Fuel hose routing on a '63 401

[JanZverina]

Can anyone tell me if this is the proper way to rout the fuel hose from the bottom of the fuel filter to the fuel pump? It was like that before I did a general freshening of the engine compartment, snaked through the alternator bracket. Jim Cannon - I checked the shop manual and there are no illustrations for non A/C models that I can see.

I've also attached some overall views - if anyone sees anything that's not routed correctly, please let me know. Yes, I'm missing the decals and using modern hose clamps and my dist cap is not black.

Thanks!

[RIVNIK]

Greetings Jan Search for "63-64 Buick Riviera 401 engine images" & you can look at a surprising number of engine bays (most of them modified in one way or another though). I'm pretty sure you've got it, but it's a fun exercise anyway. Personally, my 65s shop manual seems to show the same routing, but I've always hated the idea of fuel lines touching hot metal....I know an engineer thought of it, but it still seems counterintuitive. My 65s AC pulley brings the belt high enough to route the fuel line in front of the heater hose & alt. bracket & straight down to the pump outlet through open, air cooled space. Anyhoo, check out those pics! Drew

[Guest clamshells]

I route mine the same as RIVNIK for the same reason(s).

[Guest dwhiteside64]

That's weird that they would route a non a/c car that way. The alternator bracket is below the a/c bracket so why would they have to route it differently? My '64 manual shows the hose going straight to the fuel pump on a/c equipped cars so one would think it would be the same for cars without a/c because there is even more room for that sort of routing.:confused:

[RIVNIK]

On Jans non a/c 63 the belt is too close to the alternator bracket & water pump to allow room for the fuel line....it would have to loop over in front of the belt which might be scary. Nice looking 63 from we can see though Drew

[JanZverina]

Thanks all, and thanks, Drew. Yes, the (lack of) clearance issue was what made me look back at pictures I took prior to the refurbishing, which showed the fuel hose looped through the bracket. I've seen it that way on other non A/C '63s, but that doesn't always mean it's factory correct. More pix to come of the rest of car. Super-solid and rust free in all the suspect areas; paint is faded but I'm slowly bringing it back to life. Next up is looking into a tandem master cylinder, replacing the funky rear parcel shelf, and replacing the taillight bezels with new ones I have.

[Guest dwhiteside64]

On Jans non a/c 63 the belt is too close to the alternator bracket & water pump to allow room for the fuel line....it would have to loop over in front of the belt which might be scary. Nice looking 63 from we can see though Drew

Oh I can see your dilemma now that I took a look at my car (duh!). I noticed that the fuel filter on my car (a/c equipped) is mounted further out than yours is and almost perpendicular from the engine so the fuel hose runs straight down to the pump between the water pump hose and belts. Lots of clearance on each side I might add.

[Jim Cannon]

My fuel filter holder bracket (A/C-equipped car) mounts under both thermostat housing bolts and sits further forward than the bracket you have.

The 1963 Buick Master Parts Book lists only one Fuel Filter Mounting Bracket for the 4700 (Riviera); they do not show a different bracket for A/C and non-A/C cars.

The following picture of my painted engine is not great, but it shows the filter installed and the bracket under one thermostat mounting bold. The other bolt is behind the filter and the upper radiator hose.

The next 2 pictures are different views from Mark Uhlig's very original non-A/C '63. He has the same filter mounting bracket as me. I do not have a picture of the fuel line on Mark's car below the fuel filter. I can ask him to go look at it for me, though, to confirm that it runs straight down and does not pass through the alternator bracket.

So I think if you get the correct bracket, the fuel hose will run straight from filter to pump.

[JanZverina]

Thanks Jim - is that a Carter or Rochester in your pix? Because I have a Rochester 4GC (which I thought was also correct for '63) and as you'll note in my photos, the fuel hose comes from the front center of the carb, not for the passenger side and via a pipe as I see in your photos.

[Jim Cannon]

These are both Carter AFBs. That small difference in carb inlet location, center vs. to the side, won't affect anything. It's not a pipe, it's a rubber fuel hose going to the carb on Mark's car. I don't know why but it has a white or silver look to it in the pictures.

[JanZverina]

Thanks, Jim - yes, I see now that it's a hose. Maybe my bracket is slightly bent so that my fuel filter sits at more of an angle instead of being more vertical. I'll investigate over the weekend, and I appreciate those photos! Always good to see ones of known originals.

[1965rivgs]

Can anyone tell me if this is the proper way to rout the fuel hose from the bottom of the fuel filter to the fuel pump? It was like that before I did a general freshening of the engine compartment, snaked through the alternator bracket. Jim Cannon - I checked the shop manual and there are no illustrations for non A/C models that I can see.

I've also attached some overall views - if anyone sees anything that's not routed correctly, please let me know. Yes, I'm missing the decals and using modern hose clamps and my dist cap is not black.

Thanks!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]247959[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]247960[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]247961[/ATTACH]

Jan,

The fuel hose routing in your pic is "correct". If you look closely you will see the alternator bracket is "notched" to accommodate this routing to eliminate a sharp metal edge from cutting thru the hose. Other routings are certainly possible for the reasons posted but be careful judging clearances when the engine is not running. The belt will "whip" while the engine is running and the component is loaded. You will need more clearance than is apparent with the engine in a resting state. Good luck,

Tom Mooney

[Guest tone65riv]

I need to replace my fuel line hose (3/8) on my 65 riv. with a/c. I think I need to re route the line cause it looks like it goes through the frame, and I can't see the clip to pull the old hose through.

Also I want to replace the return, what size is required, I didn't see any sizes in the manual.

 

Tone

[RivNut]

I just re-plumbed the 3/8" line on my '64.  It goes through the frame and there's a clip up behind the coil spring that keeps it out of the coils and secured snugly to the frame.  I was able to just loosen the clip enough to slide the old one out and the new one in.  I cut the head off of a bolt and threaded the new line to the old line, then wrapped that joint with some electrical tape.  Some slow but sure pulling pulled the old one out and pulled the new one in in its place - through the clip.  It takes an open end wrench, and lots of patience to loosen the bolt behind the coil that secures the clip to the frame because of the short throw on the wrench.  No socket, extension, or wiggle joint would let me in there.  I also had the car on a lift, outer and inner fenders off, and the wheel off; it was still tough to do.  Good luck.

 

Ed

[Guest tone65riv]

The brand I used was Gates.

barricade fuel injector hose (MPI) It will show all sizes 1/4 , 5/16, 3/8

www.gates.com fuel system 5/16 part #27340 (It's like $4.00 a foot.)

The O.D.(INCH) 9/16 for 5/16 hose.

The O.D.(INCH) 5/8 for 3/8 hose.

Well I finally got the fuel line hose in, had to go with a 5/16 line, the 3/8 line was to big to fit through some holes in frame, any way about a hour later got it in.

Thanks to all who responded, You all are most help full.

Tone

Novi, mi

Edited September 29, 2015 by tone65riv (see edit history)