Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

Ok, in the almost light of day I'm pretty sure I know what the problem is. I'll go out and confirm it later, but here 'tis.

The hoses are fine up until they go onto the back of the transmission. To that point I'd used the convention of supply on the bottom and return on top. But at the stay to the frame they got reversed and I put the 3/8" connector on the return and 5/16" on the supply..

I could swap the rubber hoses at the regulator, but when I go to EFI I'd have the problem again because the 3/8" pigtail is the supply and the 5/16" is the return.

So what I need to do is, on the frame rail as you said, cross them over. I already have 5/16" connectors in the supply line for the fuel filter. So if I put connectors in the return I can swap - probably easily.

The only issue is that the filter supplies the male component of the connection, so since I'll only have one filter I need to put a 3/8" hose barb/male 5/16" fitting in the return awa a 5/16 female. I have the female connector, but I'm having a hard time finding that male connector.

Color coded fuel lines, or having the return in 5/16 could have saved a lot of guesswork, huh?

[Gary Lewis]

3/8 barb to ?

The Ford garter type fuel connection, in 5/16?

3/8" barb to 5/16" Bundy is the terminology I'm running into. I'm finding a lot of 5/16-5/16 and 3/8-3/8. But not yet 3/8-5/16.

The garter style comes in both 5/16" and 3/8" barb, I think. It looks to me like the return pigtail is smaller than the supply pigtail, but I can't measure their ID's, obviously.

I could swap the hoses and make up new pigtails when I go to EFI. But it seems so simple to do the swap on the frame now and not even have to pull the hoses - and that's painful, as I said.

Yes, color-coded lines or 5/16" return would have kept me from the error of my ways. I think. But that would have meant I'd have to buy two different rolls of line. As it was, the 25' roll was about 6" too long.

And, there would have been problems with the connectors. I didn't realize that the fuel filter, which goes in the supply line, has 5/16" male connectors. But by going with all 3/8" line I was able to use connectors for the return side to connect the fuel filter.

[ArdWrknTrk]

3/8" barb to 5/16" Bundy is the terminology I'm running into. I'm finding a lot of 5/16-5/16 and 3/8-3/8. But not yet 3/8-5/16.

The garter style comes in both 5/16" and 3/8" barb, I think. It looks to me like the return pigtail is smaller than the supply pigtail, but I can't measure their ID's, obviously.

I could swap the hoses and make up new pigtails when I go to EFI. But it seems so simple to do the swap on the frame now and not even have to pull the hoses - and that's painful, as I said.

Yes, color-coded lines or 5/16" return would have kept me from the error of my ways. I think. But that would have meant I'd have to buy two different rolls of line. As it was, the 25' roll was about 6" too long.

And, there would have been problems with the connectors. I didn't realize that the fuel filter, which goes in the supply line, has 5/16" male connectors. But by going with all 3/8" line I was able to use connectors for the return side to connect the fuel filter.

Ok, I'll check around your neck of the woods.

But I can see why no one would have a fitting undersized for the line it's supposed to fit.

From an economic and fluid dynamics perspective it is self defeating and crippling.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, I'll check around your neck of the woods.

But I can see why no one would have a fitting undersized for the line it's supposed to fit.

From an economic and fluid dynamics perspective it is self defeating and crippling.

Thanks. But I've used a bunch of 3/8" line to 5/16" female Bundy connectors. They are readily available. In fact, Ford used them on Huck as the supply was 3/8" line and the fuel filter was 5/16".

But finding the male version seems to be the hard part.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thanks. But I've used a bunch of 3/8" line to 5/16" female Bundy connectors. They are readily available. In fact, Ford used them on Huck as the supply was 3/8" line and the fuel filter was 5/16".

But finding the male version seems to be the hard part.

Dynapex, the manufacturer, shows this: Part #:qbd2b_05m_06 Reference #:3Q

Specifications

*Operating Pressure: 0 - 72 PSI / 0-5 bar / 0- 500 kpa

*Vacuum: 0 - 15 in Hg / 375 mm Hg

*Operating Temperature: - 40 to 115 C (short time 150 C)/ -40 to 239 F

*Applications: Air, Alcohol, Diesel, Gas, Gasline, Methanol etc.

Click Here for the Internal Struture

[Gary Lewis]

Dynapex, the manufacturer, shows this: Part #:qbd2b_05m_06 Reference #:3Q

Specifications

*Operating Pressure: 0 - 72 PSI / 0-5 bar / 0- 500 kpa

*Vacuum: 0 - 15 in Hg / 375 mm Hg

*Operating Temperature: - 40 to 115 C (short time 150 C)/ -40 to 239 F

*Applications: Air, Alcohol, Diesel, Gas, Gasline, Methanol etc.

