Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

If you look at the switch for the hot fuel handling package (which Darth had) it has 6 pins and is a DPDT no center off switch if you uses one side of the switch for the pumps and the other side for the gauge senders it will work fine, same as the 1990-97 system does. It will require taking the two gauge sender wires at the tank selector valve and extending them to the switch, and moving the gauge wire to the center pin on the other side of the switch. Why complicate things with an additional relay?

Bill - I see what you are saying. Here's the 1986 tank switch, and it would work nicely for what you suggested. Unfortunately I don't have one of those switches.

What I have is the 1985 switch, as shown below. And it doesn't have the second switch in it.

However, I do have a 1981 switch, shown below. It has two switches and even though the non-gauge side only has one contact, that's all that is needed to trigger the tank selector relay.

So, while the connectors are different between those two switches, if the terminals will swap from one connector to the other I should be able to do that - along with bringing the sending unit wires into the cab. Man, it would be SOOOOOO much easier to put a relay on the frame rail! All the connections are there.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, I actually ran Darth on EFI that way until I was sent the 1994 lines, it worked well with no leaks.

Bill - What is "that way"? Hoses slipped on the fuel line adapters?

I had another thought about the connectors. The fuel line adapters appear to be steel. Why not cut a hose barb's threads off, drill it out to fit over the fuel line adapter, and sweat solder it or braze it on?

[85lebaront2]

Gary, I actually ran Darth on EFI that way until I was sent the 1994 lines, it worked well with no leaks.

Bill - What is "that way"? Hoses slipped on the fuel line adapters?

I had another thought about the connectors. The fuel line adapters appear to be steel. Why not cut a hose barb's threads off, drill it out to fit over the fuel line adapter, and sweat solder it or braze it on?

Yes, high pressure hose slipped over and clamped. Do yourself a favor and get good full circle band clamps. Chrysler used hoses and clamps on the turbo cars in the 80s, pressure is 55 psi static, rising to 70 psi at 15 psi boost. Those are a disaster waiting to happen as an underhood leak can spray right on a red hot turbo and exhaust manifold.

Here is a view of the clamps nd HP hose (bought from Amazon):

The large hose is 5/16", small is 1/4". I reused the clamps on the 1/4" return as it has very low pressure. Rusty piece visible under the fuel rail and intake area is the exhaust manifold.

 

[Rusty_S85]

Yes, high pressure hose slipped over and clamped. Do yourself a favor and get good full circle band clamps. Chrysler used hoses and clamps on the turbo cars in the 80s, pressure is 55 psi static, rising to 70 psi at 15 psi boost. Those are a disaster waiting to happen as an underhood leak can spray right on a red hot turbo and exhaust manifold.

Here is a view of the clamps nd HP hose (bought from Amazon):

The large hose is 5/16", small is 1/4". I reused the clamps on the 1/4" return as it has very low pressure. Rusty piece visible under the fuel rail and intake area is the exhaust manifold.

Those are known as fuel injection hose clamps but you have to be sure to get the right size. I got a set of 14-16mm for my 3/8" vaporguard hose which is the right size to fit the hose properly on a barb.

[Gary Lewis]

Those are known as fuel injection hose clamps but you have to be sure to get the right size. I got a set of 14-16mm for my 3/8" vaporguard hose which is the right size to fit the hose properly on a barb.

Thanks, Bill & Rusty.

With a bit more research it looks like the following is the cleanest and cheapest way to go. Other people have the pieces at a bit less, but the shipping makes up the difference.

Ditto the ones Bruce linked to, above. At first blush the Fuel Line Adapter - 3/8 Quick Connect to Nylon look good at $9.54 for two of the 3/8" pieces, but then there's $14 in shipping. And I also need 5/16", so we are basically $50 delivered.

I'll buy these for a total of $42 and have them tomorrow - unless someone has a better and cheaper idea.

One in 5/16" for the return and one in 3/8" for the supply: Aluminum 6AN Flare to 5/16 SAE Quick Disconnect Male Push-On EFI Hose Fitting Adapter JIC 6 AN 9/16-18 Male to 5/16 inch SAE Black Anodized

And a pair of these: Female 6AN AN6 To 3/8" 3/8 inch 9.52mm Barb Straight Swivel Hose Fitting Aluminum Hose Barb Fuel Line Adapter Black Anodized

[Bruce moose4x4]

Thanks, Bill & Rusty.

