Fuel Lines

[Lars]

Re: Fuel Lines

Agree with Doug. The basic 5/16" nylon tubing in my Bronco worked just fine for the 26 years it was in my Bronco. Now I'm plumbed with a mix of rubber hose/hose clamps, Ford push-on/barb connectors and stainless steel tubing (engine compartment). It's been that way for 10 years and 60,000 miles. I've replaced a couple of rubber hoses that were starting to look ugly, but otherwise it's been trouble-free.

For what it's worth, the "AN" fittings most of us buy aren't. They are JIC. Almost the same, interchangeable (unless you are working on certified aircraft) but not identical. Automotive fitting suppliers use the term, but AN means class 3 rolled threads (JIC is nominally class 2 and can have cut threads, though most fittings are rolled) and tighter tolerances. AN fittings, such as from Aircraft Spruce, are spendier. Oh yeah, and AN/JIC flare angle is 37°, not 45°, and is normally single flared

If using aluminum tubing I'd advise supporting at least every 12" with adel clamps or similar. Vibration kills aluminum tubing. Also, a lot of the easy-to-bend aluminum tubing is 3003 alloy. 5052 is more expensive and somewhat harder to bend, but much stronger and flares better.

[jamesroney]

Re: Fuel Lines

I know BC gets some bad press, but what do you guys think about his fuel line kit?

The reason why my fuel supply line is a single length of braided stainless teflon hose with JIC 37 degree inverted female swivel ends is because of the kit from BC.

I almost bought one, with my tank...argued back and forth with the BC-guys, got them to get real pics published to their web site, and eventually decided NOT to use their line kit. There were just too many fittings, and adapters, hated the filter, and I didn't like the price. (although I did like their mounting brackets!)

[welndmn]

Re: Fuel Lines

Agree with Doug. The basic 5/16" nylon tubing in my Bronco worked just fine for the 26 years it was in my Bronco. Now I'm plumbed with a mix of rubber hose/hose clamps, Ford push-on/barb connectors and stainless steel tubing (engine compartment). It's been that way for 10 years and 60,000 miles. I've replaced a couple of rubber hoses that were starting to look ugly, but otherwise it's been trouble-free.

For what it's worth, the "AN" fittings most of us buy aren't. They are JIC. Almost the same, interchangeable (unless you are working on certified aircraft) but not identical. Automotive fitting suppliers use the term, but AN means class 3 rolled threads (JIC is nominally class 2 and can have cut threads, though most fittings are rolled) and tighter tolerances. AN fittings, such as from Aircraft Spruce, are spendier. Oh yeah, and AN/JIC flare angle is 37°, not 45°, and is normally single flared

If using aluminum tubing I'd advise supporting at least every 12" with adel clamps or similar. Vibration kills aluminum tubing. Also, a lot of the easy-to-bend aluminum tubing is 3003 alloy. 5052 is more expensive and somewhat harder to bend, but much stronger and flares better.

I always knew they were different but never knew it was a rolled vs cut thread thing, cool!

[Lars]

Re: Fuel Lines

Just so no one thinks that JIC fittings are somehow inferior... in practice they aren't. I use piles of them at work on the large (mounted on a 120 ton, 60 foot diameter centrifuge) servohydraulic shaker that I help keep running. 4000 psi oil pressure, centrifuge spinning to 80g, shaking accelerations up to 21g (http://nees.ucdavis.edu/). Have had very few fittings fail in 11 years, and when they did it was generally abuse- like, oh, something letting go at high speed. We only use steel fittings from Parker or Eaton though.

OK, back to your regularly scheduled programming...