# Fuel filter with 3 hoses?



## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

Just did head gaskets to my Dodge D-250, 360 LA engine with a quadrajet.

Yesterday I tried to fire it up, and got nothing. Thought maybe the rings were blown and gave up for a while. Then I had an epiphany - maybe I was 180 off at the distributor. Since the dodge has a slotted shaft instead of a gear on the distributor it can only be right, or 180 off - so I flipped it, sprayed carb cleaner down her throat and it kicked!

It won't stay running for more than a second though - I can't be in the cab and spraying carb cleaner in the carb at the same time, but I thought for sure it should have primed by now, but its either not primed, or I've got another fuel issue since every time I spray some down there it will kick over a couple of times and die.

So the filter between the pump and carb has 3 hoses. One in, one out, and one coming out of the side. The one on the side goes to a steel line that looks like it goes back toward the tank.

Anybody have any idea what the third hose is and if it's possible to maybe bypass it? I'm thinking that it may be pushing gas straight back to the tank through that hose instead of into the float bowl.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

It's a return line, electric fuel pumps usually have a return line back to the tank. It reduces line pressure to the injectors and allows the engine to use whatever amount of fuel needed, the extra (unused) goes back to the tank. 
Back in the day when electric fuel pumps came out you needed a pressure regulator, which did not always work so well with carbs in ever changing conditions.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

Did you pull the fuel line going to the carb to see if you are even getting fuel up there? Unless the filter is plugged it more then likely is not your problem. Could be a bad fuel pump or it could be getting air in the line before the pump. 

Did you check the dist timing when you put it back together? even though the dist has a flat shaft the oil pump drive shaft has to be timed close for things to work right. 

Also look down the carb and work it to see if it is shooting fuel in .


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

rrk said:


> It's a return line, electric fuel pumps usually have a return line back to the tank. It reduces line pressure to the injectors and allows the engine to use whatever amount of fuel needed, the extra (unused) goes back to the tank.
> Back in the day when electric fuel pumps came out you needed a pressure regulator, which did not always work so well with carbs in ever changing conditions.


It's a carb / mechanical pump. Most filters I've seen in injected cars have a filter with an inlet, and outlet - then to the rail, pressure reg, then out the other side for return.

I did some research, and I think it's a vent for the tank.

I put a new pump in it, and it's got wet stuff there, but still not pumping fuel. I'm thinking clogged line or the prefilter in the tank.


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

Randy Bush said:


> Did you pull the fuel line going to the carb to see if you are even getting fuel up there? Unless the filter is plugged it more then likely is not your problem. Could be a bad fuel pump or it could be getting air in the line before the pump.
> 
> Did you check the dist timing when you put it back together? even though the dist has a flat shaft the oil pump drive shaft has to be timed close for things to work right.
> 
> Also look down the carb and work it to see if it is shooting fuel in .


It's got a shaft in the engine geared to the cam with the slot in it for the distributor. The shaft was never moved, and the distributor itself doesn't move anything else.

I've got ignition timing close enough to run, I'll have to put a timing light on it once it stays running on its own.

I'm thinking about taking a mason jar with gas in it and sticking the pump pickup down there and see what it does. If it works its definitely a plugged line / prefilter.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

I would check any rubber hose along the line to make sure they are not all craked up and sucking air. Also have seen in older rigs the pickup tube in the tank has a hole in it towards the top. Could put a little air on the line and blow back into the tank, make sure the cap is loose. On the pick up tube there should only be what they call a sock on the end . Normally these don't plug up unless there has been bad gas in the tank.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

loosen the gas line to the carb a little when cranking, if fuel is leaking out float is probably stuck. Sometimes after removing carb and fuel in it float needle valve will stick, a quick rap with a rubber mallet solves problem. What year is the truck? 80's?


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

rrk said:


> loosen the gas line to the carb a little when cranking, if fuel is leaking out float is probably stuck. Sometimes after removing carb and fuel in it float needle valve will stick, a quick rap with a rubber mallet solves problem. What year is the truck? 80's?


1987, and previous guy - the tank sat empty for a while, so the sock could be funked up, but in this case not enough to make a difference.

I wasn't getting any gas out of the pump, so I changed it. Still no gas, so I changed the weird filter. Now I'm getting gas to the carb after pouring gas down the throat a few times and cranking :thumbup:

Of course, now it won't stay running without foot on gas pedal, and doesn't fire up easy at all, AND the water pump is pouring water out the weep hole, AND the power steering decided to leak everywhere ...

So it's carb rebuild kit, and water pump time - then figure out PS leak.


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

Thanks for the responses guys 

I just got back from her maiden voyage. Glad to have my truck back! Still tweaking and tuning to do, but that's a job for tomorrow!


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