I accidentally left off the spring after putting the fuel filter in, can I leave it that way, or do i need to put the spring back in?

 

The spring is what holds the filter against one end of the cavity, to force the fuel to go through it instead of around it. Yeah, you need to put it back in.

 

And don't forget the thin paper gasket. Sometimes they are attached to the filter and sometimes not.

 

I can't say that I've ever seen them not attached. The better filters have a check valve with an integral seal instead of the gasket.

 

Any love for the sintered brass ones?

 

Thats all I use on thy 66-67 quadrajets, they take the short filter.

 

So, basically the filter is not filtering without the spring?

 

Can you still get those?

If the filter is flopping around loose in the inlet housing gasoline is bypassing it. Recommend correcting the spring issue and then install an inline filter in the rubber fuel pump suction line, between fuel tank and pump. By doing that you should rarely, if ever, have to disturb your QJet's filter housing again. The more you fool with that potmetal the greater the chance of creating a leak.

 

That's what I said in Post #2.

 

This has the added benefit of keeping crud out of the pump check valves, which helps them live longer.

 

I like the Wix 33033, which is metal, 3/8" inlet and outlet, 20 micron filter media, and about $3.26 at RockAuto. Yeah, plastic is fine on the suction side, but I still like the Wix.

 

One of those will work fine. Reminder that Olds have 3/8" fuel lines. Good excuse to replace that old rubber fuel line while you're at it.

I like to use the OE type spring clamps like in Joe's pic on these. Available in Dorman/Motormite HELP aisle if they don't come with the filter and just looks better IMO. Never been a fan of screw-type hose clamps.

 

If you have a return line WIX Filters - 33040, cheap to buy. Installed where the charcoal canister was. Have an low pressure fuel pump in gas tank.

 

Unfortunately that was already the issue, I couldn't get it to stop leaking at the inlet, finally tightened it enough not to leak, but then realized I forgot the confounded spring 🤬🤬

 

Just curious, has anyone used an aftermarket carb such as Edelbrock or Holley on a Toronado?
It would be nice to not have to worry about those threads leaking etc

 

Did the fuel inlet have a fiber or nylon gasket on the large end? It fits around a raised lip on the carb end and helps seal the filter housing so you don't have to overtighten it and risk stripping it. MIA in a lot of cases.

Olds used the side inlet QuadraJet only in 1966 and 1967 but Chevrolets used them forever, so a Chev carb would probably work better than an Edelbrock or Holley. Toronados had their own specific choke linkage which complicates any swap but find a Chev carb that has same type choke as your Toronado.

An alternative is to send your carb to Greg Kalkhoff for rebuild to specs and to have throttle shafts rebushed and the fuel inlet heli-coiled if needed. www.sparkyscarbs.com

 

I use the Napa clear ones like this on all my cars so that I can visually check them for contamination. To keep the under hood clean I put them near the tank.

 

Mine had a nylon gasket, we tried to use a metal one but it leaked, then the nylon one was bent out of shape after removal so neither worked. We ended up putting both together and tightened a lot and it stopped