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Do I really need a steel pump-to-carb fuel line?

M

Mustang_Charly

Member
...or can I just use rubber (stock 289, stock mechanical pump, edelbrock carb and manifold). The fuel inlet to the carb is made for a hose, so I was just wondering. My steel line has a couple of holes in it, and it seems it would be easier just to cut it off near the pump and attach a rubber hose all the way up to the carb.
 
You really do want to minimize the length of rubber hose used especially at the engine.

The heat does bad things to age the rubber and a crack can turn into a rainfall of gasoline. Heat and gasoline produces .... fire
 
Don't see why not. It's been awhile since I ran a mechanical fuel pump, but IIRC it was a rubber line from the pump to the carb. When I switched over to an electric fuel pump, which was back near the tank. I had a rubber line running from the inner fender up to a pressure regulator, then a rubber line over to the carb. I never had a problem. Now with the fuel injection, I'm running efi rubber line for both the feed and return lines from the fuel rail down to the inner fender, where I go to hard lines.

So, in short, shouldn't be a problem. If you wanted extra protection, you could always use a braided stainless fuel line.
-rob
 
I would suggest you use braided fuel hose instead.And tight it at several places.
 
The last time I put mine together, I used soft copper. Easy to bend, spent a few minutes polishing it with 00 steel wool, shot a little clear rustoleum on it, and it looked pretty good for 5 or 6 years. You still need to flare it into the pump, I think, but just a small piece of hose to the filter and the carb. A couple dollars may still by a cheap-ass chrome filter for that real bling. :)
 
It's been awhile since I ran a mechanical fuel pump, but IIRC it was a rubber line from the pump to the carb.
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While it may have been that way when you got the car, it wasn't that way from the factory. The factory used a metal line from the pump up to the carb. As previously stated, the less rubber fuel line around and on top of the engine, the better.

Here's a few pictures of an '88 Jeep Wrangler I bought a few years back that had a rubber fuel line burst directly over the ex. manifold. By the time the fire dept. arrived it was all but over. I paid $300 for the Jeep as it was declared a total loss. Everything (except for the frame and some steering components) forward of the steering wheel had to be replaced.

fire_damage.jpg



Dec_03.jpg




After almost 3 years of sourcing parts and a 100% ground-up rebuild....

Last_Jeep_Project_fall_04.jpg



There are a million short-cuts you can take when building a classic Mustang.... using rubber fuel line around hot engine components isn't one of them.
 
"Mustang_Charly" said:
...or can I just use rubber (stock 289, stock mechanical pump, edelbrock carb and manifold). The fuel inlet to the carb is made for a hose, so I was just wondering. My steel line has a couple of holes in it, and it seems it would be easier just to cut it off near the pump and attach a rubber hose all the way up to the carb.
Click to expand...

Do you really need it?... No, But do you like your car?

As stated before the more rubber line you have the higher the chances it could rupture from heat and a fire could result.
I crindge each time I see someones engine bay with a rubber fuel line off the pump to the carb.
A simple piece of tubing with a flairing tool and a bender and make a custom bent one and add an inline filter at the carb.
 
Out of the 7 classic mustangs I thnk six of them had rubber lines. Never had a problem.

However, I used braided on both the 65 and the 67. I like the look and the braided part protects the the rubber part inside.

I have seen some nicely done small rubber pieces of hose from a cut stock metal line to a filter then to the carb.

I do not disagree with all the posters of the warnings about rubber lines. I have seen many issues with it. I do carry extra line in the even that when I do my pre-trip I smell and see fuel leaking and have to repair something.

If you use rubber line, make sure you use brackets to keep the line away from anything sharp or hot!

Mel
 
I have 95% metal line on Red except at the fuel filter where that are two 1" length pieces. With Shag, I'm going 100% metal.
 
Man one thing about this forum is you never fail to find new ways your car needs work! LOL. my fuel line was cut before the pump, so I have steel to the engine compartment, then rubber to the pump, and rubber from the pump to the carb.

Looks like another thing to fix. Fortunately, this one won't cost an arm and a leg.
 
"cmayna" said:
I have 95% metal line on Red except at the fuel filter where that are two 1" length pieces. With Shag, I'm going 100% metal.
Click to expand...
I've read to not use 100% metal, the vibration of the engine is prone to loosen the joint that way. Not sure if theres any truth to that, but it sounds reasonable to me. I used 3/8 tubing with 5 inches of -6an stainless on each side(carb and pump) to act as a buffer from the vibrations.
 
"lethal289" said:
I've read to not use 100% metal, the vibration of the engine is prone to loosen the joint that way. Not sure if theres any truth to that, but it sounds reasonable to me. I used 3/8 tubing with 5 inches of -6an stainless on each side(carb and pump) to act as a buffer from the vibrations.
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+1. There are three places that must use rubber or vibration-proof lines: tank to line, line to pump, and line to carb. I think the latter, with good engineering, can be fitted with a solid line.
 
"daveSanborn" said:
Here's a few pictures of an '88 Jeep Wrangler I bought a few years back that had a rubber fuel line burst directly over the ex. manifold. By the time the fire dept. arrived it was all but over. I paid $300 for the Jeep as it was declared a total loss. Everything (except for the frame and some steering components) forward of the steering wheel had to be replaced.
Click to expand...
Dang, I guess that I got lucky. Never had a problem with leaky fuel -- lots of other issues, but none with fuel...
 
Car had a rubber line when I bought it 9000 miles/18 months ago and still does. It is out, away from the engine and I have had no problems. A friend on mine had a truck burn because of the two inch rubber hose from the tank line to the fuel pump. It is all in preventive maintenance and quality products.
 
I use steel line to the carb from the pump, but, I've also seen steel line break. Maybe the lesson here is to carry a good fire extinguisher. Not only is that mandatory to me, (because there are 250 other reasons that the car could catch on fire), but it sure is handy to have when somebody else is on fire as well.
 
"AzPete" said:
Car had a rubber line when I bought it 9000 miles/18 months ago and still does. It is out, away from the engine and I have had no problems. A friend on mine had a truck burn because of the two inch rubber hose from the tank line to the fuel pump. It is all in preventive maintenance and quality products.
Click to expand...

Considering all the other crap we've found on your car, you're still willing to believe the PO put a quality rubber fuel line? Bwahahahahaha!
 
"Midlife" said:
Considering all the other crap we've found on your car, you're still willing to believe the PO put a quality rubber fuel line? Bwahahahahaha!
Click to expand...

Being I cut about 8" off of it, I would have to say yep, it is fuel line.....
 
"Midlife" said:
+1. There are three places that must use rubber or vibration-proof lines: tank to line, line to pump, and line to carb. I think the latter, with good engineering, can be fitted with a solid line.
Click to expand...
Since the fuel pump and the carb are both bolted to the engine, I can't see vibration causing much of a problem. I can see from the pump to the line to the tank needing vibration protection...

I think a properly bent steel line looks much cleaner than a rubber hose.
 
IMO, most hose failures now are caused by cheap hose. Every car has hose somewhere in the engine compartment, and those OEM hoses last a long time. Much higher pressures these days also.

Aftermarket, it depends on brand. Chose a good hose from an OEM supplier, don't route it close to exhaust heat (OEMs use shields if it goes near exhausts) and you should be OK.
 
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