Replacement fuel line

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Carguy4sp

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Feb 18, 2016
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Location
Saw Florida
My Car
1972 Ford Mustang
I will be purchasing a fuel line tomorrow to go from pump to 4150 Holley. I will be getting a 5/16 line that I can hand form.

Anyone done this and remember what length and fitting size I need to purchase.

I can take off my old line if necessary but I am sure someone knows what fitting goes into the pump, I hope....

I can buy a longer length than I need because one end will hook up to the carb using rubber hose and fuel filter.

351C Qcode 4sp

 
Might be best to measure your current line to ballpark the length. I usually buy a couple of sections as I usually Mess one up.

Also, i''m not sure how your pump is set up, most likely it has a female INverted Flare fitting that the line threads in to, but if it is a better than OEM quality pump it may

Have female NPT fittings, usually 1/4 or 3/8's...

 
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I will be purchasing a fuel line tomorrow to go from pump to 4150 Holley. I will be getting a 5/16 line that I can hand form.

Anyone done this and remember what length and fitting size I need to purchase.

I can take off my old line if necessary but I am sure someone knows what fitting goes into the pump, I hope....

I can buy a longer length than I need because one end will hook up to the carb using rubber hose and fuel filter.

351C Qcode 4sp
I have just done this to my car today. The pictures (not the best, camera on wrong setting!!) may help you get the bends where you need them. It took me a couple of tries to get the clearance under the power steering pump right. I use 3/8th steel line with fittings already on. I bought a 40" length, but it really only needs about 30". Best to be too long and trim to length. If I were you, buy 2 lengths to save going back to the store like I did. A 40" length was only 8 bucks here in Canada.

I bought a bending tool that I used in a vice just to get the leverage I needed as steel is quite tough. It is an OEM brand multi purpose tube bender I got at the local auto parts store. It did the job!!

You will notice I have a chromed metal fuel bowl connector and the fitting on a 3/8" tube is the correct size for that fitting. A 5/16th will require an adaptor. On the pump end, I used a brass elbow with an adaptor, then used a short length of 3/8th ethanol resistant rubber tube to connect the tube and to allow for vibration. You must get the correct fittings!! Very important.

My reason for going to 3/8th was not just more fuel capacity, but also for the fitting size.

Hope this helps and if I forgot something, I'll add later.

Edit: I just realized I didn't mention that I kept a least 1" clearance from the block. That is not very clear in the pictures.

 
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I can buy a longer length than I need because one end will hook up to the carb using rubber hose and fuel filter.

351C Qcode 4sp
Just my advice;

Do NOT put the fuel filter near the carb!! It should go between the pump and the line protruding from the inner apron. See picture #4. It should also be a steel canister filter, NEVER glass or plastic, unless you really want a fire!! If you go with rubber lines, make sure you buy ethanol resistant or they will go bad on you in no time. I just went through that as well and I buy non-ethanol Shell 91 fuel..... well sort of, there is always some ethanol in the delivery hose at the pump.

 
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Very nice job you have done. Mine will look as good as yours I hope.

That steel line I am sure was not easy to form.

What fitting will I have for a factory stock 1972 351C ?

 
There are a few companies out there that sell exact bend/fit fuel line replacements, one steel and in stainless if you prefer. I purchased mine from Classic Tube out of the Buffalo area. These are designed for original factory set ups, so if you change the carb out, you would have to adjust as necessary and/or look at other options.

 
I can buy a longer length than I need because one end will hook up to the carb using rubber hose and fuel filter.

351C Qcode 4sp
Just my advice;

Do NOT put the fuel filter near the carb!! It should go between the pump and the line protruding from the inner apron. See picture #4.
I will respectfully disagree here. Restrictions on the suction side of the pump will increase the likelihood of vapor related fuel issues. For this reason I always recommend the filter be placed on the pressure side of the pump.

 
I can buy a longer length than I need because one end will hook up to the carb using rubber hose and fuel filter.

351C Qcode 4sp
Just my advice;

Do NOT put the fuel filter near the carb!! It should go between the pump and the line protruding from the inner apron. See picture #4.
I will respectfully disagree here. Restrictions on the suction side of the pump will increase the likelihood of vapor related fuel issues. For this reason I always recommend the filter be placed on the pressure side of the pump.
Concur... There is a reason that Ford Engineers put the factory fuel filter at the carb. I also worry about the point from where the fuel filter is installed aft apron until the fuel reaches the carb inlet. I personally want to ensure that only clean fuel is reaching the carb. inlet. I have seen additional fuel filters installed at the apron, but I am a fan of less connections/cuts in a fuel line, the better.

 
I can buy a longer length than I need because one end will hook up to the carb using rubber hose and fuel filter.

351C Qcode 4sp
Just my advice;

Do NOT put the fuel filter near the carb!! It should go between the pump and the line protruding from the inner apron. See picture #4.
I will respectfully disagree here. Restrictions on the suction side of the pump will increase the likelihood of vapor related fuel issues. For this reason I always recommend the filter be placed on the pressure side of the pump.
Tom, you do make a good point about suction side versus pressure side. To this end, the filter could be placed where I have a short length of rubber hose connecting the steel line to the pump. Downside is with the power steering pump in place, it might be difficult to get to. I will take a look at that option shortly when I get back in the garage. It may be possible to redesign the steel tube shape to accommodate a filter. I would still NEVER used those glass or plastic filters, although I get that people like to "see" if there is crud in the fuel.

