Technical Best Fuel Line Material?

I totally agree with all of this. Stainless is great but as far as I'm concerned, the only benefit it provides is the ability to polish it and its appearance. In automotive applications, the NiCu line more than meets the necessary technical specifications for its use on brakes, fuel, transmissions cooler, oil, and air lines. As correctly mentioned, it is DOT approved.

Stainless is also substantially more expensive and more difficult to flare and bend. In non-brake related applications, I will often use Swagelok/Parker fittings, double inverted flare fittings, to negate the necessity to flare the lines. However, the ease of use comes at significant cost in terms of fittings. If the color of the NiCu is acceptable, the there is no question as to what is best.

I also posit that it is perfectly acceptable, if not a good build practice, to utilize some rubber or flexible lines. This absorbs vibration and slight movement, and prevents cracking from work hardening. But these should be kept to a minimum, should be of high quality (ie fuel injection hose rated for high pressures and ethanol), and the hard line they attach to should be either flared or attached with the use of a fitting and hose barb. Slipping a rubber hose over a smooth hard line, even with a good clamp, is a recipe for failure.

 

I use either 5/16 or 3/8 steel line, easy to work with.

 

I think this is "kinda" the right time and place to ask this question.

I'm going to be running new lines in the new few weeks, I'm using aluminum for no other reason than there are a couple of rolls on the shelf. My question is, do the rollers that straighten the coiled line work? I like the idea of it, I didn't know if anyone had used one?

 

I have one and it works well. What you need to be careful of with aluminum and NiCu, and really soft metal lines, is that if you use too much pressure not only will you straighten the line, you will "square" the line. Essentially changing the shape of it from a circle to a square. That will ruin your ability to flare it. Use gentle pressure and it's all good.

 

Says the guy with rubber hose and a clamp at the end of his masterpiece.

My fuel system is under 60 psi of pressure. I ended up using steel lines with the polyurethane fuel line most auto companies are using for the flex line these days.

 

@57JoeFoMoPar thanks!

 

I have a few vehicles that are from early 90s , The rubber is hard , can not change shape of , But what ever the brand recipe that OEM was used to make that rubber, I have not seen the hose break down on inside like a Replacement hose
from Autozone/ advance auto not OEM replacement's..
I see a lot of repeat vehicles and equipment weekly , monthly and yearly That I am the only one working on ,,

""" Aluminum coil tubing"""
You need to pay attention to this also,
Ethanol and methanol type fuels will corrode & eat the Aluminum, even rubbing alcohol if not treated like Anodized,,
The Ones of us Over years have spent alot of $$ on good steel braided line with in 1-2 years / seasons would see the rubber break down Before was made
Ethanol friendly, Steel breaks down maybe close to 3 years,,
I have switch over to PTFE type hose , I have some that is close to 35 years old,
Same thing with those fittings
PTFE & AN , JIC ,,, pick your brands wisely,,, I was using a lot of a particular size/shape $30 a fitting ,
So I was curious in order a few from fleabag/Amazon that were a quarter of the price, when they arrive they were as much as .020 thinner, a different type of anodized. Weight was Noticeable just by holding in your hand, aluminum ones were lighter, steel ones &S/S heavier,
Again I was experimenting the aluminum ones cracked and leaked from vibration , and a few hours of service,, steel -S/S , threads lose & Ferrells leaked, In my experience stick with the Name brands ,
Race, Aviation, Aerospace, Commercial industrial

 

Back in Mid 90s I was doing a lot of fleet wrenching ,things I noticed GM and Ford, The spark plug wires were numbered on brand new vehicles ,we would get our parts from the manufacturer OEM dealer ,the new spark plug wires did not have numbers on them, but they claim it was the same product coming down the Assembly line

 

Sorry if I hurt your feelings. From the picture you posted, I see a rubber hose with a worm clamp just like the kid down the street used. You bragged about how you made and polished the stainless line, then show a picture without the info about the high pressure hose. Sorry, my mind reading crystal ball is turned off.

 

snicker ...

 

I have did some experiments with
worm clamp & 3/8 hose on a smooth tube with no lip one clamp , 1/4 inch up tube , deadhead pressure ,
Close to 100 psi before it slid off,
Making sure was clean ,No oil / lubricant on tube nor hose.

Its like using 4 1/4 bolts sae Grade 5 to lift 600 pounds , But if you jerk / snatch the weight it will shear / snap / pull threads

 

Well, I guess if the tank is mounted off the frame, I get you. My PUs have had tanks behind the seats, so when the cab rocks a bit, the line from the cab to the frame needs to give a bit.
I still can’t recall about the ‘42 Ford PU I had, tank was under the seat, I know I replaced the fuel line, but darned if I recall how it was routed.
I did follow what was there before is my only recollection.