With a bit more research it looks like the following is the cleanest and cheapest way to go. Other people have the pieces at a bit less, but the shipping makes up the difference.

Ditto the ones Bruce linked to, above. At first blush the Fuel Line Adapter - 3/8 Quick Connect to Nylon look good at $9.54 for two of the 3/8" pieces, but then there's $14 in shipping. And I also need 5/16", so we are basically $50 delivered.

I'll buy these for a total of $42 and have them tomorrow - unless someone has a better and cheaper idea.

One in 5/16" for the return and one in 3/8" for the supply: Aluminum 6AN Flare to 5/16 SAE Quick Disconnect Male Push-On EFI Hose Fitting Adapter JIC 6 AN 9/16-18 Male to 5/16 inch SAE Black Anodized

And a pair of these: Female 6AN AN6 To 3/8" 3/8 inch 9.52mm Barb Straight Swivel Hose Fitting Aluminum Hose Barb Fuel Line Adapter Black Anodized

That will work also. Those AN fittings will be a lot cleaner install.

[Gary Lewis]

That will work also. Those AN fittings will be a lot cleaner install.

Thanks, Bruce. I found lots of other combinations, but most of them were 3 or more connectors and ran into even more $ than these. Seems expensive, but it appears to be the least expensive of the solutions and maybe the cleanest.

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Bruce. I found lots of other combinations, but most of them were 3 or more connectors and ran into even more $ than these. Seems expensive, but it appears to be the least expensive of the solutions and maybe the cleanest.

Pictures of fuel line mount and filter with bracket as requested:

Fuel line mount from underneath:

Fuel line mount attaching nuts (holes were already there):

Filter clamp attaching nuts (again, holes were already there):

Fuel filter in clamp, return line is passing underneath in channel, rear harness under that:

[Gary Lewis]

Pictures of fuel line mount and filter with bracket as requested:

Fuel line mount from underneath:

Fuel line mount attaching nuts (holes were already there):

Filter clamp attaching nuts (again, holes were already there):

Fuel filter in clamp, return line is passing underneath in channel, rear harness under that:

Excellent, Bill! Thanks.

Your fuel line mount is angled and mine isn't, so they'll mount differently. And I forgot to check with the salvage to see if they have the filter mount. Thanks for reminding me. But now I know where it goes.

As for what I did, I got my first two fuel line connectors installed using the Dorman tool. It sure works nicely.

And, here's what I did with them. They are connected to the rear tank, as is the electrical connector, and the tank is installed, although I've not tightened the bolts & nuts up on the skid plate yet..

But, I did have a little bit of trouble along the way. The first was that the upper straps kept slipping sideways and didn't want to go back up as the tank was lifted, so the tank wouldn't go all the way up. So I held the straps in place with zip ties.

And the other problem was as I was installing the filler neck. Man, there's just no easy way to get in there to get the outer hose on. I suppose it should be put on the tank first, but that's hind sight. Still, I got it on and the filler neck cinched up.

[85lebaront2]

Excellent, Bill! Thanks.

Your fuel line mount is angled and mine isn't, so they'll mount differently. And I forgot to check with the salvage to see if they have the filter mount. Thanks for reminding me. But now I know where it goes.

As for what I did, I got my first two fuel line connectors installed using the Dorman tool. It sure works nicely.

And, here's what I did with them. They are connected to the rear tank, as is the electrical connector, and the tank is installed, although I've not tightened the bolts & nuts up on the skid plate yet..

But, I did have a little bit of trouble along the way. The first was that the upper straps kept slipping sideways and didn't want to go back up as the tank was lifted, so the tank wouldn't go all the way up. So I held the straps in place with zip ties.

And the other problem was as I was installing the filler neck. Man, there's just no easy way to get in there to get the outer hose on. I suppose it should be put on the tank first, but that's hind sight. Still, I got it on and the filler neck cinched up.

Gary, the rear tank is easy with no bed installed. It still comes out the bottom though.