Disassembly Stock Flex Fuel Line

The stock flexible fuel line need the fuel tank is often a source of issues. The biggest issue I had with it was it does not swivel and the hardline on the car doesn't swivel due to corrosion, so it made it impossible to tighten on both ends.

Now, there are a number of expensive solutions to this, but I didn't want to spend $100 on a foot of fuel line and fittings to fix the problem. I also wanted a safe secure connection that would never pose a safety issue.

I got to thinking about the flex line and how it is nice that each end is a perfect fit for the stock components. There are companies that also make a perfect metric inverted flare adapter, but at $30 each it doesn't take long to have a lot of money in a little fuel line.

So, I realized that the ends of the stock hose are really just barbed connections that are crimped. I simply ground off the metal and cut off the rubber part and now I have 2 nice barbed stock connections on which high pressure fuel injection hose can now be clamped safely on to:

Start by grinding away the metal crimp on two sides:

http://www.chrisbehnken.com/Images/p...2p7s1_Md10.jpg

Do not grind so far as to damage the inside barb.

After grinding through the metal on 2 sides mount the fitting in a vise or secure it somehow and bend out the crimp connection. With a little effort you can now work it off the fitting and remove the rubber hose.

http://www.chrisbehnken.com/Images/p...16TAK_Dv6n.jpg

Repeat:

http://www.chrisbehnken.com/Images/p...4iXnD_8aFg.jpg

Use 2 high quality fuel injection clamps on each end and you are done.

Hope this helps someone. I realize that the factory crimp is more reliable than clamps, but it is really not that different to how most of us have the inside of our fuel senders hooked up. I could've bought $80 worth of an adapters and an barbs and been right back to this point...

http://www.chrisbehnken.com/Images/p...34C14_j5Oi.jpg

FYI, the fitting is exactly 8MM or good for 5/16" hose.

Well I picked up the line and the barbs are aggressive enough that I can't even pull the hose off once inserted, so with double clamps this should work great.

http://www.chrisbehnken.com/Images/p...5h6PG_Faa0.jpg

Be sure to use hose for fuel injection! If it isn't 6-7 a foot it is probably for a carb.

The hose was from advance auto. 5/16 fuel injection hose. $6.49 a foot.

well written, chris

Good job man! Can you edit in the type of fuel line used and where you bought it?

sure did, I can grab a pic of the writing on the hose later. They knew exactly what I wanted.

odd to bump this I know, but saw a request for this

I work for a company that makes all kinds of hydraulic hoses, etc. If there is a hydraulic shop in the area you could go there and have them crimp the ends into place to make it just like stock. The sleeves are usually less than $1 and most shops would only charge a few dollars to crimp it. Some shops might just charge you for the sleeves since it would be so easy to crimp it.

For $5 or $10 you could have a factory like crimped end.

Just a for instance, my uncle had a retractable air hose reel that he had melted a hole in the middle of the hose. We cut out the bad section, used a double barb and two sleeves. I asked my boss what I owed him and he told me not to worry about it because I had less than $2 in parts.

I wondered why no-one made a replacement for this hose recently when re-opening the fuel hat. It's a PITA to got on and off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GTOJOE

I wondered why no-one made a replacement for this hose recently when re-opening the fuel hat. It's a PITA to got on and off.

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Likely because the biggest issue normally is that people kink the hard line on the sender when removing. At that point, you either have to go AN bulkhead, or braze a new extension of solid tube on there with an adapter for the stock line and then flare the end I think.

My question Stealthee, now that I'm thinking about it, is that it still doesn't swivel so wouldn't crimping be out of the question anyhow since crimping would just make it a stock replacement? I think Chris' point (if I understood it properly) was that you could now tighten down each end properly, then slide the clamps over the hose, then put the hose on the barbs and tighten it down to ensure no leaks there. Thus a proper leakfree solution.

This does resolve issues for anyone who has a cracked rubber fuel line at least.

Best I can figure would be if you could get an couple 8mm or 5/16" barb (or AN5) to AN fitting and a swivel AN union/coupler fitting, that you could install that in the middle of the line to allow easy disconnect and install just each half at a time. That said, it does add about $30 onto the cost of the replacement.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sergechronos

Likely because the biggest issue normally is that people kink the hard line on the sender when removing. At that point, you either have to go AN bulkhead, or braze a new extension of solid tube on there with an adapter for the stock line and then flare the end I think.

My question Stealthee, now that I'm thinking about it, is that it still doesn't swivel so wouldn't crimping be out of the question anyhow since crimping would just make it a stock replacement? I think Chris' point (if I understood it properly) was that you could now tighten down each end properly, then slide the clamps over the hose, then put the hose on the barbs and tighten it down to ensure no leaks there. Thus a proper leakfree solution.

This does resolve issues for anyone who has a cracked rubber fuel line at least.

Best I can figure would be if you could get an couple 8mm or 5/16" barb (or AN5) to AN fitting and a swivel AN union/coupler fitting, that you could install that in the middle of the line to allow easy disconnect and install just each half at a time. That said, it does add about $30 onto the cost of the replacement.

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yes that was the point. Even if you can't get the ends loose off the bulkhead you could in theory do this with the fuel sender sitting on the bench and the hose still attached.

The other point was at the end of the day you have a total of about $10 in parts to do it the way illustrated and it works just as well as the in tank connection to any aftermarket style fuel pump. Its not the only way to go about anything and certainly if you have someone that could crimp new barrels on it correctly then that may work for you too, but its a lot more accessible to go to the parts store for a couple bucks in fuel injection rated clamps.