Fuel Strainer Removal Woes Need Some Advice

[Go Go Joe]

Well I have a '83 US Spec Auto that I bought back in 2007 and basically put away in storage til now. I went to start it last week and no go. It would run on starting fluid but no fuel pump action. I removed the fuel pump, did the Berryman B12 treatment and hot wired it back and forth until it unjammed and now seems like it's working good. I drained the tank which had a lot of sediment and smelly old gas coming out. In addition, the metal fuel restricter in the filler tube was very corroded and needed to be removed. In so doing, a lot of rust and metal particles inadvertently fell into the tank. I removed the fuel sending unit and taking a chance, used a wet/dry shop vac to suck up the debris and some of the remaining old gas out of the tank from the top opening. The tank looks much cleaner inside but I then noticed the screen in the strainer is totally gone. So I have a new strainer and fuel hose to put back in but the old strainer is really in there and giving me fits. I have a 17mm impact deep wall socket on the strainer with a short 1/2" extension and a 1/2" rachet. I've only applied moderate hand torque to it but I'm really afraid of spinning the metal collar loose and then be looking at a tank replacement. I've doused it several times with WD-40 with no success. I'm thinking of heating it with a heat gun and then spraying with PB Blaster. Do you think that would that work? I'm really thinking if it won't come out safely to just add a inline filter between the tank and pump and leaving the old strainer in there. Any advice from the experts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Joe

[curtisr]

No expert but if you're talking about #24 it should come out with no worries. There is nothing to spin.

[honerboys]

never had it happen but I believe that if it's really stuck and you put too much torque on it you can indeed spin the metal threaded portion in the plastic - heat and PB might work - don't think it could hurt to try - just don't heat the plastic too much - try spraying PB from the inside also - very tricky - good luck

[5l32v4c]

I just replaced mine and it came out relatively easily. I would be very careful about heating it as you could soften the plastic and cause further issues. The strainer has a rubber gasket between it ans the tank which has possibly vulcanized itself in place over the years. Be gentle with it; personally I would not use heat or an impact wrench. If you can't undo it, try tightening it slightly and go back and forth.

BTW sucking up gas / tank debris with a shop vac is not a good idea as you could blow yourself up; the fumes could get ignited from a spark in the motor in the shop vac. It's not that much work to get the tank out. You could then get it prefessionally cleaned and have better access to get the strainer out with the help of some penetrating fluid or some hot water.

It will come, but brute force is not the solution in this case.

Good luck!

[Plexus928]

[QUOTE=5l32v4c;9075080.

BTW sucking up gas / tank debris with a shop vac is not a good idea as you could blow yourself up; the fumes could get ignited from a spark in the motor in the shop vac.

^^^DEATH WISH SCENARIO

Electric motor=, armature/ brushes= SPARKES!
You are lucky you're not dead or in a hospital with 3rd degree burns.

[Go Go Joe]

I was lucky, no explosions. Plus I dumped two gallons of hot water in first and then drained it so there wasn't much fuel left to suck up. I did end up spinning the threaded insert as it happens more often than not. I have the tank loose and dropped down to where I can get at the strainer which now will have to be pulled out of the tank with the insert attached. Once I get it apart, I'll clean the insert and epoxy it back in place and put in a new strainer. This is the standard procedure to repair the tank short of replacing the it. A lot of work just to have clean fuel and a unjammed pump. Thanks for the advise.

Joe