Big Blue's Transformation

[Rusty_S85]

Put the tube in boiling water and wear gloves pushing it on.

Sometimes you have to inch it into place.

I'm used to kits having pairs of connections.

Though if you're going from that and splicing in line here and there, I'd probably throw it all in the trash and just get new lines already made up.

I mean 34 years for a piece of polymer to be constantly soaking in fuel, and electric pumps in the tanks seems too daring to me.

Ive used the plastic lines like that before on a project at work they seem to work good but for me I dont like the thought that heated plastic form fitted to a quick disconnect is all that is keeping me from walking home.

Im going OE bent 3/8 hardline and will invest in a AN flare turret/die for my eastwood flare tool and flare the hardline for AN and make my hose connections via AN and quick disconnect with fuel injection hose clamps.

Seems more robust for me than a little plastic press fit line.

[85lebaront2]

Ive used the plastic lines like that before on a project at work they seem to work good but for me I dont like the thought that heated plastic form fitted to a quick disconnect is all that is keeping me from walking home.

Im going OE bent 3/8 hardline and will invest in a AN flare turret/die for my eastwood flare tool and flare the hardline for AN and make my hose connections via AN and quick disconnect with fuel injection hose clamps.

Seems more robust for me than a little plastic press fit line.

I have been running Darth with these for probably 9 years and never had a leak. The Dorman kit actually doesn't use heat, it has a set of various jigs to actually press the fitting into the line.

[Rusty_S85]

I have been running Darth with these for probably 9 years and never had a leak. The Dorman kit actually doesn't use heat, it has a set of various jigs to actually press the fitting into the line.

Yep and the truck I built at work has been running 3 years with no problems. For me its just I dont like the idea of plastic fuel lines.

[salans7]

I have been running Darth with these for probably 9 years and never had a leak.

Same, going on five or so years for me now. Only thing I would do differently is not mess up the original lines in the first place.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I have been running Darth with these for probably 9 years and never had a leak. The Dorman kit actually doesn't use heat, it has a set of various jigs to actually press the fitting into the line.

I'm not afraid of plastic fuel lines.

But I'm not comfortable with spliced together 34 year old fuel lines.

I wouldn't be too concerned about my mechanical pump truck.

A leak means I suck wind and coast to the shoulder.

Of all the ways I could meet my end, dying in a fire is at the bottom of the list.

[85lebaront2]

I'm not afraid of plastic fuel lines.

But I'm not comfortable with spliced together 34 year old fuel lines.

I wouldn't be too concerned about my mechanical pump truck.

A leak means I suck wind and coast to the shoulder.

Of all the ways I could meet my end, dying in a fire is at the bottom of the list.

Jim, that's why I spent the money on the Dorman kit. I used the unaltered 1990 lines from rear tank to front tank, then made new ones from front tank to where the armored lines go to and from the engine. From there they are steel and aviation style armored flex.

[Rusty_S85]

Jim, that's why I spent the money on the Dorman kit. I used the unaltered 1990 lines from rear tank to front tank, then made new ones from front tank to where the armored lines go to and from the engine. From there they are steel and aviation style armored flex.

armored flex? what does that look like?

Im kinda looking at options for lines between my fuel filter/pressure regulator and the fuel tank. Kinda dont like having some 2 to 4 feet of rubber line between tank and filter but I really dont like the idea of plastic lines for my setup.

[ArdWrknTrk]

armored flex? what does that look like?

Im kinda looking at options for lines between my fuel filter/pressure regulator and the fuel tank. Kinda dont like having some 2 to 4 feet of rubber line between tank and filter but I really dont like the idea of plastic lines for my setup.

Stainless braided line was first used for hydraulics on aircraft.

If you think blowing a steering hose on the road sucks, try it 25,000 in the air!

Of course it also makes a very effective rat tail file against aluminium airframes.....

 

[Gary Lewis]

Stainless braided line was first used for hydraulics on aircraft.

