Installing a plastic fuel line

[Audra]

Some of the fuel lines under our trucks just happen to be plastic tubing. My fuel line has been very badly kinked by whomever had taken off the fuel filter in the past. I also did not like the 2 90 degree turns which slows down the flow of fuel. I mean c'mon it is a 460, she needs all of the gas she can get.

So I replaced the fuel line in-between the rail fuel pump and the fuel filter. Not only to get rid of the kink, but also to change it to a straight shot of fuel flow.

This is how it looked before I started:

[Audra]

First thing I did was remove the clip from the connectors on the end of the fuel line. If your truck is older like mine it looks like this and can be manuvered off with a lot of patience using your finger or a screwdriver and working underneath and walking it off. There is a catch on the side of the clip which needs to be pushed in to help manuver it off. Look at the brand new clip that comes with your fuel line repair kit and you will be able to see exactly what you need to push in to walk this off

[Audra]

If you have a newer truck your clip will look like the one below. This style clip is only meant to be pulled up a little and that allows the connector to slide off. It is not meant to come all of the way off! (or you'll break it like I've done). The part you are pulling up just a little bit is the black part. Your replacement fuel kit might have this klind of connector in it and that is fine for it works with the newer or older trucks just the same.

[Audra]

When you take this fuel line off be prepared to be doused in fuel. I usually have a towel sitting right up there ready to catch most of it, but there is so much you usually get a nice little fuel bath http://www.fourdoorbronco.com/temp/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Now that everything is off it looks like this. This helps you to see what you are clipping around when you clip your connectors on. If you look at the end of the fuel filter and the end of the fuel pump you'll notice ridges around them. When you go to reinstall the clips on the new fuel line keep in mind you always want to put the clip on the side of the ridge closest to the unit. So on the fuel pump it would be on the left side and on the fuel filter it would be to the right of the ridge. It is just a little extra assurance that your fuel line is not going to vibrate loose/off when you are driving along. My connectors actually fit very nice and snug on there.

[Audra]

So next I slipped on the brand new connector to be positive it fit perfectly before cutting it and to get an idea of how long I wanted it to be.

I have the c350 with the 460 engine and my line was 5/16ths of an inch with 5/16ths of an inch connectors. The fuel line repair kits do not commonly come with the same size tubes and connectors. Well I did the rather silly thing and grabbed the right size tubes with the wrong size connectors. It is much more important that those connectors are the right size. So.....I got the kit with the 5/16ths of an inch connectors and the 3/8ths of an inch tubing and it worked perfect. Kits run approximately $23.00, and if you need both connectors like I did to make it a straight shot, then it took two kits.

[Audra]

I put both sides up because really you want this cut right before you work the tubes. As you can see I am about a 1/4 of an inch too big that I had to cut off, better to see now than later. You need to give 1/4 of an inch room for the metal connector.

[Audra]

Alright so then I heated some water to boiling and then removed it from the stove. Threw the metal connector in and held the fuel line connector end with one hand letting the tubing sit in the water warming up so that it will be flexible enough to install over the connector.

[Audra]

pliers work good too

[Audra]

I've worked both ends of the fuel line over the metal connector till just the middle 1/4 inch of the connector is left showing. Keeping the line hot so that any bending needing to be done outside for slight contouring can still be easily done.

[Audra]

Kept the fuel line in a cup of hot water to drag it outside; just because I really wanted it to be as flexible as humanely possible for that final installation

[Audra]

The moment of truth...and yep fits perfectly. Good thing the line was still hot cause I needed it to be. I went ahead and installed the clips which finishes the installation. Waited a good 15 minutes for the fuel lines to cool down and set, then turned on the truck to test for leaks. None at all, and now she has a very nice straight fuel line.

[Audra]

The old fuel line next to the new one and what a difference!

[Traveler]

Nice work, Mine have never looked that good.
From now on I am sending all my kits to you.

That's what you get for posting pics

[Audra]

silly, anytime

http://www.fourdoorbronco.com/temp/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wavey.gif

[hotrod ff]

So I am wondering where you got the plastic fuel line? I did a efi conversion into a 66 bronco with plastic and was really impressed with it. Now the dealership I bought it from initially is out of buisness and I cannot find anyone who sells it. I am doing a 3800sc into a 914 and want to use plastic. It is about 1/2 the cost of injected rubber hose and doesn't leak.

[Audra]

Napa Auto Parts carries it and Oeiley's does as well, but it is back behind the counter usually hanging up at the end of one of their parts rows. They usually don't even know they carry it. At napa it was out i the usual customer area.

Hope that helps :)

:beer

[79Time]

Great write-up. My projects always consist of two photos. A before and an after, and that's if I remember to take photos.

[InfoFord]

digital cameras are awsome I have a bad habit anymore of taking to many pictures according to a buddy of mine

[donnor]

digital cameras are awsome I have a bad habit anymore of taking to many pictures according to a buddy of mine

That is not a bad habit at all... Just print or upload the ones you need or want and delete the bad or unnecessary takes. Even Olan Mills has gone digital!

dn.