flexible fuel line that does not suck. or swell. or split.

[saylor]

dudes -

can anyone recommend some fuel line that does not suck?

the cheap by-the-foot rubber hose from vatozone keeps swelling up, and splitting, etc, and i grow tired of fighting it.

whats the good fuel hose that i dont have to change every year?

thanks -

- saylor

 

[commando1]

How long?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Any rubber fuel line should be use only to connect hard lines (metal) or the filter, the only piece that should be more than 2" is the piece from the frame to the pump.

I have been using the whatever-they-give-me over the counter stuff for years with no problems.


Alan

 

[commando1]

Thats why I asked how long. I think he's trying to cheap out on a steel line replacement.

 

[goodneighbour]

Are you buying actual fuel line or does the counter staff have any clue? Maybe they are selling you umm vacuum line! I use fuel injection 3/8 fuel line from the pump to steel line,also the line thru the stub rail (imperial), and at the tank. No problems here,believe the line is made by Atlas.

 

[Wildaugust]

If you're buying actual fuel hose of any reasonable quality, it should say so somewhere on the hose itself. If it doesn't then who knows what you are getting. I find that the little 2" lengths of hose that come with the replacement filters sometimes don't last very long. They start leaking in 12 to 18 months.

I replaced the entire fuel hose on my '70 Mercury about two years ago. I have owned the car since '94. I wasn't having any issues other than the end at the fuel pump having some oil and gas on it and becoming a bit brittle, but I thought it was probably a good idea to replace it. Rather than just replacing the last ten or twelve inches, I decided to do it right and replace the whole length. After removing it and looking it over, the rest of the old hose seemed fine, but now it has all new hose on it.

Ford didn't use any steel fuel line in the engine compartment of their full-size cars of that era (except from the pump to the carb). As you can see, the hose connects to the steel line down in front of the firewall, behind the inner fender and then runs up over the fender to the fuel pump. The car in the pic is a '68, but my '70 is the same. I think they were the same from '65 -'73 and maybe later. Anyway, my point is that a good quality fuel hose should last a long time, several years, not just a few months or a year.

 

[1970cat]

ask for ethanol resistant hose. i had the same problems before i switched over. either it turned to mush or dried out and cracked not only at the ends but lengthwise down the seam.

 

[commando1]

ask for ethanol resistant hose. i had the same problems before i switched over. either it turned to mush or dried out and cracked not only at the ends but lengthwise down the seam.

I think if you ask for that they'll give you a dumb look and say, Ummm, we have FI hose. Will that work?

 

[Yatzee]

Sooner or later, everyone will be changing their hose couplings to a real E85 type hose as the fuel used today has strange effects on most rubber based products. Lately I've read where a lot of folks are having issues with the diaphragm's in their mechanical pumps due to E85 causing warpage and splitting prematurely. Seems this fuel causes drying out of many compounds of rubber and cracking ensues. For fuel lines, there are number designations for their use and parts stores still think "one size fits all" and actually have hose that's safe for fuel, tranny cooling and even vacuum. Not so if you reference the designation numbers assigned by the Chemical Engineers Institute of America. But then isn't it convenient to have one product serve so many purposes? The only people I trust to supply the right hose for the right purpose are Gates and Eaton (A.K.A Aeroquip ) because of their leading technologies in this field. Not cheap stuff but not B.S. either. You get what you pay for. Find the compatibility designation number for the fuel you are using and only accept line that meets those specs.

 

[cantflip]

I think if you ask for that they'll give you a dumb look and say, Ummm, we have FI hose. Will that work?

Sooner or later, everyone will be changing their hose couplings to a real E85 type hose as the fuel used today has strange effects on most rubber based products. Lately I've read where a lot of folks are having issues with the diaphragm's in their mechanical pumps due to E85 causing warpage and splitting prematurely. Seems this fuel causes drying out of many compounds of rubber and cracking ensues. For fuel lines, there are number designations for their use and parts stores still think "one size fits all" and actually have hose that's safe for fuel, tranny cooling and even vacuum. Not so if you reference the designation numbers assigned by the Chemical Engineers Institute of America. But then isn't it convenient to have one product serve so many purposes? The only people I trust to supply the right hose for the right purpose are Gates and Eaton (A.K.A Aeroquip ) because of their leading technologies in this field. Not cheap stuff but not B.S. either. You get what you pay for. Find the compatibility designation number for the fuel you are using and only accept line that meets those specs.

http://www.daycoproducts.com/online-catalog

http://www.gates.com/catalogs-and-resources/catalogs

look it up yourself the kid at the parts counter thinks if it fits it works... everything uses a different hose construction... have you ever seen a fuel line sucked closed, hooked to a vacuum booster?

 

[saylor]

thanks for the comments.

im proud to say to all you krampases out there that its only for the in-between connecto spots - i have metal fuel line all the way to the carb. even tossed the glass filter.


i need like a 4" piece for down by the fuel pump spot where it comes out of the frame rail. a 1ft section would do me for when i screw up and do it over.

- saylor

 

[cantflip]

thanks for the comments.

im proud to say to all you krampases out there that its only for the in-between connecto spots - i have metal fuel line all the way to the carb. even tossed the glass filter.


i need like a 4" piece for down by the fuel pump spot where it comes out of the frame rail. a 1ft section would do me for when i screw up and do it over.

- saylor

Just call me a douche nozzle... Make me look stuff up and learn something else I will never use constructively...