 

Some thoughts:

1. The one issue with Ni-Cu is it can turn green depending on your environment, due to oxidation and corrosion. This is where stainless is less reactive and may not need the upkeep.
2. Regarding rubber line, some guys use the NHRA rule of no more than 12 inches total line in the entire fuel system. Of course if you're using braided line, that doesn't count as rubber line.
3. Having hard lines from your mechanical fuel pump to your carb looks fantastic, but it makes for having to disconnect, reconnect fuel connections if, say you have a Holley you need to rejet, or you have to remove the carb for some reason. Having a flexible section near the carb may not look as cool but it can make it more serviceable.

 

I also use SS or aluminum fuel line. For flexible hose I use either black braided line, or modern fuel injection rubber hose. The fuel injection hose is high pressure and designed for modern gas or ethanol mix gas. It holds up great, but is a little expensive. Worth the extra cost though.

 

Well, your research is wrong, better do some more. Its dumping gas on the ground wrong. Been there, done that.

 

I’m going Tod be using 3/8 Nycopp for a fuel line from the carb to mechanical fuel pump. I already have PTFE from the fuel cell forward.

 

Not a fan of nicopp just for the color only. As an ex hvac / plumber I hate the look on a car, (edit) my car.

 

OEMs use nylon lines. Some for the entire length from fuel pump to fuel rail. Not that nylon would be appropriate for a pre-1964 styled build.

Aluminum does corrode - sometimes rather quickly - when exposed to ethanol containing fuel.

 

Oh I know! I just worked on my daughters Vanagon, not a piece of hard fuel line on it. From the tank to the engine and back to the tank it is all nylon and 14" of rubber hose, 25 clamps (those silly crimped on things). It leaked everywhere! She is selling it, if not I would have replumbed the entire thing with steel.

 

Try it for your self experiment,
Just because I was experimenting and seeing that the line or hose did give up close to 100 psi does not mean that I'm going to run that high pressure ,but I would have no problems at 50 PSI ish,
Do you know down in FLA @ Garlit's
There is a Top Fuel dragster that was built by a Engineer they want to go drag racing cannot remember the correct year but between late 80s early 90s, The engineer did everything that he was taught mathematical, the car did not work
Hot Rodders & Racers way work
I also know what its like to strap in , straddle transmission & engine in your face , tilting your head for line of sight to the left or the right looking down small window along the valve cover & the blower case , 6s 200 plus

 

Yep…approximately 6” with true fittings; all the rest rest should be metal and if possible in the air stream from the cooling fan.

 

In the "food for thought" category:

Over the years; aluminum, brass, copper, and steel have been used for O.E. hard lines.

Some variety of rubber, and copper have been used for O.E. flex lines.

Oldsmobile still used a some copper fuel lines on their 1966 tripower set-up.

As to "modern" stuff, 1966 (see above) is modern. The automobile was discontinued in 1975.

Jon

 

Marty, is what is the black material on the fuel line?

 

It looks like fuel hose without a clamp yet.

 

I just use plain old steel but I’m cheap, I figure all of my stuff still has the factory steel hardline in them, it must be ok.

 

@Kelly Burns , I'll state the obvious, if you are starting out with a new tool, plan on and use a small test piece. Doesn't matter if it's a straightener, flare tool, bender, or cutter, expect to make at least one mistake learning it's use. Better to do that on spare stock than what you hope is a perfect finished part.
Also when making your tubing, start with easiest and longest. If you make a mistake, you might be able to rework it for one of the smaller parts. Don't expect to straighten bends, though!

 

For hard lines on a carbureted engine I've always used 3/8" aluminum tubing with rubber EFI hose pieces. On the last few builds it's been all hose from tank to engine, no hard lines. I use Fragola Black Nylon Braided hose rated for Gasoline, E85, Methanol, Ethanol, Race Gas, etc. NHRA Legal, Made in USA.

 

@TexasHardcore sounds interesting, so I looked. Here's a link.
https://fragolaperformancesystems.com/product/premium-black-nylon-race-hose/

 

It's the way the OEM's did it . Too many don't know how to correctly use compression fittings.

 

Of all the tanks I've removed over the last 65 years , there has always been a short section of rubber hose between the sending unit & the fuel line , in every case they've been inaccessible & out of site . I don't ever recall that hose leaking .