funny this post came up now , I just ordered my hose from summit this morning EDL-8124 , $43 with handling (free shipping , ha ha) , this is why I've waited so long to do this , just bought a fuel filter and the fiitings almost cost as much as the hose kit.

 

That's creepy. This past weekend I traced down the gas oder I kept smelling after driving the car for a while and found that the rubber hose was all cracked out around the filter.

I put some new hose on there to get me by, but I just got finished ordering a new hard line from Zip.

 

Checking your fuel lines is always a good idea, my dad and I found out the hard way on his 76, the fuel line was old and cracked and the engine bay caught on fire. It’s going to take over $1000.00 in parts to get it back up and running. Now when ever my 71 has been sitting for a while i always check the fuel line.

-tom-

 

I run an electric fuel pump too. Receipts showed it was 7 years old,so I started checking it on each drive...yep..started leaking soon afterwards and installed new one and replaced all those rubber lines......it is mounted below tank....

 

I started smelling gas in my garage about a month ago. Started digging around and found that the fuel tank to to engine bay steel line had been bypassed some time in the past with standerd rubber fuel line. It had developed a crack and was leaking. I replaced it all with braided line and am trying to figure a way to go with steel this summer.

 

...You win! I'll fix it!

 

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the excellent article by Lars on fabricating steel lines from the pump to a GM filter and then another steel line to the carburator. I don't have the link to the original posting but maybe someone (or Lars) can post it again.

Jim

 

This is exactly what happened to my 63: The braided line looked fine from the outside. Here's the picture I took of it burning down:

 

Wow, so you were using braided metal fuel line and this still happened? So it looks like hard metal line is the only option for a safe ride?

That really sucks by the way, I'm assuming you got out unscathed? Physically at least... Did insurance cover it?

 

and your'e right. bad accidents and misfortune happens to lazy and unobservant people. i make it a point to look at the fuel and heater/rad hoses every time i change oil.

 

This may be the Post by Lars,
http://wiki.corvettefaq.com/index.ph..._O-Ring_Filter

 

Well, when doing the 383 install I got the steel two inlet tube with the pressure gage that fits the holley from summit along with the braided hose and fittings to connect to fuel pump. The tube happened to have a split which I did not see until I tried to start the motor. Could have been bad news. They replaced it but I am still using the one without the gage I got locally....and the braided hose with a clamp at the carb end.
I think I'll bend and flair my own using seamless stainless steel tubing.

 

You don't really need seemless - just good quality tubing - and NOT
the pre-flared crap they sell at PepBoys/etc.

For rubber - and you need some - I always pay the few extra dollars
to buy high pressure fuel injection hose. Yeah - we have low
pressure, but the hose is of much higher quality ... and use the
band-clamps that tighten with a screw and nut.
http://www.shop.com/op/~Fuel_Injecti...-prod-27275579

 

You realize that many a factory Corvette, Trans Am, and others with high pressure FI setup have rubber hoses?

I totally agree with your point of view here but even my 82 has rubber hoses near the fuel filter and again near the lower block area that joins to factory metal tubes. Should I be concerned about this and if so, how do I remedy it. I'm all for ensuring my car doesn't burn to the ground.

 

Just check them for hardening and cracking every once in a while. Replace them if any doubt. BTW, the vehicle fires shown in this thread probably could have been minimized with an on-board fire extinguisher.

 

On the fire extinguisher!! The stainless steel worm gear clamps are the big problem. I had 2 fail on the wifes 1994 van in that were installed 3 years ago by the chevy dealer ( you would think they would know better). It was dumping gas out at the filter by the tank. When I found it was leaking the whole undercarrage from the leak back was soaked including the area around and including rear exhaust. The rubber hose was still good on mine but I could see a 10 or 20 year old rubber line is DANGEROUS. Maybe I saved someone from losing their ride.

 

I saw a document from CARB (that's California Air Resources Board for those of you on the RIGHT coast) about 7-8 years ago not long after the then-new Reformulated Gas had been on the market for a couple years.....incidences of car fires had TRIPLED since its implementation. I don't know how many states are now using this crap, but it DESTROYS rubber fuel lines QUICKLY. AND putting braided hose on your car won't help one bit if the rubber hose inside the braid is the same quality material as the non-braided line that you replaced.I have personally seen this stuff eat through Earl's braided fuel hose; the gas leaks right through the braid, and it also destroyed a brand-new $300 Fuel Safe bladder in ONE YEAR-this was on a 50/50 mix of 93 octane pump gas ans Trick race gas. Unless you run either Avgas or straight race gas you WILL have this problem. The only way to avoid it is to periodically check and replace the rubber fuel lines-PERIOD.

 

For the inquiring minds that need to know.... you have to have some form of flex line between the fuel pump and the steel line at the frame. The engine wiggles around too much for a solid steel line. So even though solid steel lines are great, you can't use them between the factory style mechanical fuel pump and the frame.

Anyone design steel lines for the FACTORY tank connections?

 

I guess this is as good a time as any to suggest (AGAIN) that driving around in a 20, 30, 40+ year old car with old wiring and hoses and NO fire extinguisher, isn't smart.

I keep a fire extinguisher in my 72 and on my work bench.

Gary

 

After having a small but troubling fire in my 75 bronco when one of the hydraulic steering lines burst onto the headers, I have a fire extinguisher in each car and 2 in the garage.