Fuel Line - alternatives? Options

[kenpolives]

Well, I got some bad news today, while having some work done, my fuel line in the engine compartmnt broke into numerous little pieces. No fire (thank god) but now more $$$. What choices do I have for replacing all the fuel lines from the tank back? (I have carbs)

I know I have to tank the fuel tank out but is there a way to do it and keep the engine in the car?

Thanks

[Allan]

If you have carbs I guess you are lucky because you don't need a return line and only have to mess with 1. Installing new line front to back with the motor in is probably going to be a bitch but I believe it can be done. I used 3/8th .035 stainless. Clay Perrine has a nice how-to thread on how to do it.

[jet1]

Did you check out the tech article in the 914 info section? It was done with the engine out, but I think you can do the same thing with the engine in the car. It is just harder and more of a pain.

[kenpolives]

The summit racing catalog has stainless steel line (20 ft coil) for 27.69 (3/16th) this seems like it would be fairley easy to feed in from the firewall end. Has anyone else done this?

[gklinger]

Yep, just did this recently and used the 3/16 stainless from Summit. I'm very glad I had the engine out. It's not real easy to bend, you might be alright if you don't bend and form it to go thru the engine shelf in one piece. That was a beyotch, but I'm glad i did it that way - no place for it to leak from under the tank to on top of the shelf. Summit also sells aluminum tubing; I think if I had it to do over, I might use that.

[jet1]

I have not done my fuel lines yet, but the summit stainless steel line was exactly what I was planning to use.

[Katmanken]

I think my fuel lines were 5/16 (.3125) and 3/8 (.375) OD , not 3/16 (.188).

Trucks got fuel lines, oil lines, hydraulic lines, hydraulic brake lines, and air brake lines. The truck repair places stock tubing in a wide variety of sizes and lengths. Found a local shop that repaired truck hydraulic lines and explained what length and OD was needed. They came up with the tubing and a right angle connector where the lines come out of the firewall and head towards the right side of the engine compartment. Think the whole thing was about $40.00 for two stainless lines. They also had cheaper mild steel lines too.

I recommend pulling the engine or you will have much fun bending the line to feed it past the engine and straightening it in the tunnel to move it forward.

Ken

[914forme]

Ken do tell where I am doing this this weekend gathering parts tomorrow in Cincy, Dayton, Columbus, Okay the greater Ohio Valley area.

I gotta get this car done!!!!! And that is the next step.

Please share (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

[TravisNeff]

You can get 5/16 brake line in 60" lengths, just enough to pass through the passenger compartment. You'll need 4 pieces (maybe 3 would work) to snake through the engine bay as well. Pretty cheap and you can get it most anywere - just remove the fittings on each end and go.

[tod914]

5/16 ths flexable steel brake line in 5ft lengths works perfectly. Not sure on what diameter you need with the carb set up. I installed mine with the engine in. They are pliabe enough to feed through. Good luck! Plenty of threads on this, do a search.

[JeffBowlsby]

Bending stainless tubing is a major challenge, I tried multiple times but it never worked. Fitting create additional potential leak pooints.

I have been using simple aluminum tubing in the engine bay only, from the hardware store, for about 7 years now without any problems. Piece of cake to get it to conform to whatever profile you need. I check the whole system hose clamps with evey oil change...

B tells me that race cars use this too.

[scotty914]

i used the 4 bucks a pop steel brake line. in the engine bay end i did not cut off the conn, but i used a coupling to join the 2 peices together to go up to the motor. i kept the old return line it does not see much pressure. just for knowage the suby engine used about the stock psi .. 30 aproxx

[Rand]

Stupid question time....

Running high-pressure FI line is really easy because it is so flexible. But, it is very expensive. So what are the pros/cons of using SS for the long straight runs down the center tunnel, and running rubber/reinforced/FI line everywhere else???

-DA

[rhodyguy]

i may have done mine wrong by most accounts but here goes. with carbs, i used 8.5mm high presure fuel line. at the tank outlet, enough extra to lift the tank and not have to climb underneath to get to the clamps (it lays in a nice gentle coil). drilled a new hole in the rear firewall and sourced an approriate sized grommet for the fuel line. back from the rubber block with the fittings in the front of the center tunnel, i ran 1 continuous piece through the rear fire wall leaving it long. when i had figured where to mount the filter and pump, cut it to length. this method only requires 1 connection in the cabin. used the tabs in the tunnel to hold the line in place, with those little black plastic sleeves that are used to protect wiring on them. i also used new, shouldered, f.i. fuel line clamps thoughout. capped the fuel return line at the tank with a small piece of correct sized h.p fuel line, a shouldered bolt and to clamps. i have yet to have any leaks.

k

[Marv's3.6six]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) I just did a great "fuel line mod" earlier today that I have to thank Jim Patrick (Patrick Motorsports) for the idea. His idea is to use a piece of 1" EMT electrical conduit and run it thru the tunnel from bulkhead to bulkhead, very easy todo.

It took less than an hour to do this, (my car is completely stripped right now) You just cut a hole at the rear after you remove the existing fuel lines, make the hole slightly larger than the 1" conduit, you will need to put a couple of very slight bends in the conduit so to follow the tunnel curve, cut a similar hole in the front bulkhead just push it into place from the rear, tack weld both ends, deburr the openings and you are done,you only need approx 4 feet of conduit.

What this gets you is a solid pipe to run high pressure flexible fuel lines thru. If there is ever a break in the fuel line the 1" conduit is open only at the ends so there is no possible way for raw fuel to get in the cabin!