connecting the balance tube

drivingpenguin · Samba Member Joined: October 28, 2004 Posts: 112

i've got an engine w/ dual solexes and the balance tube is there but not connected... can i just use any old piece of rubber hose to connect the tube to the manifold? or is there a special part? i noticed that the diameter of the tube is much bigger than the connection on the manifold, so i wondered if it required something special.

rustyfastback · Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:03 pm Post subject:

I used 5/8" fuel hose for the balance tube connection on my '65 squarebacks single port engine. You can get this hose at NAPA, I think the part # is H183. If you have a dual port motor use 3/8" fuel hose for the balance tube connection. Make sure the hose you get is rated for fuel, do not use heater hose.

drivingpenguin · Samba Member Joined: October 28, 2004 Posts: 112

hey thanks for the reply... i read your response and after thinking about it waaay too much i wasn't sure what you meant Wink

. Are you saying you connected one manifold vacuum port to the other with only the 5/8 hose (not using the balance tube at all)?, or that you connected the port to the balance tube with the 5/8 hose? i have some 5/8 hose and i couldn't fit it over the balance pipe.

jaransonT3 · Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:12 pm Post subject:

drivingpenguin · Samba Member Joined: October 28, 2004 Posts: 112

i'm a dumbass! i said 5/8 but i was using 5/16... the 5/16 fit over the manifold connection but no where close to fitting the pipe... 5/8 would fit the pipe, but would be too big for the manifold connection. it's like some kind of reducer is needed.

jaranson... thanks for the info. i may just ditch the pipe then and make my own out of hose... the only reason i wanted to keep the pipe was because i need the vacuum port for the transmission, but i suppose i could just throw a T in the hose.

jaransonT3 · Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:49 pm Post subject:

Russ Wolfe · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:55 am Post subject:

The single port cross over is a larger diameter. It is at least 5/8" maybe bigger. I would have to go out to the shop and measure. The dual port, is closer to 5/16" . I bent up some 5/16" steel gas line with short pieces of 5/16 gas line to make a balance pipe when I did the conversion to dual ports on my '66.
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drivingpenguin · Samba Member Joined: October 28, 2004 Posts: 112

yeah you guys are right, the pipe is just a hair under 5/8, but the single port vacuum connection is a hair under 5/16.

Russ Wolfe · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:50 am Post subject:

single port manifold, or dual port.
Stock dual ports WERE about 5/16". Stock single ports matched the pipe. About 5/8". Sounds like someone has messed with the manifolds if it is only 5/16" on a single port engine.
_________________
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey

Gary: OK. Ima poop.

drivingpenguin · Samba Member Joined: October 28, 2004 Posts: 112

crap Russ, you're right. they're dual port. my other set of solex's has single port manifolds - i thought both sets were the same.

so i'll either buy or make on my lathe a fitting to connect a 5/8 hose on one side and a 5/16 on the other

Russ Wolfe · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 10:50 am Post subject:

Just make a balance pipe from 5/16" steel gas line from your local parts store. That is what I did when I converted my 66 to dual ports.
_________________
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey

Gary: OK. Ima poop.

rustyfastback · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:33 pm Post subject:

I think Russ has a good photo of the engine in his fastback in his gallery. Russ did a good job on that balance tube, it looks original!

drivingpenguin · Samba Member Joined: October 28, 2004 Posts: 112

thanks for the tip rusty, i looked at how he did it.

russ... the pictures of your fasty are great, thanks for putting them out there. i poked around the galleries a bit too... i've seen some of em before and now they're bookmarked. lots of great photos and info in there.

Russ Wolfe · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:55 pm Post subject:

Guess what, My 66, is going back to single port for a while. The case has an oil leak, and I need to get it going, so I will be using the Ghia's long block. And, the large balance pipe.
You are welcome to the web site. Just trying to pass on the knowledge.
_________________
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey

Gary: OK. Ima poop.


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