Metal fuel lines

[flopper]

Just wondering if there any reason that instead of fuel lines in the engine compartment i could use 5/16" brake line tubing. I have the flaring tool to put a bubble flare at the ends and the tubing is a third of the price of the locally available hose. Double the clamps and joins but would the steel tubing be ok. Thanks.
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85 Vanagon GL 7pass manual in the process of finding out all that's wrong.
One VW at a time so far, past memories...
75 Westy weekender, 92 Eurovan GL and to start it off 82 Vanagon GL 9pass.

[danfromsyr]

Fuel injected Bay window buses had metal fuel lines with short rubber hose couplings.
the factory likely went to just rubber to ease manufacturing and costs
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[sbclayton]

Just my $0.02 - and remember, the coffee hasn't kicked in yet - would rust be a problem from condensation in the fuel tank getting into those steel lines? I'm thinking that even though the filter would catch stuff up front, there would still be the possibility of rust particles getting into the injectors from the filter on back.

Of course, an ideal solution would be to remote-mount the filter, heat-shielded, in the engine compartment itself as close to the injectors as possible.
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Steve - Tampa Bay Area
Original Owner (12/1990) of
NavDog, a 91 Carat

Enlightenment came when I realized that any time in my life I was having fun, it was somehow connected with owning a Volkswagen.

[IdahoDoug]

You'd have to consider the inside diameter of the metal lines which I think would be smaller than the rubber fuel lines. That would change things as to flow and perhaps place more load on the fuel pump. No idea if it would still be in the correct range to feed the injectors, etc.

Also, rubber lines account for the movement of the engine so you'd want to at least leave a section from the firewall to the moving engine in rubber.

DougM
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1993 Toyota LandCruiser, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[GeeZ12]

3 years and 25+ thousand miles ago I changed out all my fuel lines (excluding the fuel lines between the fuel rails) with copper tubing. I used compression barbed fittings on the ends and short pieces of high pressure fuel line for the joining pieces. Just make sure to affix the line to the frame so that the line doesn't flex with the suspension and/or engine movement to prevent cyclic failures.

just my 2¢

Gary

[Perales]

[morymob]

After having one of the injector taps on a plastic fuel rail crack and drip on exh, lucky no fire i did change to earlier metal ones, over 2yrs ago and no problems. U will need slightly longer rubber lines to injectors.

[Californio]

Lots of cars have metal lines, Saabs among them. Yes they work better, as in trouble free for the life of the car. VW was just cheap here IMHO.

[msinabottle]

I very much want to convert as much of Winston's fuel line system to metal as I can. I have a friend who used to be a metal fabricator, he's done the same thing to his own vehicles time and time again. Yet another task for which I need to acquire the time and get the proverbial round tuit.

Sigh.

Best!
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'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[Team WorldTour]

Had a look at my main lines the other day. The little bits between the tank and pump are rubber, but the long one from the pump to firewall is plastic. Would this be a PO upgrade? Should I still change this one?
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[Wildthings]

Having metal most of the distance between the engine and the tank will lessen the chance of an engine fire working its way forward to the tank. Making the joint between the metal and the rubber as high as practical in the engine compartment will also prevent gravity flow once the rubber burns through in a fire.

'91 with Suby conversion

83 1/2 with WBX

[danfromsyr]

NO DOmo that is Vinyl tubing and is OEM, in fact alot of car manufacturers use it.. and I can report that it melted & sealed up in the case of an engine fire in my brother's van (he bought it burnt) when snipped it flowed gas freely.. but was melted shut from the fire..
I wouldn't say it'll always do that, but in this case kept the tank from draining completely. he got another 3+ gallons out of it on flat/level ground