Weber 32/36 fuel inlet on wrong side

[walkinfool]

After years with the same weber 32/36 and non-operational water choke (and thus rough cold starts), I'm converting to a manual choke Weber. I ordered one through Pierce Manifold and unfortunately, didn't realize that the fuel inlet is on the passenger side. It's press fit and so moving it to the driver side is not a trivial task and would require me to tap the other side and find a threaded fuel inlet. So, I'd like to find either a pre-bent rubber fuel line or use a U-shaped fuel metal elbow to avoid kinking the rubber line. Has anyone already experienced this and if so, what was your solution?

 

many thanks,

Mitchell 

[scatman75]

I have this same issue, havnt come up with a solution i like yet. Interested to see what others have done

['76mintgrün'02]

I understand your concern, but I wonder if there isn't a way to gently twist the fuel hose to achieve a smooth flowing curve.

 

Another member posted this photo recently.  I sort of like the way the hose is kept in tight to the head, instead of running out and around the way most do (mine does).  I do understand your kinking concern and went looking for that in this photo as soon as I noticed the right-side nipple.

 

 

Drilling and tapping the cover, Weber uses m10 x 1.0 straight threads and an aluminum crush washer on the brass fitting.  

That thread requires that the hole be tapped perpendicular to the surface, so it seals.  I guess that's what spot facers are for.

 

Tapered taps seal with the threads, so no washer is needed, but torque is required to seal it and stretching/cracking can happen if the fitting is removed/installed repeatedly.  (Probably why they used straight threads).

 

I'd imagine you'd be drilling and tapping both sides, so you could put a plug in the right side hole;  but that is a bit of farting around, with taps/plugs/fittings to buy.

 

 

I don't know about fuel lines with built in curves.  Seems like a reasonable solution, if you can find one.  Adding bent tubing means two more hose clamps and starts seeming busy.

 

Is the lid from your old carb compatible, or do they differ with choke styles?  Maybe you could move that one over, for a Fronkensteen approach.

 

Tom

 

EDIT, this is the thread that photo came from.  It discusses another issue, having to do with the size of the outlet nipple on the pump being smaller than the one on the carb.

 

 

 

There is one other commonly discussed topic and that's fuel filter placement (before or after pump) and putting it between the pump and carb is tricky, with the nipple on the right.  One thing that bugs me is when a plastic fuel line is installed in a curved piece of fuel hose and it starts to take that shape as the plastic deforms.  They're probably durable enough to tolerate some distortion, but it just looks like a fuel fire waiting to happen.

 

 

Edited April 27, 2021 by '76mintgrün'02

[walkinfool]

9 minutes ago, '76mintgrün'02 said:

I understand your concern, but I wonder if there isn't a way to gently twist the fuel hose to achieve a smooth flowing curve.

 

Another member posted this photo recently.  I sort of like the way the hose is kept in tight to the head, instead of running out and around the way most do (mine does).  I do understand your kinking concern and went looking for that in this photo as soon as I noticed the right-side nipple.

 

 

Drilling and tapping the cover, Weber uses m10 x 1.0 straight threads and an aluminum crush washer on the brass fitting.  

That thread requires that the hole be tapped perpendicular to the surface, so it seals.  I guess that's what spot facers are for.

 

Tapered taps seal with the threads, so no washer is needed, but torque is required to seal it and stretching/cracking can happen if the fitting is removed/installed repeatedly.  (Probably why they used straight threads).

 

I'd imagine you'd be drilling and tapping both sides, so you could put a plug in the right side hole;  but that is a bit of farting around, with taps/plugs/fittings to buy.

 

 

I don't know about fuel lines with built in curves.  Seems like a reasonable solution, if you can find one.  Adding bent tubing means two more hose clamps and starts seeming busy.

 

Is the lid from your old carb compatible, or do they differ with choke styles?  Maybe you could move that one over, for a Fronkensteen approach.

 

Tom

Hi and thanks for attaching the pic. when i was mocking my fuel line up, it seemed like it was going to be a tighter turn but this definitely looks and seems like a better solution than using a metal elbow and a few extra hose clamps. 

best,

Mitch

['76mintgrün'02]

I think giving the line a twist before tightening down the clamp might help it take that shape.  How will you resolve the nipple size difference issue?

[walkinfool]

I'll just take a look online and see who makes an 8mm to 6mm reducer. I currently have 8mm fuel line at the fuel pump and really had to tighten it down to prevent it from leaking. 

['76mintgrün'02]

1 hour ago, walkinfool said:

I'll just take a look online and see who makes an 8mm to 6mm reducer. I currently have 8mm fuel line at the fuel pump and really had to tighten it down to prevent it from leaking. 

 

Does adding a reducer mean two more clamps and a chunk of smaller fuel line?  That seems like it'd make it more difficult to make the nice sweeping curve between the pump and the carb.  Take a look at the link I posted above.  It shows another option.

 

On the topic of fuel lines, have you pulled the passenger side trunk board and inspected the hoses under there?

Tom

[walkinfool]

Hi Tom, okay I had time to look at the link and the sleeve makes the perfect sense because as you noted, there would be additional hose clamps with the reducer option. I'll have a look at the hoses as you suggested in the trunk.

 

best,

mitch

[Lorin]

A 10 X 1mm  threaded 90 degree angle with 6mm barb with EXACTLY the right thickness crush washer would be a cool solution. 

[Mike Self]

I've been running a manual choke Weber 32/36 since 1979 or 1980, when my OEM Solex 2 barrel's fast idle cam died, and a new choke assembly cost more than a whole Weber.  To tell the truth, I never noticed that the fuel inlet was on the "wrong" side; I just used a piece of fuel line long enough to effect a gentle curve from pump to carb.  No problems...yet.

 

mike

[walkinfool]

11 hours ago, Mike Self said:

I've been running a manual choke Weber 32/36 since 1979 or 1980, when my OEM Solex 2 barrel's fast idle cam died, and a new choke assembly cost more than a whole Weber.  To tell the truth, I never noticed that the fuel inlet was on the "wrong" side; I just used a piece of fuel line long enough to effect a gentle curve from pump to carb.  No problems...yet.

 

mike

Mike, I think you're out of the woods with regard to problems haha. Okay, it sounds like I should be able to create a gentle curve with a long enough piece of fuel line and will be back in the garage this weekend. Thanks,

Mich