Fuel line question

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debben69

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North Dakota
First Name
Darren
Truck Year
1973
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
I have a 73 K10 with a 350. I have owned this pickup for around 12 years. It was a running project when I bought it. It has been primarily used as a fuel service unit for my farm so it doesn't get much attention or driven much other than annual oil changes. Anyway, it has sparked my interest and I've been slowly fixing and correcting previous owners surprises. It has more problems than a math book.

The question I have is pertaining to the fuel lines as I am getting the fuel guage to work. It has a single passenger side tank with two lines coming off the sending unit which I presume to be the draw line and a return line. Currently the draw line is hooked up to the fuel pump and the other line is capped off on the pump and from the tank. Here is where I am confused, the hard line in which I presume to be the return, runs past the fuel pump and in front of the motor and stops by the steering box. If it was supposed to be a return, why wouldn't it end at the same place as the draw line by the fuel pump? I'd like some input before I cut the hard line by the pump so I don't have fuel lines zig zagging around the engine compartment. Thanks in advance!
 

PrairieDrifter

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I have a 73 K10 with a 350. I have owned this pickup for around 12 years. It was a running project when I bought it. It has been primarily used as a fuel service unit for my farm so it doesn't get much attention or driven much other than annual oil changes. Anyway, it has sparked my interest and I've been slowly fixing and correcting previous owners surprises. It has more problems than a math book.

The question I have is pertaining to the fuel lines as I am getting the fuel guage to work. It has a single passenger side tank with two lines coming off the sending unit which I presume to be the draw line and a return line. Currently the draw line is hooked up to the fuel pump and the other line is capped off on the pump and from the tank. Here is where I am confused, the hard line in which I presume to be the return, runs past the fuel pump and in front of the motor and stops by the steering box. If it was supposed to be a return, why wouldn't it end at the same place as the draw line by the fuel pump? I'd like some input before I cut the hard line by the pump so I don't have fuel lines zig zagging around the engine compartment. Thanks in advance!
That line wouldn't be the return. The return style pumps showed up in the 80's I believe. The line that runs by the steering box would be your vapor line, it would have ran to a charcoal canister mounted on the drivers side of the inner core support.
 

debben69

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North Dakota
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Darren
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1973
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
That line wouldn't be the return. The return style pumps showed up in the 80's I believe. The line that runs by the steering box would be your vapor line, it would have ran to a charcoal canister mounted on the drivers side of the inner core support.
Thank you for the quick response! I saw your profile name and had to see what prairie you were from. I'm a NoDak also.
 

PrairieDrifter

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350, 350, 350, 350, 350
Thank you for the quick response! I saw your profile name and had to see what prairie you were from. I'm a NoDak also.
No problem.

Nice! I'm from the southwest corner.
 

AuroraGirl

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if your pump has a port capped off someone put a fuel pump with the provision for a return probably and just didnt utilize it. If you want to improve your truck, put new sending units with a return on and run a line or buy prebent lines(made by the same companies that do brake lines pre made :) ) and you will do your truck a lot of good

Im not fromNorth Dakota like you two but my dad once lived out there and I spent a few summers out there in Minot :) but i was a kid then and it was before the oil bang out there. WHen it was rather peaceful and pre-2009 so like very nice. Lots of vikings fans, weirdly... more than Minnesota LOL
Vikings fans dont get far in Cheese land or at least they dont proclaim it
 

debben69

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Location
North Dakota
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Darren
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1973
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
if your pump has a port capped off someone put a fuel pump with the provision for a return probably and just didnt utilize it. If you want to improve your truck, put new sending units with a return on and run a line or buy prebent lines(made by the same companies that do brake lines pre made :) ) and you will do your truck a lot of good

Im not fromNorth Dakota like you two but my dad once lived out there and I spent a few summers out there in Minot :) but i was a kid then and it was before the oil bang out there. WHen it was rather peaceful and pre-2009 so like very nice. Lots of vikings fans, weirdly... more than Minnesota LOL
Vikings fans dont get far in Cheese land or at least they dont proclaim it
Yes, the Magic City! You know why North Dakota doesn't have a pro football team? Because Minnesota would want one. Lol
 

debben69

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North Dakota
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1973
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K10
Engine Size
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It would be fun to have a square body drive in meet in Central North Dakota.
 

debben69

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1973
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K10
Engine Size
350
That was funny about minnesota lol.. @OldBlueDually gotta be careful he might use his basically-canadian accent to threaten himself with an apology to us :O
Uffda ya that wasn't very nice. The thing is, I am a vikings fan, but they've disappointed me more than the federal government. Lol. My son's mind was blown when they missed that field goal a couple weeks ago. I wasn't surprised at all. I'm used to shaking my head as I turn of the tv.
 

AuroraGirl

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Engine Size
400(?), 350
Uffda ya that wasn't very nice. The thing is, I am a vikings fan, but they've disappointed me more than the federal government. Lol. My son's mind was blown when they missed that field goal a couple weeks ago. I wasn't surprised at all. I'm used to shaking my head as I turn of the tv.
okay mr peace garden I will be nice :)
 

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