter out of the carb.

 

[Paulforchy]

lets hope the fuel filters been changed at least once since it was new

They've definitely been touched at least once, since thats part of the problem..the end fitting is so rounded even locking pliers won't grip it well enough to unscrew it.

Broncos&bombs...thats most likely exactly what I'm going to do. I'm not too keen on having this problem again, so some type of small inline filter is going to end up replacing the filters that are there.
Thanks.

 

[Aikidoka]

Just install an inline before the mechanical pump.