Clogged charcoal canister metal line, collapsed fuel tank

I just put a new fuel tank in and was putting the mg into daily driver status, when today I lost power and stalled, I just happend to check the fuel cap and heard a big hiss vacuum sound after checking other things. The car started right up and made it home, I had been driving for 100 miles, furthest trip yet.

Long story short, upon checking the lines from the rear to the front the main line is clooged somewhere forward of a union by the tank. The fuel tank was collapsed but by blowing air into the input line I was able to get it back to a semi normal state. I am draining it now to try and reset the pickup tube.

Can I just vent the tank at the union until get a new line running forward to the cansiter?

Should I disable the charcoal unit altogether?

Not sure I'd leave the union open if that's what you mean.......

Check prior posts for methods to clear the line - there are several recent examples. Mine was so plugged I replaced it with 1/4" copper line from Lowe's for $7.00, plus whatever the compression fittings cost to join the old and new lines together - a couple bucks. Worked great. I routed it through all the clamps that held the original.

I suppose you could use it clogged and use a vented cap - but I like the idea of the charcoal canisters. Good luck!

Get rid of everything. Go back to 1959...

Back when I was running carbs, I modeled everything off the standard equipment found on my MGA 1500. Be careful about your local laws. Some mechanics actually know what to look for on an old MGB, and you could fail inspection for missing smog equipment. I fortunately can sneak by New York State inspection.

Save all your take-offs in case you need them in the future.

A safer and can be perminate way to vent the tank is to drill a hole in the gas cap like shown in this old post.

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Thanks for the replies,w hen I first discovered the collapse this evening it looked like a childs empty juice box.

I have no inspection to worry about so that is not an issue. I guess the goodness is that I got to completely calibrate my fuel guage. I set it empty and know that the E is definitely empty, and after I put the fuel back in plus a trip to the gas station now F is full. I connected the original rear vapor canister and brought a vent line out to the side of the tank for now. No fuel smell or leaks but tomorrow will be a test.

I am disappointed that I didnt think through the vacuum noises on fill ups as an issue, so now the nice new galvanized tank still has a small dent, but hey its a driver and not a show car.

Time to get back on the road and try and calculate the fuel mileage.

Check the union itself, they have a nasty habit of rusting closed.
Cheers,

I removed all the canister plumbing and left just the fuel separator open where it exits through the bottom of the trunk. About the same as drilling a hole in the cap.

When I first got my car I removed all the smog stuff that was broken, worn out and a mess. I then connected the fuel overflow line to the line going back to the tank and my engine shut down. Took me a while to figure something was plugged in that line. Now the line is just there and I am deciding on whether or not to connect the fuel overflow to a new line that routes back to the tank through that weird round filter thingy in the trunk which just flops around since I don't know how it was installed to begin with. I'm all for not venting excess fuel, even vapors, into the air here in Oxnard, but wonder if doing what I plan (Planning) is OK or not. Seems like it should work OK---advice humbly sought from those that know what I'm talking about. The other thing I never see in this forum is ideas for larger fuel tanks. I'd love to have a larger tank----has anyone done this? Thanks, WGC

I just went through this myself.

My vent line under the car was totally plugged up. I tried everything.. mineral spirits, WD40 and a whole slew of other chemicals, but nothing broke it up. I then tried to snake something through the vent line, still a no-go. I tried to blow air through the line at 120 p.s.i. and still nothing.

I was going to delete the canister, but I like the carbon canister, it helps keep fuel smells in check inside my garage. So I did a quick fix. I just got some 1/4" ID fuel line and attached it at the union under the trunk and then snaked it along the original line under the car. I used black zip-ties to hold it in place. Then I just connected the other end to the carbon canister. I works and it was an easy fix.

I will, some day, buy the correct hard-line.. but for now I have a working vent system and It only took about 10 minutes to do.

I used baling wire and MEK to clear out my vent lines. Took a while.