New fuel lines - Advice needed

[mattolewis]

I am looking for some help on running new fuel lines in my truck. I just dropped the freshly rebuilt motor in my truck last weekend, and I am looking to run new fuel lines from the fuel cell in the rear. Please forgive me if this was already answered, I did a search and had no luck. I have a few questions:

1. Should I run hard lines or just rubber fuel hose?

2. If I run hard lines, what size should I use?

3. If i run hard lines should I use steel or aluminum lines?

4. Where is the best/cheapest place to buy the materials?

Thanks,

Matt

PS Here is the pic of the motor back in....

 

[zebrabeefj40]

I prefer to run 5/16" or 3/8" hardline on the frame front to back. Use only the minimum run of rubber hose to jump from the fuel cell to frame and frame to motor. I use steel because it's cheaper than aluminum and available at the local parts house as brake line. Summit Racing and Jegs can supply coils aluminum tubing as well along with the bling stainless braided hose and fittings.

Nick

 

[pappy]

You can get hard line from most autoparts stores (NAPA, Checker, Autozone). It's usually sold as brake line and you will need to cut off the flare nuts and bubble the ends ... or use the flare nuts of your choice. I would run at least 3/8" with the V8. You might check and see what size the induction is fitted for and match that. I would use steel.

 

[mattolewis]

What fittings work best for going from the hard line to rubber hose?

 

[apeterson]

What fittings work best for going from the hard line to rubber hose?

hose clamps

 

[pb4ugo]

I run 3/8 supply and 5/16 return. If your run is long you may have to put 2 lines together w/a coupling nut.

 

[cjgoode]

What is the down side to using long lengths of rubber fuel hose. When it come cost and ease of installation it is a winner to me, so there must be a reason not to do it. Sorry to jump on this thread, but would like to know why not use rubber as one of his option.s

 

[mattolewis]

From what I have read so far, it appears that hard lines have two main advantages. Durability and fuel flow. The hard lines last much longer and with a smoother inside diameter, the fuel flows better.

 

[pappy]

What is the down side to using long lengths of rubber fuel hose.

Rubber hose is not as durable as the steel line. Remember what you are moving through that hose. It's the last thing you want leaking.

 

[pb4ugo]

Yrs ago I ran rubber lines inside the frame rail. They started to show dryrot after a yr or so.

 

[aggiecruiser]

You can get hard line from most autoparts stores (NAPA, Checker, Autozone). It's usually sold as brake line and you will need to cut off the flare nuts and bubble the ends ... or use the flare nuts of your choice. I would run at least 3/8" with the V8. You might check and see what size the induction is fitted for and match that. I would use steel.

pappy,

The hose clamps look awesome. Makes the install very clean looking. Are thos fabricated, or did you buy them from somewhere? If purchased, where from?

 

[pappy]

Those clamps are off a boneyard FJ60, IIRC. There are companies out there that make nice clamps. Summit sells Made-for-You product, but dang they are proud of their stuff. Boneyard parts are cheaper, and I suspect even the dealer would be cheaper.

 

[FishNinJay]

Rubber hose is not as durable as the steel line. Remember what you are moving through that hose. It's the last thing you want leaking.

Gas leak at bend in 5/16 fuel line from my rear aux tank. Dual exhaust and rear drive shaft nearby.

 

[nicholastheczar]

3/8" brake line like pappy said. Buy a cheapo brake line bender ($10) and bend your own.

Nick

 

[FishNinJay]

3/8" brake line like pappy said. Buy a cheapo brake line bender ($10) and bend your own.

Nick

I'm having a hard time visualizing this. So take a hard 3/8 metal line, and using this $10 device, I can bend it to route it to the tanks? How does it fit into the tanks, fuel switches, etc.. Also, my current rubber hose set-up is routed thru my frame, and up-n-over-n-around my mufflers, with zip-ties. Seems complicated to do with a hard line? Also, I thought I read somewhere here on Mud, that heat transmits thru the metal, so in areas near the exhaust or manifolds, the gas can boil in the line and cause vapor lock. Myth?

What about steel braided lines like this?
Spectre 10Ft 3/8 Braided Steel Fuel Line <~~link, click it

Spectre also has these steel braided sleeves that go around rubber lines?

 

[fieldsken1]

heres what it looks like with stainless steel braided

 

[FishNinJay]

heres what it looks like with stainless steel braided

Nice.. Is that your only tank? I have an aux tank in that same location, but also the main tank under the passenger seat. How many feet of steel braided line? And where'd you get it? My link above lists $25/10ft.

 

[chicago]

heres what it looks like with stainless steel braided

Is that the same stuff that summit sells?
I was looking at that. Like the way you ran it on the edge of the frame rail!

 

[chicago]

So an additional question then re. the steel vs. rubber....
So you would hard line from the tank, right? you would then NEED a rubber line to transition to the frame, right? Then back to hard line along the rail then back to a rubber line into the engine bay, then hard line IN the bay to the motor?

Is that right or am I reading too much into it?

 

[nicholastheczar]

Ken is the man when it comes to a clean look.

As far as the hard 3/8" brake line I do have soft hose as well for my tub pass-threw and routing to my throttle body. i would like to have it look like kens, but I went the lesser $$$ route and it seems to work. I am eventually going to go w/ a stainless kit under the hood to affix to my hardlines, but once I get a lot more of my restomod done.

Nick