Gas Filter unit install - 1959 CDV

[Paul]

Hi, I purchased a gas filter unit for my 390 engine, 59 Cadillac. I need to install it, but does anyone have a picture they can share with me to show me how the unit is supposed to be hooked up...someone replaced the gas filter unit with a plastic after market unit and put in rubber hoses. I want it to look and function OEM. Any help on the connection to the carb would be helpful...wondering if there is a kit that I could purchase with the correct piping. Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks, Paul

[Gabe Davis]

Hi Paul,

When I got my hands on my '59 there was no fuel filter up on the top of the engine, just the sock in the tank and a small screen in the inlet of the original Carter AFB. I was having trouble with the carb and the entire fuel system so I decided to upgrade. My car came stock from the factory without AC but at some point very early in its life an aftermarket AC system was installed. The sender in the tank was bad so I decided to change the whole setup out for that of a factory AC car that had a return line from the fuel filter back to the tank. My hopes were that this would help with vapor lock up by the carb as fresh fuel would be continually flowing and any vapor could head back to the tank.

Anyway, I changed out the sender in the tank. The sock was in many pieces and the fuel level sensor was not working. The new sender had the additional port for the return line. I purchased new stainless steel tube from Granger (I think they were 5/16 for the fuel and 1/4 for the return) and ran them along the factory mounts from the trunk area to near the passenger side wheel well at the lower part of the engine. From there it is rubber up to the pump (also replaced because the rubber check valves had disintegrated due to the ethanol gas) and off of the pump I plumbed up a new old stock filter assembly with the glass bowl which included the port for the return line. From there it is rubber to the aftermarket Edelbrock. I intend to have the Carter restored some day. That would attach with a hard line.

As I did not have a fuel filter up top (my theory is that it was removed when the aftermarket AC was installed) I had to use pictures of '59 engines online to glean how to get it plumbed in. I had a helpful NAPA manager let me rummage through the drawers of their fittings cabinet to get what I needed assembled. Also, the fuel filter is different for the AC/non AC cars - the AC filters have small holes punched in the upper flange to allow flow back down the return.

Hope the attached pictures help!


EDIT - Found a few shots of it in the shop manual. I referenced these as well. The one in the accessory page photo is an AC setup.