1957 fuel pump flexible hose

[Tom 57-40]

Does anyone know what the original 1957 OEM fuel flexible line interior diameter is supposed to be?

So I have read all the bad reviews about Chinese fuel pumps, but I bought one anyway (could not find anything else) and surprise the car starved at full throttle and would not start after long periods of sitting, but I recently learned about Arthur Gould Rebuilders who supply rebuilt USA fuel pumps (no core required) and bought one. However, this made me take a closer look at the aftermarket flexible fuel line that I installed with the Chinese pump. There is only an interior diameter of about .080". So, going from the tank with a 5/16" rigid line (1/4"ID) down to less than 3/32"dia. into the pump seems to be pretty restrictive, just wondering if this is part of the original problem especially with perhaps a weak pump? And after all the hose was probably make in China also.

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[doug7740]

The inner diameter is 3/16" and CASCO sells the flex line for $39.25.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[Tom Alpers]

Does anyone know what the original 1957 OEM fuel flexible line interior diameter is supposed to be?

So I have read all the bad reviews about Chinese fuel pumps, but I bought one anyway (could not find anything else) and surprise the car starved at full throttle and would not start after long periods of sitting, but I recently learned about Arthur Gould Rebuilders who supply rebuilt USA fuel pumps (no core required) and bought one. However, this made me take a closer look at the aftermarket flexible fuel line that I installed with the Chinese pump. There is only an interior diameter of about .080". So, going from the tank with a 5/16" rigid line (1/4"ID) down to less than 3/32"dia. into the pump seems to be pretty restrictive, just wondering if this is part of the original problem especially with perhaps a weak pump? And after all the hose was probably make in China also.

Yes, it may well have been the original problem. There were several posts in other forums in the past year about those incorrectly sized hoses causing people fuel starvation problems. Many people replace them with brass nipple type fittings and rubber fuel hose with clamps. That is how mine is set up. Instead of replacing a $40 specialty hose if it ages and starts to crack, all you have to replace is $2 worth of fuel hose. If you are going for concurs that may not be suitable.

 

[Brax]

Original ID of OEM flex hose was .250, this is based on actual cutting an original hose in half. I used aeroquip braided hose with push fittings available from aeroquip If I remember correctly it’s a -04 hose AQP. Request a catalog. Easy to assemble and very close to factory look

 

[Tom 57-40]

3/16" ID is 5.4 times the area of .080" that's significant! Just before I received the Casco info from Doug7740 I had found shafersclassic.com, they claim to offer an OEM spec made in the USA fuel line for $20 +shipping. When I get it, I will post my assessment and if not acceptable, Casco will be my next stop.
Yes, high quality retro parts are usually significantly more expensive, but nothing could be more expensive than dealing with the far too often inferior quality of Chinese parts.
A big thanks to all responses

 

[Tom 57-40]

So here's both USA made fuel lines; In each picture: the left hose is from Shafers Classic & the right hose is from Casco Both have a internal dia. at there smallest points (the crimp) of .175"ID That's reasonably close to the stated 3/16"ID (.187) And it's 4.8 times greater area than the (assumed) Chinese hose (picture 4) but also way more expensive, however I adhere to the philosophy of cry once!

 

[SP6TIW2F]

Does anyone know what the original 1957 OEM fuel flexible line interior diameter is supposed to be?

So I have read all the bad reviews about Chinese fuel pumps, but I bought one anyway (could not find anything else) and surprise the car starved at full throttle and would not start after long periods of sitting, but I recently learned about Arthur Gould Rebuilders who supply rebuilt USA fuel pumps (no core required) and bought one. However, this made me take a closer look at the aftermarket flexible fuel line that I installed with the Chinese pump. There is only an interior diameter of about .080". So, going from the tank with a 5/16" rigid line (1/4"ID) down to less than 3/32"dia. into the pump seems to be pretty restrictive, just wondering if this is part of the original problem especially with perhaps a weak pump? And after all the hose was probably make in China also.

Had the same problem ordered from Casco their electric fuel pump that replaces the mechanical pump, starts right up if it sits for a longer period may take a little longer but not much. Problem the fuel from the carburetor will drain back towards the fuel tank, Casco has a check valve if you don't want the electric fuel pump.

 

[Tom 57-40]

My 1940 flathead has an inline electric fuel pump (installed by others) mounted on the frame just ahead of the fuel tank and it works great, engine starts right up regardless of how long it has sat, however the original mechanical pump is in series with it and I am concerned about the possibility of a broken diaphragm and subsequently the contamination of oil with gas, I will have to investigate this further, but I digress, back to the 57, I just spoke with AG rebuilders who supplied the rebuilt AC fuel pump that I will be installing, and they confirmed that those pumps have internal check valves, which makes sense as cars obviously could have been driven on an occasional basis back in the day. As I have already ordered a check valve from Casco I may install it as redundancy,

 

[Tom 57-40]

Casco check valve update:
Just received the Casco valve and the internal diameter is minute, so I going to do the pump install without it.

 

[Tom 57-40]

Update: installed the Arthur Gould Rebuilders rebuilt AC fuel pump and car starts and runs flawlessly.

 

[Tom Alpers]

Update: installed the Arthur Gould Rebuilders rebuilt AC fuel pump and car starts and runs flawlessly.

I had my pump rebuilt by Gould and it's worked flawlessly for about two years now even in the hottest weather I have not had a vapor lock problem.