Has anyone run braided fuel line to/from the gas tank all the way to the engine? I’m planning on doing this because of ease of installation (i.e. not having to bend traditional fuel line). Is this a feasible alternative?

Also, if any of you have done this, how did you attach the braided fuel line to the fuel tank? When I removed my old fuel line, I had about a 2 inch section of rubber hose running from the gas tank to the solid fuel line.

Thanks in advance

 

You were around when Merlin was built. Steve had the shop run a complete flex stainless line front to back on that car. I have seen a number of installations since. Steve had a twin set of electric pumps at the back so his line attached to the electric pumps. If you don't want to go electric you could have a sump attached to the bottom of the tank with proper fittings for stainless line installed. On my tank I installed dual outlets at the bottom of the tank.
Gas tanks really silver solder easily and welding on them is NOT a big deal if certain safety percautions are followed.

 

[QUOTE=Victor]Has anyone run braided fuel line to/from the gas tank all the way to the engine? I’m planning on doing this because of ease of installation (i.e. not having to bend traditional fuel line). Is this a feasible alternative?

Also, if any of you have done this, how did you attach the braided fuel line to the fuel tank? When I removed my old fuel line, I had about a 2 inch section of rubber hose running from the gas tank to the solid fuel line.QUOTE]

This is a link to a good thread on the subject.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ine&forum_id=4
It seems there would have to be a fitting to make connecting to the fuel sender a simple job. You may need to cut the flare off the elbow end of the sender, but I'm just guessing. Give Jeg's, Summit or Russell a call and they should be able to set you straight.

 

Russel carries a fitting for this. It is what I used to connect mine. It is a compression fitting on one side for the metal line and a AN fitting on the other side to connect the braided line to.

Summit carries them, part #'s are:
639200- 6AN female swivel to 3/8 hard line
639210- 6AN male to 3/8 hard line
639220- 8AN female swivel to 1/2 hard line
639230- 8AN male to 1/2 hard line

 

I made a new pickup for the tank, including the plate that the tube passes through (held in place on the tank with the cam lock ring), and used a bulkhead fitting. The pickup tube is on the inside, and the braided hose threads onto the bulkhead fitting on the outside.

 

What is the approx. cost on this mod???

 

I simply replaced the original 5/16" nipple in the sending unit assembly with a soldered in -8AN x 1/2 NPT. I kept the stock float and sending unit.
I going to run 1/2" aluminum tubing along the frame connecting where I need using Areoquip socketless hose and fittings, no more steel braided line for me, this new stuff is trick

 

I spent about $80 on the braided line, and a couple hours of labor to install. Worked great and I believe the braided line is actually safer than the solid. I ran the line right to the sending unit outlet.

 

I ran the socketless hose which wasn't too bad to run and was much less expensive than the braided hose, may be an alternative for you

I also added a fitting to the bottom of my stock tank. I would have liked to add a sump area, but this has worked for me so far

 

I bought a hard line adapter and cut off the little bump and put it on.

 

I welded a sump to the bottom of my tank. Electric fuel pumps loose alot of efficiency when they have to pull up a big head of fuel. I bought the sump from Jeg's or Summit, made an outline of it on the bottom of the tank where I planned to install it and cut 4 1" diameter holes into the tank. Then I welded the sump of the holes. The holes allow the fuel to easily enter teh sump, but alsoa ct as a baffle to keep fuel from sloshing out of the sump during cornering/acceleration/ braking.

I ran -10 Aeroquip lines from the tank to a distribution block near the engine, then -08 to each fuel rail, -08 from the fuel rails to the AFPR, and a -08 back to the tank. All the lines that ran under the car between the tank and the distribution block/AFPR were covered with Firesleeve for extra protection.

Remember that the fuel lines should be replaced ever couple of years. Even though they are rated for fuel use, the addititives in the fuel and ethanol will eventually cause the inner liner to dry up and potentially crack/leak. The stainless braid will look like ew, but they deteriorate from the inside out. Also consider the insurance ramification of your car were to be damaged and require an insurance adjustment. Some insurance company's may frown upon them.

 

How did you seal it off? on the later tanks the steel is not the sealing part of the tank, just a shell..the bladder inside is the actual tank, and you cut holes into it? What about the welding, that will certainly melt the bladder.

 

I removed the bladder and silver brazed dual outlets to the bottom of the tank. You should NEVER soft solder outlets to a tank. Soft solder will not stand up to vibration.
soft silver solder runs like normal lead solder but requires 1200F plus a special flux. The wire used as a filler rod is high nickel and extremely strong.

 

Lots of good ideas here. I need to perform this before spring to install my electric fuel pump.

 

How safe is it to drill an existing tank? Or was that a new tank Mike?

 

Guys if you want to weld a tank it is no problem. I open the tank up by removing any cover plate. I then take the shop vac and put the hose on BLOW , not suck and put the end in the tank. Let is run for as little as 5 minutes but being extra cautous I do it for 30 minutes.
At the end of this time it is completely safe to weld or do anything else you want to the tank.
I did remove my bladder and run it as a normal steel tank.

 

Yes defiantly blow through it. If you suck fuel vapors through a vacuum, sparks from the vacuum's running motor could cause an explosion. I've always felt that a safe way of welding on a fuel tank is to fill the tank with water and let it run for a bit to flush out any remaining fuel. Then lower it below the area you want to weld and do your welding while the tank is filled with mostly water.

 

I filled it with water, letting it run over for quite a while. After draining the water, I backpurged the tank with argon prior to welding on it.

 

Len I flushed the tank with water 3 times then let it sit for a couple of days before I drilled into it. That's my stock tank painted, it's amazing what the underside of the car looked like coming from Florida

I was going to buy a welder with my next bonus, that was about 6 years ago and they have done away with it so no welder for me yet :

 

SmoakedTires, If you didn't weld it how is the fitting sealed?

Thanks
Wade