That bendable line mentioned a few posts above is the cats ***, and I don't think I've ever actually used that phrase before LOL I just bent up some last nighnt and it double flared like a dream. I can't recommend it enough. I'm going to get some more right now.
i got a 50' 3/8" double anneled 304 stainless from Mcmaster for $50 plenty for future prodjects. Was easy to work with
I don't care for the roll tubing. It is annealed so that it can be rolled up and is easily bent by hand. It's very difficult to get straight enough to look attractive. It's fine for a beater but not what I want on my hot rod. To my eye it always looks sloppy. I know about rolling it out at the base of a wall but it still never looks good to me.
Eastwood has a tubing straightener that works by pulling the line through a series of rollers like a sheet metal flattener. Has anyone tried it? The principle is sound, I wonder how it works.
"Patience is a virtue" i very happy with it came out. the roll came about 3' dia it was pretty easy to get it right
i don't like that stuff either..too ***** i find that the 5-6 foot straight pieces from napa works fine for me .i'm like deuce roadster , use a fuel filter as an coupler and i usually add an electric fuel pump back by the tank...so no single piece of line usually ends up over 3-4 feet long
Holley used to make (maybe they still do?) a similar can, I have a couple of them here. It takes the old Ford fuel filter element. Bob
I plumbed my fuel system with Aeroquip textile braid elastomer FC-332-8 NHRA spec rubber and socketless pushlock AN-8 fittings. Its tough stuff, a small version of whats on most gas pumps at the gas station. and I can change it out every 5 years, because it isn't very expensive, you can reuse the push lock fittings, and no really special tools are required. A mandrel to screw the fitting on (the roll over valve or vent on my aluminum fuel cell works great, just climb in the trunk and get it on) some oil and elbow grease to get it on there. Tightening the aluminum AN fitting requires care, but thats just the operator being smarter than what he's working on. Opinions vary, but this stuff is nice to work with, and very durable. I have used it for years on race cars and its safety record is great. It doesn't break like metal line in a wreck, and the socketless fittings are really tough, you cant pull the hose back off, you have to cut it off.
I love posts like this because i have been wondering what to do about running Fuel lines on my car and never thought about that fuel filter like a few of you guys are running it makes sense just never though to do it.I've always just ran a in line filter by the carb but this seems much better.Thanks guys these are very appreciated.
I might have missed this if someone posted already, but why not hard line to a stainless braided line for flex? Isn't that possible for a fuel line?
To me it is the best solution, Gas Stations use a large version of it for their pumps. If you have ever seen someone drag a gas pump off connected to their car, you realize how tough this stuff is. The hard line connection under the pump has always given first. One helluva mess. On NHRA legality. If it is AQP-FC-332, then you can plumb the whole car with it, NHRA legal. You need firesleeve near exhaust and a steel conduit at the bellhousing if it is not protected by the frame. As far as states requirements go I don't know, But I would trust this stuff before aluminum or copper and I am mighty close on steel for sure.
Man, use the hard lines, buy yourself a flaring tool, habor freight cheap, use the 48" to 72" lenghts flare what you need and clamp them in place then you don't have to worry about heat or gas formula's messing with your rubber lines...plus the steel line is going to look better...
i got a 25' roll of metal hard line from napa in 3/8" for my '36, it's just a ***** to get straight you just need to work with it.
We use a lot of rolled tubing at work for chemical piping and instrumentation line runs. To straighten it out fasten one end to something heavy and the other end to a come-along. Pull on the tubing, it ends up straight as an arrow. Jegs has zinc coated steel tubing in a roll. http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/63036/10002/-1
Yup. I just tried using that stuff making lines for the '36, it looked like ****. Now I'm back to the parts store for 1/4" straight sticks and couplers!
steel tubing is just fine, use the proper s.a.e. 45 deg. fittings and all is fine! for the rubber fuel hose, use the fuel injected line, it handles the high preasure and works just fine. last lionger..... you know what i mean...
There's some trick using a 2X4 with a hole in it held in a vise to straighten tubing. You just 'pull' it through the hole and it does the trick. I've had a couple of guys tell me about it, just never seen it done.
Yeah, I have that filter, mines a FRAM though (the same damn filter is marketed by a dozen brands... They don't even change its appearance, only color), its a good one. I've used it on a couple cars for lots of miles and never once did I have any carb/crud issues. It really couldn't be simpler and has a nice big element. It got kinda ugly pretty quick though. I need one for both my cars and still have the Fram, it's a tough deciding should get the new one and which can get the ****py lookin' one (and for the opposite that most are probably thinkin'.... I'd just put ugly on my Galaxie as-is, thats how everything else is, dirty/used/tarnished. My Tudor would make me paint it or something.) For fuel line, the Galaxie has, ta-da, whatever the hell Ford put in there... It works, it's flows enough, I don't care. For the Model A. someone mentioned a tubing NAPA sells that has a sort of copper-ish tone to it, I intend on bending that in one piece, then terminate with the cheap AN rubber lines, cheapo used ends that I'm gonna strip the anodizing off. Pretty, cheap, and safe. I've done similar setups with aluminum hardlines with success, just make sure they're fastened often so they don't vibrate, that's a biggie. To unroll the wind up aluminum stuff, I just rolled it out with a friend along the garage floor against a board. Took some pushing and prodding, but it was straight, believe me, I'm **** retentive of stuff like that being EXACT, I've spent two evenings replacing a bent section of a header primary that got crushed. I've spent lots of time smoothing **** welds, then resmoothing, then rewelding, and so on...
My '32 Highboy was plumbed from fuel tank to fuel filter to Holly Red fuel pump to frame below engine, thru addell clamp to flexible hose, then to Edelbrock 600, all with stainless steel. Flexible hose is braided SS.
In my Merc- Came out of the stock tank with a fitting and went dirrectly to 3/8's. Filter is mounted right at the tank. From there,snakes through the frame,then along the p*** rail up to firewall. I'de go with steel line. Don't be afraid of multiple sticks because I doubt even the best will never get it where you want it to go in the right bends and shapes.Plus- If for some reason you have to "service" anything,the whole line doesn't have to come out... Just don't do rubber line.....or skimp out on a "cheap alternative".
I would like swap my 5/16 ID sausage hoses for metal lines. However, the application is in a space next to the engine block with very limited air flow and . Should I be worried about fuel vapor lock?
Run the steel lines and if you have a problem then address it with a heat shield of some kind. What kind of set-up? Pictures? Any info at all would be helpful.
There is no "V/S". Use both. Hard line along the rails and flexible hose where it needs to be. flexible. PURPLE!
The application is on a motorcycle other very limited space. i am going with metal because of tight clearances under the tank. I will take your advice on heat wrapping. Thanks for the advice.
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