Braided Stainless Steel Fuel Line

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340Dart

Obsessive Dart Disorder
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Is there a service life on these? I have the Earls or Russell ProFlex hose (can't remember) from the fuel pump to the fuel line on the carb. It's probably over 15 years old. Should I replace it?
 
i'd replace it under the "abundance of caution" clause.

manufacturer's recommendations are kinda all over the place; but they're also in the business of, ya know, selling you more line.

i've seen stuff last a decade plus, i've also seen stuff that's past its sell by date in just a year. there's a lot of contributing factors: heat, fuel additives, vibration, radius, etx.

generally speaking, stuff with teflon line tends to be a little more resistant to failure-- but that's not always the case. i'd probably be thinking about R&R'ing every 5~7 years, depending.
 
Aircraft SS hose usually has a Teflon hose covered with the over braid.
If you have rubber hose covered with SS it will deteriorate just like normal hose.
 
Fuel still flowing? Why throw it out... I'd have different advise if you were flying!
 
Fuel still flowing? Why throw it out... I'd have different advise if you were flying!
Because as it deteriorates I don't need any that stuff in these.
Or any other carb either.
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That's what fuel filters are for. How many people here do you think do not have rubber in their fuel system? At the tank and frame to engine, fuel line to fuel filter to carb.
 
That's what fuel filters are for. How many people here do you think do not have rubber in their fuel system? At the tank and frame to engine, fuel line to fuel filter to carb.
I wonder what the average age of that piece is amongst the group.
 
It's probably in the same condition as the rest of the steel fuel and brake lines! That's why we replace them, safety and maintenance.
 
I have been replacing s/s braided RUBBER line on a regular basis, usually after the rubber deteriorates and becomes a fountain.
I try to use as much hard line is as convenient...... but the pieces of rubber I'm replacing with teflon line (ptfe). Quite a bit more expensive, but about five times the expected service life.
The fittings and lines out of the tank in my Opel are a nightmare to access.
I would never consider using ss/rubber there ever again.
(Four pieces of teflon line, fittings, and pro assy, I have a couple hundred bucks in about five feet of line. The ss/rubber leaked like a fountain!)
OP, you've gotten MORE than your money's worth from that old line. If you plan on keeping the car, I'd get some new teflon for it.
 
My friend Tom has a 15 gallon fuel cell in the trunk of his Chevelle and a #8 braided stainless steel line running forward.

He went out in his shop one day and there was a huge puddle of fuel under the car. That braided hose was 10 years old and failed.

So it's a good idea to change it if you don't know the history, or if your getting close to 10-years old.

For what it's worth I run a stainless steel hard line and just a small amount of braided hose.

Tom
 
25 ft roll of aluminum fuel line 3/8. Easy to work with, cheap! Thoughts ???
Used a roll of 1/2 aluminum on my savoy, about 30 years ago. Still there, still fine.
Bought another roll of 1/2 for my Opel, thinking it had braided line from the pump to the regulator (that leaked like a fountain!). Turned out to be 3/8 steel, so I just plumbed the teflon I needed.
I'd use the 1/2 aluminum again, if the 540 needs more fuel.
 
My friend Tom has a 15 gallon fuel cell in the trunk of his Chevelle and a #8 braided stainless steel line running forward.

He went out in his shop one day and there was a huge puddle of fuel under the car. That braided hose was 10 years old and failed.

So it's a good idea to change it if you don't know the history, or if your getting close to 10-years old.

For what it's worth I run a stainless steel hard line and just a small amount of braided hose.

Tom
Liked. I run as little hose as I can. Hard line is cheaper, (almost) never leaks.
 
I have a small amount of ss braided line on my bird, it's easily replaced. The rest is going to be hard line. Just tossed the old fuel cell and the ss braided line up to the carbs. It was well over 10 years old from what history I have of this car, it was not leaking, but very set up or rigid. Replacing the whole fuel system.
 
25 ft roll of aluminum fuel line 3/8. Easy to work with, cheap! Thoughts ???

Aluminum fuel line is cheap, and it's easy to work with, but it's also really easy to screw up. Personally I would never use it. If you have invested good money in your car a fuel line out of aluminum is just not something I would do. Take the time and effort to run hard steel or stainless steel lines if you care about the future of your investment.

Tom
 
Does anyone sell 1/2" steel hardline that's easy to form?

I use 1/2" .028" wall 4130 seamless steel or stainless steel tubing I buy from several tubing supply houses. Then I bend it with a Swagelok hand bender.

I've bent .058" wall 4130 seamless and .035" stainless steel by myself with that bender. Regular 1/2" .028"/ .035" wall DOM steel tubing would also be fine and a lot easier to bend.

Tom
 
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