Click Here for the Internal Struture

I found it on their site, thanks. But their site is bonkers! No way to even grab the URL to share it as it only shows "search".

Anyway, that one is a "Bundy Fitting 5/16" or 7.89mm Male to 3/8" or 10mm Barb OD Hose ID". And that's what I want. But I'm not finding part #qbd2b_05m_06 anywhere.

However, using their terminology of I'm finding a few hits:

• Stainless

• Dynapex Plastic

Unfortunately both of those have a two week lead time. But we are getting closer! Thanks.

[Gary Lewis]

I found it on their site, thanks. But their site is bonkers! No way to even grab the URL to share it as it only shows "search".

Anyway, that one is a "Bundy Fitting 5/16" or 7.89mm Male to 3/8" or 10mm Barb OD Hose ID". And that's what I want. But I'm not finding part #qbd2b_05m_06 anywhere.

However, using their terminology of I'm finding a few hits:

• Stainless

• Dynapex Plastic

Unfortunately both of those have a two week lead time. But we are getting closer! Thanks.

I did a Google search and found the FittingsSpace, and the exact two fittings shown above. Both of which have Dynapex part numbers. I'll call them and see if they can ship faster.

[85lebaront2]

I found it on their site, thanks. But their site is bonkers! No way to even grab the URL to share it as it only shows "search".

Anyway, that one is a "Bundy Fitting 5/16" or 7.89mm Male to 3/8" or 10mm Barb OD Hose ID". And that's what I want. But I'm not finding part #qbd2b_05m_06 anywhere.

However, using their terminology of I'm finding a few hits:

• Stainless

• Dynapex Plastic

Unfortunately both of those have a two week lead time. But we are getting closer! Thanks.

Do you want me to send you the 1995 F450 lines? I lack the frame bracket and filter with bracket. Unfortunately that won't help your current issue as those ends are Ford spring lock style at the engine.

[Gary Lewis]

Do you want me to send you the 1995 F450 lines? I lack the frame bracket and filter with bracket. Unfortunately that won't help your current issue as those ends are Ford spring lock style at the engine.

Thanks, Bill. But no. I'm soooooo close with this arrangement and don't see enough advantage to make all the changes needed to go to the '95 lines.

Now for the morning report: I was wrong when I thought I was wrong. And, as we all know, two wrongs don't make a right.

I traced the lines from the tank through the fuel filter to the regulator, and I did not swap supply with return as I thought. In the first pic below the supply is the lower line going through the filter and emerging from behind the crossmember as the top line/line closest to you. In the second pic it is still the line closest to you and curves up to be the inboard line at the two connectors. And in the last pic the inboard line and goes to one of the two inlet/outlet ports on the regulator. Then the return line comes from the middle port and goes back down to the tanks.

So I'm at a loss. I think tomorrow I'll pull the filter and confirm that fuel comes from the left side in the first pic, which is the tank side. Maybe I wired power to the pumps backwards?

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Bill. But no. I'm soooooo close with this arrangement and don't see enough advantage to make all the changes needed to go to the '95 lines.

Now for the morning report: I was wrong when I thought I was wrong. And, as we all know, two wrongs don't make a right.

I traced the lines from the tank through the fuel filter to the regulator, and I did not swap supply with return as I thought. In the first pic below the supply is the lower line going through the filter and emerging from behind the crossmember as the top line/line closest to you. In the second pic it is still the line closest to you and curves up to be the inboard line at the two connectors. And in the last pic the inboard line and goes to one of the two inlet/outlet ports on the regulator. Then the return line comes from the middle port and goes back down to the tanks.

So I'm at a loss. I think tomorrow I'll pull the filter and confirm that fuel comes from the left side in the first pic, which is the tank side. Maybe I wired power to the pumps backwards?

Oh, on a positive note the battery seems to be coming up nicely. It is at about 12.7 volts on the 10 amp setting so is nearing full charge.

And, there was an interesting result when I filled the charger's switch to the 50 amp mode - voltage climbed quickly to 14.5 volts. However previously when I did that the voltage only went up a few tenths of a volt. That seems to say to me that previously the battery was converting the current to stored potential via the chemical process, where now it isn't able to do that and the voltage climbs.

Does that make sense?