My Ford service manual only refers to the fuel filter fitted to the Autolite carburetor with no reference to additional filters. Having said that, I know all 4 of my Mustangs had filters in the position mentioned. I have not had any problems that I've noticed.

Thanks for your input,

Geoff.

 
Just my advice;

Do NOT put the fuel filter near the carb!! It should go between the pump and the line protruding from the inner apron. See picture #4.
I will respectfully disagree here. Restrictions on the suction side of the pump will increase the likelihood of vapor related fuel issues. For this reason I always recommend the filter be placed on the pressure side of the pump.
Concur... There is a reason that Ford Engineers put the factory fuel filter at the carb. I also worry about the point from where the fuel filter is installed aft apron until the fuel reaches the carb inlet. I personally want to ensure that only clean fuel is reaching the carb. inlet. I have seen additional fuel filters installed at the apron, but I am a fan of less connections/cuts in a fuel line, the better.
Yes, but those filters were steel. It's those glass and plastic things people put on that worry me. The Holley carbs have sintered bronze filters in each inlet and Autolite's have a filter as you describe.

 
Very nice job you have done. Mine will look as good as yours I hope.

That steel line I am sure was not easy to form.

What fitting will I have for a factory stock 1972 351C ?
Thanks for the compliment. I mentioned that I placed the tool in a vice. I had no difficulty bending the 3/8" line without additional leverage. Just bend in small steps and keep checking so you don't over bend. It's hard to go back if you go too far. Like I said, I screwed the first one up, so it might be an idea to get a length of coat hangar wire etc. and do a mock-up.

As for fittings, you will have to figure that as you go. If you need to make a flare, remember it's a double flare and you'll need the proper tool which you can likely rent. Your local auto parts store should be able to help with fittings.

Some have disagreed with my suggestion of filter location. TommyK did make a good point, but as I replied, I have used a filter in that location on all 4 of my Mustangs without issues, so it's up to you what you choose, but at least make it a steel filter. Your Holley will have filters in the inlets, but is that enough??

Please post your results,

Geoff.

 
Well I installed my dual inlet hookup to the carb today and because the fittings were chromed I could not get them to seal. On a good note my car idles nicely with the new carb and intake. I have the old fuel line jury rigged with a section of rubber hose as a temp fix until I can find out what fitting is used on the fuel pump outlet. Fordification discussion on this seems to be a 1/8" NPT fitting for a 5/16" line, we will have to see...

Geoff thanks for the nice pic that is about the layout I was thinking of.

 
On a side note I cannot seem to get my spark plug wires on my distributor end to push all the way down and stay, is there a trick to doing that? I cannot twist the boots I tried with extreme pressure and if I apply any more the wires will break.

 
Well I installed my dual inlet hookup to the carb today and because the fittings were chromed I could not get them to seal. On a good note my car idles nicely with the new carb and intake. I have the old fuel line jury rigged with a section of rubber hose as a temp fix until I can find out what fitting is used on the fuel pump outlet. Fordification discussion on this seems to be a 1/8" NPT fitting for a 5/16" line, we will have to see...

Geoff thanks for the nice pic that is about the layout I was thinking of.
You're welcome on the pics. I had just finished the line when I saw your post, so an ideal opportunity to pass on what I'd done.

I am not sure of the fitting sizes you need, but I am pretty sure that they are not NPT. These fittings have seats machined in them to seal against the double flare on the tube, Same with your carb fittings. They are straight threads. I am assuming you have a factory style pump?

Mine leaked too. In fact I nearly burn the car up!!! My carb is a 4160, so may be different. It took 2 wrenches and quite a bit of force to get them tight enough to seal. There is bad design on the fuel bowls which make it hard to get a wrench on the nut. Always use 2 wrenches so as not to put strain on the casting if you get my meaning.

There is a name for these fittings, but I can't think of it. Perhaps someone else can help there.

 
On a side note I cannot seem to get my spark plug wires on my distributor end to push all the way down and stay, is there a trick to doing that? I cannot twist the boots I tried with extreme pressure and if I apply any more the wires will break.
Try tweaking the brass contact. Mine were tight also and I just played with the contact till I got them in. No issues since.

 
Just another thought and not to get off track too much, but still thinking about additional fuel filters in the line. A filter added between the apron and pump is a common and logical place to put one. Doing some thinking about concerns of vapor lock, air trapped or other problems in the filter placed in that location, I thought that a different style filter, like the Motorcraft one that is used on the carb, could be placed aft of the pump and into the new line. Problem is I have only seen these with 5/16" tubes and with a 1/8th NPT connector, whereas the inverted flare type have SAE threads. A conversion of some sort would be needed, but I think doable.

This idea would have the advantage of being much lighter and more compact. Something for me to work on and post up later.

 
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for the wires, take a pair of needle nose pliers and reach inside the boot and while holding the boot gently pull on the metal-all you are trying to do is pull the metal into the boot just the tiniest bit further. That should help them to seat on the terminals. Go easy so as not to tear up a wire.

 
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