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Wed Nov 23, 2011 2:40 am

70coupyel wrote: Ahwahnee wrote: there are alternatives to that plastic tee fitting (aka "Revenge for Dresden") that accomodates the fuel lines passing thru the 'firewall'.
http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1130_286/fuel_line_firewall_adapter.html

photo: Van Cafe

Is replacing this part with a metal one merely just to keep the process simple when changing fuel lines? So you don't have to dive under the car and behind the firewall...

Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:40 am

WonkaVan wrote: 70coupyel wrote: Ahwahnee wrote: there are alternatives to that plastic tee fitting (aka "Revenge for Dresden") that accomodates the fuel lines passing thru the 'firewall'.
http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1130_286/fuel_line_firewall_adapter.html

photo: Van Cafe

Is replacing this part with a metal one merely just to keep the process simple when changing fuel lines? So you don't have to dive under the car and behind the firewall...

Yes, it would seem so!

If you are doing soup to nuts on the fuel lines, why wouldn't you start at the fuel tank
and move back to the engine compartment, replacing each and every piece of old
fuel line. Pretty sure that the kits come with a grommet to replace that plactic POS.
Or the come with a larger hose for you to put the fuel line through and then through
the vacant hole in the fire wall.

Thu Feb 23, 2012 2:35 pm

Has anyone ever replaced the long run through the firewall with a steel fuel line? Wondering if there is some reason everyone seems to replace with rubber, and then keep replacing in different intervals. Your thoughts?

Thu Feb 23, 2012 2:59 pm

I replaced with Napa's 350PSI rated line.. its a multigrade and was very very beefy.

I wouldnt think again about spending the 4$ a foot. Although.. metal.. that could work, too..

although.. I'm curious.. would a fire supression system be an ideal investment?

I'm seeing these systems look pretty straight forward.. connecting them to a mounted bottle... may be a good call. some of them even trigger electronically.. used in racecars..

http://www.amazon.com/3-375-Liter-AFFF-Mechanical-...mp;sr=8-28

a cheaper system.. http://www.racingjunk.com/Fire-Suppression/2434417/Firecharger-AFFF-Fire-Suppression-System.html

but if you're handy.. I bet you could make one, and cover the impotrant areas.. to keep this from occuring..

Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:00 pm

dubbified wrote:
I'm seeing these systems look pretty straight forward.. connecting them to a mounted bottle... may be a good call. some of them even trigger electronically.. used in racecars..

http://www.amazon.com/3-375-Liter-AFFF-Mechanical-...mp;sr=8-28

a cheaper system.. http://www.racingjunk.com/Fire-Suppression/2434417/Firecharger-AFFF-Fire-Suppression-System.html

but if you're handy.. I bet you could make one, and cover the impotrant areas.. to keep this from occuring..

IIRC those systems are not meant to be used in freezing environments. Check on the lowest temp environment they can handle before spending any bucks.

Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:12 pm

How about the hard plasic line that connects between the fuel filter the firewall fitting? Any reason to keep that vs running one contuous 7mm line from the engine, through the firewall, right up to the fuel filter>

Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:30 pm

SCM wrote: How about the hard plasic line that connects between the fuel filter the firewall fitting? Any reason to keep that vs running one contuous 7mm line from the engine, through the firewall, right up to the fuel filter>
Not really - probably there to make installing the engine easier on the assembly line. I used a grommet where it went through the firewall. There is a metal replacement - see a couple of posts ago - but I see no strong reason to have this piece.

Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:42 pm

vanagonjr wrote: I used a grommet where it went through the firewall. There is a metal replacement - see a couple of posts ago - but I see no strong reason to have this piece.

Yeah, I understand about the piece that passes through the firewall but I'm refering to the plastic line in front of that piece. At least on my 91, there's hose running from the fuel filter to a hard plastic tube. That tube is almost pencil thick and at least a foot long. Then, there is a short section of hose going from that tube to the "firewall pass-through fitting" that I plan to replace with a grommet. But I'm wondering about that longer section - do they go bad too? I never hear people mention that part.

Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:13 pm

Bump, anyone use steel fuel lines?

Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:23 pm

In the oft criticized air-cooled models, the engine compartment fuel lines are mostly steel, with short rubber pieces to allow for movement instead of breakage. While the short sections are subject to the same deterioration risks as any fuel lines, the short sections are much less prone to rupture.

Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:13 am

That is what I was thinking. A small say 2" section of hose just before the connection point. That would provide for a little movement, but 95% of the line you would never have to worry about again.

Fri Feb 24, 2012 2:32 pm

SCM wrote: How about the hard plasic line that connects between the fuel filter the firewall fitting? Any reason to keep that vs running one contuous 7mm line from the engine, through the firewall, right up to the fuel filter>

No reason at all. When I installed my Subaru engine I went with one-piece FI hose from the pump all the way to the steel fuel lines on the engine.

Comforting.

Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:56 am

Since I can't find the Goodyear fuel injection hose locally in 5/16 , what do you guys think about this one from NAPA ? seems to be similar to the Goodyear if not better , anybody has used this ?

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=NBHH358_0006447045

There is some good information if you click on the "features and benefits" PDF link.

Mon Aug 20, 2012 5:36 pm

I just bought and installed the above hose from NAPA and it's actually made by Gates , it also has the inner lining like Goodyear's and was about $4 per ft.

Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:47 am

I just replaced the short rubber section from plastic pipe from filter to plastic bulkhead mounting - when replacing the coolant tower, I must've nudged it, and the original 1987-date-stamped hose decided that was the last straw. I replaced it with an all-in-one to the metal t-piece to the injector rails.

Bear in mind that, over here in Europe, we don't seem to have anything LIKE the same amount of engine bay fires as you guys - must be different fuel chemistry.

Anyway, the new hose lasted TWO DAYS of running, then split underneath the inlet manifold. Fuel was pouring over the engine, to the point it wouldn't idle smoothly.

I replaced it with new hose, from the car parts store I'd stopped just round the corner from, using the bulkhead joint this time.

That lasted FOUR HOURS. Then the engine cut, half way round a bend. The end of the section from pipe to bulkhead had ballooned and burst. Replaced it again, in the middle of nowhere.

That section was already noticeably soft to to the touch the next morning, so I replaced it with some of the stuff that'd at least lasted a couple of days. That got us to a car parts store where I bought some stuff that was at least marked-up as fuel hose, which got fitted that night.

It's actually possible to change the bit from pipe to engine bay tee, with one caveat... Remove the final pipe-to-body clip before the joint. The pipe seems to be staying in place just fine, but it gives you enough movement that you can pull it all through far enough to do the entire job from the engine bay.

Not, hopefully, that you'll have to do it this often!