2 barrel Carb Fuel Line

[robinsbd]

Hello,

​I am working on the fuel line that goes from the pump to my carburetor. What it is the factory fuel line made of? Is it stainless steel?

​One of the threaded fittings on my line has damaged threads and I'm trying to decide between two options:

1. Replace the fitting and re-flare the existing line.
​or
​2. Replace the line with a brake line from an auto parts store. The brake line I see at my local store is Poly-Armour steel brake line that is PVF-coated low carbon steel double-wall brake line. These lines already have the inverted flares and fittings. They just need to be shaped.

​Is it OK to use the steel brake lines, and if so do you think these will be bad as far as corrosion and longevity?

​Right now, I'm leaning towards salvaging my existing line because I'm not sure about the durability of the brake lines. What do you think?

​Thanks!

 

[Bt Doctur]

Unless you can access SS tubing , I`d go with regular steel brake lines , As far as corrosion goes, keep the water out of the gas tank.

 

[alldodge]

From what I read, for the lines to be metal it shall be copper, nickel copper or copper nickel 183.538 Metallic fuel line materials.
Each metallic fuel line connecting the fuel tank with the fuel inlet connection on the engine must:
(a) be made of seamless annealed copper, nickel copper, or copper nickel; and
(b) except for corrugated flexible fuel line, have a minimum wall thickness of 0.029 inches.

Also USCG approved type A1 flexible hose can be used with barbed fittings less then 3/8 of an inch and 3/8 to 1 inch another fitting is to be used



My thought is just use barbed fittings and A1 hose and your good.

http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/AssetManager/ABYC.1002.01.pdf

 

[Bt Doctur]

From the tank to the fuel pump,that applies but i think its steel from the fuel pump to the carb. Fuel inlection uses flex lines to the fuel rail.

 

[robinsbd]

Well, I picked up a 3/8 copper nickel brake line today:

http://www.plews-edelmann.com/brake-lines/copperhead/

Seems nice. I'm shaping it now.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Stock lines are plated steel lines then hosed down with paint

 

[NHGuy]

If you are new to bending up lines you may want to practice on some plain steel line from the parts store. Costs about $5 for each piece. At least you have the original one to copy.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

If you are new to bending up lines you may want to practice on some plain steel line from the parts store. Costs about $5 for each piece. At least you have the original one to copy.

I second that....plumbing up my 4.3 looked easy enough. Until you have to go around the water tubing and valve cover. I got it perfect after the second one. I used 3/8 steel line.

 

[NHGuy]

I take that back. The line you selected is much more easily shaped than steel.

 

[Scott Danforth]

the problem is that copper lines are soft and with vibration, prone to cracking at the nuts. make sure that the line is clamped often to keep it from vibrating

 

[robinsbd]

The copper is bending ok, and I'm using a lever tube bending tool. The issue I'm running into now is that the line is too long. It's a 30" line and the original is about 27". I'm ending up with too much line at the carb end.

​I think I should have started my bending work at the carb and worked my way back to the pump. I started at the pump end.

 

[Scott Danforth]

cut off 3 inches and re-flare.

 

[alldodge]

Just cut the line a re-flare it

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stor...&submodel=&engine=&Nrpp=&No=&persistYmm=false

 

[Scott Danforth]

a few tips for a perfect double flare.

use a good quality tool - this is not where you want to use a harbor freight tool
use a tubing cutter and not a hack saw.
lightly chamfer the tubing with a file or grinder
do not have too much tube sticking out of the flaring tool (1x diameter is the target)
use a bit of grease on the flaring die
dont forget to put the nut on the tube prior
Practice - practice - practice

 

[robinsbd]

After lots of practice, i finished work on my new fuel line. I did an awesome job on it.

Thanks for all the helpful info.