Fuel Sending Unit Adapter

[RileyRacing57R]

I'm sorry if this question has been asked before, but I didn't find the exact situation in my searches.

I am currently in the process of restoring a 1974 Plymouth Duster. It has been a much larger project than I originally had hoped it would be, with fixing things correctly that the previous restoration, if you could call it that, did poorly or just lazily.

One of the things I am still looking to fix is the fuel system. I am needing to replace the sending unit, and I am looking at upping the size from the 5/16" line to 3"8". I am also wanting to replace the stock hardline with stainless steel braided PTFE lined hose. I am also toying with the idea of replacing the mechanical fuel pump with an inline electric.

My question is do they make an AN fitting adapter that connects straight to the 3/8" butt flare on the sending unit? I swear I have seen ads for them before, but I cannot seem to type in the correct description in Google to find them.

 

[ACME SS]

Sorry but I don't know about the adapter, however I would like to comment on the electric pump.

If you do go electric, be sure to install an inertia switch to shut it down in case of an accident. I'm pretty passionate about this due to the following incident... A classmate of mine when I was in tech school helped his best friend install an electric fuel pump. A couple days later the two friends, driving separate cars hit each other head-on on a country road. My classmates best friend was trapped in the car and the fuel pump kept running. When MY best friend arrived at the scene (he was a police officer and an EMT), the car was on fire and nobody as able to save the man. Please install an inertia switch...

 

[CRUZE 418]

Why don't you just get a 3/8" line for your car? The stock sending unit can be modified to 3/8" by Instrument Specialties. Steel braided line is expensive and should be replaced every 7 years or so. Do you really need an electric fuel pump?

 

[RileyRacing57R]

In all honesty, I don't have to actually do anything for the fuel lines, as far as I can tell the original lines are still fine for now. At least as much as I can see of them through the black spray paint the previous owner covered everything with.

The only thing I have to actually replace is the sending unit. I just figured since I already have the car up in the air to replace all the suspension components I would look at updating the fuel system as well. And what I had read was that if you went with PTFE lined braided it would be a once in a lifetime replacement.

The only reason I was looking at an electric fuel pump is because at some point in the distance future I am wanting to switch to FI.

 

[CRUZE 418]

I have seen few 50 year old fuel/ or brake Iines that were in good shape. Do yourself a favor, have your old sending unit reconditioned, the new ones don't work well.

 

[James Clews]

In our race cars we have an electric fuel pump and by law it has to be wired to a special box that works like this. Turn the ignition on and it works for about three or four seconds then shuts off. It also has a button for manual prime. It only works after it picks up a signal from the alternator and also has a roll over sensor as well. This system should be in all cars with electric pumps!

 

[RileyRacing57R]

I will keep the inertia switch in mind if I decide to switch to an electric pump. I still haven't decided what I want to do with that yet.

When I bought the car in July 2021, it didn't run. It was a combination of a locked up starter and a bad fuel pump. I got the starter freed up and replaced the bad pump with a new stock output pump that the auto parts store had in stock and it fired right up.

Ended up needing to rewire the entire car, only the headlights and one turn signal worked. It currently has a 318 with a A904 Transmission and 7.25 rear end, but it started out its life as a slant 6 based on the VIN and the rusted fender tag I decoded. They also put a 625CFM Holley Street Demon carb on it, and I am not sure if that stock pump can keep up with that carb.

I did find out about a year ago right before I started the restoration process that the previous owner had the timing way off, at between 10-12 degrees ATDC, I corrected that to 11 degrees BTDC and a lot of the engine problems I was having, overheating, spitting and sputtering, dying if I barely touched the throttle, went away.

It has been a long process over the last year getting her stripped down and fixing her up, but I am almost ready to paint and reassemble. Hopefully in time to do our gender reveal in January / February if the weather permits.