If you think blowing a steering hose on the road sucks, try it 25,000 in the air!

Of course it also makes a very effective rat tail file against aluminium airframes.....

Wow! Take in a movie and sleep a bit and come back to find a lot of help. Thanks, guys! So let me try to summarize what I've read, but I have to keep in mind that this won't be the last fuel line rodeo I do as I plan to do the same thing to Dad's truck.

First, buy new plastic line, don't try to repair the existing. That's a good suggestion as the existing lines are not only old but have lots of pre-formed bends in them that aren't really right. And they have some nicks that I was going to cut out and splice. IIRC, a 25' roll of 3/8" line, and the later trucks use that for both supply and return, is something like $36. I'll have to see if that is enough and, if not, see if a larger spool exists.

Also, if I am doing that I'll need to find the correct wyes for the lines, and I've not run across them yet. So if any of you know....

Next, Bill says to buy the tool. I see it for $87, and while that sounds a bit pricey when heat appears to work, if I'm doing 8 fittings on Big Blue and another 8 on Dad's truck that is only $5/connection. Bill says he got his in the kit, and while I see a few of those they all have a wide assortment of connectors that I don't need. Basically all I need are the straight 5/16" and 3/8" ones.

As for the vents, perhaps the best thing to do would be to connect them to the existing vent line on BB that runs up under the battery. I don't intend to run the charcoal canisters, but if I decided to I could put them on. And apparently I'll need a vapor management valve, but it really wouldn't have to be connected to the canisters? Just be there for the ECU to "see"?

Last, I'd forgotten to mention that I don't have a bracket for the fuel filter. Might anyone have an extra? It bolts to the frame and appears to hold the filter body. If not, perhaps a piece of that aluminum channel with a couple of slots for zip ties to pass through would suffice?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Wow! Take in a movie and sleep a bit and come back to find a lot of help. Thanks, guys! So let me try to summarize what I've read, but I have to keep in mind that this won't be the last fuel line rodeo I do as I plan to do the same thing to Dad's truck.

First, buy new plastic line, don't try to repair the existing. That's a good suggestion as the existing lines are not only old but have lots of pre-formed bends in them that aren't really right. And they have some nicks that I was going to cut out and splice. IIRC, a 25' roll of 3/8" line, and the later trucks use that for both supply and return, is something like $36. I'll have to see if that is enough and, if not, see if a larger spool exists.

Also, if I am doing that I'll need to find the correct wyes for the lines, and I've not run across them yet. So if any of you know....

Next, Bill says to buy the tool. I see it for $87, and while that sounds a bit pricey when heat appears to work, if I'm doing 8 fittings on Big Blue and another 8 on Dad's truck that is only $5/connection. Bill says he got his in the kit, and while I see a few of those they all have a wide assortment of connectors that I don't need. Basically all I need are the straight 5/16" and 3/8" ones.

As for the vents, perhaps the best thing to do would be to connect them to the existing vent line on BB that runs up under the battery. I don't intend to run the charcoal canisters, but if I decided to I could put them on. And apparently I'll need a vapor management valve, but it really wouldn't have to be connected to the canisters? Just be there for the ECU to "see"?

Last, I'd forgotten to mention that I don't have a bracket for the fuel filter. Might anyone have an extra? It bolts to the frame and appears to hold the filter body. If not, perhaps a piece of that aluminum channel with a couple of slots for zip ties to pass through would suffice?

Is there a reason not to reuse the Wye fittings you already have?

While the tool is $90 flat rate priority postage is $15.

Bill is done with his fuel system (today) you could make line sets for both trucks and spend 1/3 on a tool that's likely only to see the inside of a drawer for the next 20 years.

The actual fuel filter, or what you considering for vents?

I know you powder coat everything, but I try to keep dissimilar metals apart.

I wouldn't trust a plastic zip tie for fuel.

A stainless hose clamp.... yeah.

But that's even further away on the galvanic scale.