EF

I took this engine apart for cleaning and inspection prior to running it, and it seems to me there should be some kind of fuel pick up tube inside the tank from the bottom of the tank to the short tube just under the needle valve, otherwise how is fuel supposed to get into the engine?

Am I correct?
If so, would a short narrow silicone tube do the trick?

GREG DOE

The original Cox build had a piece of clear tubing with a spring in it. The tubing they used tended to get hard over time. The tubing attached to the nipple just below the needle valve on the tank back plate. The tube has to be routed around the intake tube, and then to the bottom of the tank. General practice would be to have a slight bevel on the tube to keep it from "sucking" flat on the bottom of the tank. If used on a controline airplane the tube would be routed to the side of the tank which would be to the outside of the circle. Modern silicone tubing should work fine, so long as there isn't a kink in it.