In Austro-Bavarian German-speaking Alpine folklore, Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure who during the Christmas season punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved with gifts. Regions in Austria feature similar figures and, more widely, Krampus is one of a number of Companions of Saint Nicholas in regions of Europe. The origin of the figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have postulated a pre-Christian origin for the figure (see Germanic paganism).

Thanks Wikipedia...

Seriously... if you know the bulk hose part number... your part store very well my have it in the back... sold by the foot... around here the "master parts technician" was asking "biggie size those fries" last week and will be gone before he learns anything of value about automobiles. If you find a small parts store that still has old catalogs and someone who can use them... give them your business and keep them alive.

 

[saylor]

thats him ^^.


i love this place


- saylor

< - - this is my 1000th post. w0t w0t

 

[440_Magnum]

I think if you ask for that they'll give you a dumb look and say, Ummm, we have FI hose. Will that work?

That's actually the answer you want. Rubber hose rated for fuel injection applications is alcohol resistant and lasts MUCH much longer than old-school "fuel line." Look for SAE 30R9 rated hose. Every piece of hose on a pre-90s car should be switched out for SAE 30R9 fuel injection hose for safety.

 

[Yatzee]

Halelueyla 440_Magnum! I could not have said any better or any wiser. You've just gained my respect as an individual who really was equal to the task with informed data and not a victim of "parts store" bull$hit. You nailed it right on the head and deffinitely deserve a tip of the hat.

 

[commando1]

That's actually the answer you want. Rubber hose rated for fuel injection applications is alcohol resistant and lasts MUCH much longer than old-school "fuel line." Look for SAE 30R9 rated hose. Every piece of hose on a pre-90s car should be switched out for SAE 30R9 fuel injection hose for safety.

That was my point. They don't have an FN clue of what they sell.

 

[SF-66TC]

I got my FI Fuel Hose from Napa and the pn listed on my receipt is: 161211804095 - Don't know if it's the same SAE30R9 rated hose, but it was for Fuel Injection applications. If I recall correctly I believe it only came in a 3ft length and was pricey at $15.82

That's actually the answer you want. Rubber hose rated for fuel injection applications is alcohol resistant and lasts MUCH much longer than old-school "fuel line." Look for SAE 30R9 rated hose. Every piece of hose on a pre-90s car should be switched out for SAE 30R9 fuel injection hose for safety.

 

[cantflip]

That's actually the answer you want. Rubber hose rated for fuel injection applications is alcohol resistant and lasts MUCH much longer than old-school "fuel line." Look for SAE 30R9 rated hose. Every piece of hose on a pre-90s car should be switched out for SAE 30R9 fuel injection hose for safety.

I got my FI Fuel Hose from Napa and the pn listed on my receipt is: 161211804095 - Don't know if it's the same SAE30R9 rated hose, but it was for Fuel Injection applications. If I recall correctly I believe it only came in a 3ft length and was pricey at $15.82

Thank you 440 Magnum for the SAE#, I stuck in a couple links below that should clear up the details for those interested. The HRM link was a fairly good piece but is old, so some info may not be fully correct. For the lazy, the standard is about how much fuel vapors evaporate through the hose. Ethanol fuels can evaporate though older plastic fuel tanks and gas cans. The resistance to ethanol goes with the territory... my concern is if you had a need to upgrade to this fuel line, your mechanical fuel pump diaphragm and carburetor rubber type components are in just as much trouble. To my knowledge alcohol resistant carbs are available for racing applications, which don't get let sit with fuel in them, but I haven't seen or heard much regarding standard replacements like the beloved eddy's, maybe a tech support call? This is definitely an area for concern and research. E10 is likely what your running, but E15 legislation is in place and might be in use somewhere, IDK, its coming either way. To my understanding electric fuel pumps will be the only way to solve the obsolete fuel pump diaphragm issue, but maybe someone knows of pumps being built or rebuilt Alcohol resistant?


SF-66TC If they don't have bulk hose in the back, the pre packaged lengths are more expensive. One of the Gates links has the bulk hose part numbers and I put in a catalog link in my post above. The kid at the parts store usually just tries to match size when he's confused (WHICH IS OFTEN). They sell by the foot in many parts stores. Not all fuel line is rated for the same pressures either... so FI hose will be stronger than you need but more expensive than old carburetor hose which never saw much pressure. I wouldn't panic if you aren't experiencing the "swelling" symptom... fuels are not the same throughout the country... States and even cities or counties can have different fuel blends required, so unless you see signs of damage in your fuel system... relax, for now. When the ethanol issue becomes your reality it causes corrosion in steel tanks and lines and also attacks aluminum which is a big part of the "pot metal" your carb and fuel pump housing are cast from... that will another issue we deal with.

http://www.gates.com/oreilly/tech_tips/R9HoseTechTip.pdf
http://www.gates.com/oreilly/tech_tips/PermeationResistantFuelLineHose.pdf
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/additional-how-to/0812rc-aftermarket-carburetors-ethanol-fuel/

Added this link...extreme POV... but tells a lot about what's going on
http://smarterfuelfuture.org/

 

[celticwarlock]

As for the pump, I replaced mine with a Bosch unit (mechanical), and it seems to work quite well. I do not know if it has a diaphragm made with updated material, but it very well may be that it does. In any event, I have no complaints after 7 years and counting.