3/8" fuel line problem

[iTurbo]

Back in '04 I replaced all the stock fuel lines on my red Spirit R/T with 3/8" aluminum tube from Summit. Everything was fine until last week I notice it's leaking fuel under the car from a hole in the line. I thought that the clamp holding the lines to the underside of the car had punctured the line or something but it looks more like pitting from corrosion.

Should I have used SS 3/8" tube instead? I had bought some but decided to use aluminum instead because I was able to get a good flare on it much easier than the SS which kept cracking at the lip of the flare.

At any rate it looks like I may have to replace the whole line which is going to be a huge pita. I guess I could also cut the line right there and flare both ends and use a union to connect them. Right now the line is one piece from underhood all the way to the tank and I'm thinking of making the lines two different pieces so they can be fixed/servied easier in the future.

[forcedfedmopar]

i dont think that the aluminum tubing was to be used with EFI (high pressure) fuel systems? I would go the stainless steel route. And having them split in the middle would make servicing nice.

[turbovanman²]

i dont think that the aluminum tubing was to be used with EFI (high pressure) fuel systems? I would go the stainless steel route. And having them split in the middle would make servicing nice.

+2, or its corrodes easier than regular metal. I would have gone SS or normal replacement stuff. I don't see a problem using some high pressure rubber hose to patch it-cut, splice, done.

Google is a wonderful thing, its ok for fuel, they use it in aircraft etc but its range of working pressure is about 250 psi max, which is ok for us. It has to be supported every 4 inch's so it doesn't flex and crack.

[mr glenn]

I have a weird problem my gas lines make a vibration noise and they are NOT loose not all the time just sometimes when it idles you can hear it in the car the sound is in the middle of the car right where the lines are at any Ideas

[turbovanman²]

I have a weird problem my gas lines make a vibration noise and they are NOT loose not all the time just sometimes when it idles you can hear it in the car the sound is in the middle of the car right where the lines are at any Ideas

Stock fuel pump, rail? Could be the pump sucking in air?

[mr glenn]

got the pump off of a newer spirit that had just been replaced

[iTurbo]

+2, or its corrodes easier than regular metal. I would have gone SS or normal replacement stuff. I don't see a problem using some high pressure rubber hose to patch it-cut, splice, done.

I found the source of the leak today. I removed a few line clamps and used a mini tubing cutter to cut out the spot that was spraying fuel. It was pitted very badly around the area that the clamp was supporting the line. The clamps are the rubber lined ones from Summit, but I think the dissimilar metals between the steel in the clamp and the aluminum line accelerated the corrosion pitting. Everywhere but under the clamps the line still looks new after wiping it off. The steel inside the rubber lining of the hold-down clamp was very rusty.

I'm going to patch it just like you said for now but I am definitely going to use SS next time.

[86Shelby]

Thanks for the lesson. I'll put in the extra work to use SS lines when I do this sometime down the road.

[Mopar318]

+2, or its corrodes easier than regular metal. I would have gone SS or normal replacement stuff. I don't see a problem using some high pressure rubber hose to patch it-cut, splice, done.

Google is a wonderful thing, its ok for fuel, they use it in aircraft etc but its range of working pressure is about 250 psi max, which is ok for us. It has to be supported every 4 inch's so it doesn't flex and crack.

Never seen a high pressure rubber hose on any aircrafts we work on.:confused2: Its mostly stainless hardline, and braided hose.

[shackwrrr]

http://machinedesign.com/article/clsoing-the-gap-on-hydraulic-leaks-0615

swagelok Thats what is best to use on SS line. They are used on CNG installs and are required to handle 3600 psi with a safety factor of 4. Yes ss line is hard to flare I think if you do flare it thats supposed to be 37 degrees instead of 45 but I think the swagelok is better

Edit:safety factor of 3 still up there in pressure

[Ondonti]

if you were going to use alum, and it has caused you problems, I would ziptie it with little bits of foam instead of using steel and rubber clamps, and I might even paint it.

[Mopar318]

http://machinedesign.com/article/clsoing-the-gap-on-hydraulic-leaks-0615

swagelok Thats what is best to use on SS line. They are used on CNG installs and are required to handle 3600 psi with a safety factor of 4. Yes ss line is hard to flare I think if you do flare it thats supposed to be 37 degrees instead of 45 but I think the swagelok is better

Yup 37 degrees, and no double flare. You really need a good $600 flaring tool to do it properly. Good thing they have a couple of them at work.:)

[iTurbo]

FWIW I used the Summit brand AN flare tool. All the connections on the car are 6AN (no clamps or quick-disconnect anywhere). Never had a leak on the system since installing it six years ago until this pitting issue came up.

[iTurbo]

I got the leak fixed today. I had enough AN tube sleeves and nuts left over I just decided to flare both ends where I cut out the leaking section and used a male AN union. Started the car up and new fitting is holding up fine. Then I find ANOTHER leak about 2 ft up closer to the engine bay, once again it is coming from a pinhole under where one of the clamps was, just barely seeping out. Good grief.:mad:

So my next move is going to be to replumb the entire system with 3/8" SS. I already have a roll of it from Summit but still have to order some more various AN fittings. I am seriously thinking of making the fuel supply AND return line three different sections. One section would be from underhood all the way down to about where the floor pan becomes parallel to the ground. Second section would be all along the bottom side of the car. Third section would go up over the rear axle and to the tank/pump. That way if I ever have a failure again I could easily replace just the section that is bad and it would be a hell of a lot easier to install three different pieces than one contiguous piece that has to be bent/routed while installing it onto the car. I would just AN flare the lines and use the male-to-male AN unions to connect the pieces.

I like the Swagelok fittings, where do you buy them? Didn't find them at Summit.

[iTurbo]

I did find this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RUS-639250/

Anodized aluminum tubing.....think it would have helped with regard to the corrosion/pitting? I bet if I had painted the tubes and the metal in the clamps it would probably still be fine. Heck if I had a good heat lamp I'd probably just shoot some powder on them. I suppose it's too late now because it all has to be replaced anyway so I'll likely just use the SS unless I can't flare them. Last time I tried flaring the 3/8" SS tubing it would crack at the lip of the flare, even though I had lubricated the flare tool, reamed the tube, and filed it square. Not feeling to confident about trying to flare that stuff again.

[Juggy]

use pro lite fuel line
its way lighter then SS braied....

the nylon can withstand 300psi pressure. it is 40% the weight of SS braided ;)

[iTurbo]

use pro lite fuel line
its way lighter then SS braied....

the nylon can withstand 300psi pressure. it is 40% the weight of SS braided ;)

Earl's Pro Lite hose? Do you mean I should use that in place of hard tube? I'm using Summit brand everything right now, including the SS braided hose. It's just two sections in the front to connect the rail and AFPR, and two sections in the rear to connect the hard tube to the sending unit supply return. No problems with that stuff ever, although that Pro Lite stuff is nice. The black hose would add some feng shui to the car over the shiny braided stuff.

[iTurbo]

Just thought I'd share that I've found the secret to getting a really nice flare on SS hard tube.

http://www.turbosedan.com/t3stuff/DSC04426.JPG

This thing works perfect to ream the inside of the tube. After using this I was able to get a perfect flare the first time. Nice and straight on the tube and no cracking rim. I was having such a hard time flaring the SS hard tube before because i was using a crappy reamer tool...you know the pointed ones that look like a dagger? Those things suck. If you are going to flare SS tube you need this tool!