The metal fuel lines that run under my car look like garbage. They're rusting all over the place, and in at least one spot I swear I could poke a hole in the damn thing if I tried. The car's still running fine with no fuel leaks but it's just a matter of time. I highly doubt the car will make it through winter without starting to spit fuel under there, and since I'll be away, leaving the vehicle in the hands of a very non-car-person relative, I need to take care of this now.

I'm not looking to take this as an opportunity to do any serious upgrading to the fuel lines. I just want something safe and adequate. It's only an 88 n/a.

Can you buy that metal fuel line from Autozone?

If not, where can you get that sort of thing?

Is it safe to just run metal line for the straight length of the underbody, then change it to flexible fuel injection line for the more winding paths up to the fuel pump, etc?

Thanks for any help...

 

I'd just buy some aluminum line and replace it and change it to SS line to go up near the fuel pump..

 

I get people bringing me there cars in that condition once in a while. I live in Los Angeles tho so it's not that often. Check it out its not hard to repair. I was tought by a local rotary shop a safe, not to difficult way to do it yourself. I buy the unbent lines at my local Kragen or autozone whenever I need them. The hand bending tool is only like 10 bux and the lines are pretty cheap. You can use the unbent brake lines they sell if they have the right size or the unbent fuel line if they have it in stock. Pull off your old lines and bend the new lines as closely to the same shape as you can. Don't stress to much about the being geometrically perfect, it's not that big a deal. You could also search online at some auction sites for lines up for sale, I can't imagine anyone asking to much for those things. If you can find them there it might be better for you, depends on how much time you have to spend bending. As for the rubber hoses, yea just buy the hose off the roll at the auto store and trim to fit. Just make sure that you buy the right diameter fuel line, never use over sized line with a clamp to make it fit. And make sure the the hose you get says "Fuel Line" and "Fuel Injection" on the side of it. Do no use any other line. It won't be that hard to do.

 

The '7s use 5/16" fuel injection hose, if that helps any. It's annoyingly expensive ($4-$5/ft) but won't burst under the pressure. Regular fuel hose won't handle the pressure for long.

-=Russ=-

 

5/16 is the inside diameter. Make sure you specify that. And double check that it is rated for fuel injection pressures. The ***-clowns working at auto parts stores look for every opportunity to supply you with the wrong part.

 

isn't it a bad idea to connect aluminium to stainless steel, and don't cheap out, that would be like knowing your fuel PD is leaking and not fixing it

 

I've never paid more than like 2 bux a foot from the local Autozone and Kragen.

 

yeah same here!

 

how do you replace the rusted out lines? like can you just get a big steel line and use 3/8ths fuel hose for couplers? or are there some sort of fittings you use...

 

Ok the metal lines they have at autozone come with this flared out portion at each end as well as threaded fittings. That answers my question about how you guys who go to SS lines attach the lines. But anyway, since I don't care and I want to go as stock and cheap as possible, can I just cut these ends off with a hack saw and attach regular fuel line with hose clamps? It will lack the slightly different flaring-out at the ends that the stock lines have, but will that really matter?

Oh and I asked for fuel line but what they gave me says brake line on the tag. I assume there's no real difference..?

Thanks

 

they should have straight line for custom fitting to a car. it should not have a flared end and definitely not have a threaded fitting. I buy them all the time.

 

Well, the fittings in the picture there slide around and would come right off if I cut that flared portion off the ends..

Is this going to become one of those autozone episodes... :Q

 

If that is what you have just cut it off and slide them fittings off and to do it right buy some compression fittings. They are brass fittings that will couple the two lines together, any auto parts store carrys them.....yes even autozone lol ;P

They look like the one in the middle of this pic, just make sure you get the right size. You can also buy a small pipe cutter that makes the job alot easier and you will use it again if you work on cars a bit, a hacksaw isnt exactly the best choice for fuel line.

http://www.parker.com/brassprod/images/compfitb.gif

 

Where in the replacement of these lines would I have to utilize fittings at all? The stock setup is just (fuel pump) - (rubber line) - (metal line) - (rubber line) - (fuel filter)... with no fittings. Or are you talking about that check and cut valve thing that's under there?