How and what to terminate the inlet to my fuel pump

Whaler · #1 (**permalink**) 01-26-2002, 10:56 PM

Having a dilemna on what to use for fuel line from the tank to the mechanical holley fuel pump..I will be using 3/8" wondering if I use hard 3/8 brake line ( the armourflex style) how do I pipe that in to the 1/4 NPT inlet. Should it be hard here as well or not, as the engine will torque and put flex on this connection IMHO.

The holley comes with an assortment of brass odd and ends( gender benders)
Looks like it was anticipating rubber fuel line .
Wondering what you guys have done.
My run from the pump to the carb is now all done in AN-6...

Tim

Todd Baumann · #2 (**permalink**) 01-27-2002, 11:20 AM

Whaler,
This is what I did, from my pick-up I ran hard line 1/2" to a fuel filter, Holley recomends putting one in before thier pump. Then ran hard again to the pump, then hard line again to the regulator at my firewall, then from the regulator to the carb I used flexible braided 8an line. All of the hard lines I flared the ends and used the Areo-Euip line fittings. Worked great and looks good also.
Hope this helps,

nos347 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-27-2002, 01:19 PM

You should never use hard line to connect from the frame rail to the pump!!! The hard line can work harden and break. Use a short length of flexible line, be it braided or not to allow for some flex. Its ok to use hardline from the tank up to the front of the car, but make sure that it is held firmly to the frame rail, with rubberized clamps or somenthing on that order.

Marc Curtis
Jim Green's Performance Center

Mike Braddock · #4 (**permalink**) 01-27-2002, 01:43 PM

Marc,

I think Todd's speaking of an electric fuel pump mounted to the frame, not a mechanical pump mounted to the engine. You are of course correct in that you should never hardline from the frame to the engine, as in the case of a mechanical fuel pump.

Mike

Whaler · #5 (**permalink**) 01-27-2002, 10:46 PM

Thanks guys.. I too thought that the last foot should be a flexible connection of some sort. Maybe a short foot of braided flex as well.....AN-6 hose to male 1/4 npt

I am likely running a length of 3/8 armor flex style prefab brake line upto this point fom the tank. I guess I could run it into a pipe union 1/4 to 1/4 NPT and then mating the brake line and its associated fitting to the AN style hose fitting running to the pump inlet.
Marc I am planning the hole run using the 1/2 or 3/8 size pico clamp with 10/32 machine screws every foot or so. Drilling and tapping the frame for this run and the brake lines as well.

Tim

justa6 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 07:26 AM

Just an opinion but I believe that you want to be careful on putting a regular fuel filter before the pump. IMO, you should either put a "sock" on your pickup in the tank OR put a simple stainless mesh screen type filter before the pump and a real fuel filter after the pump.

Reason is that your drawing fuel under vacuum from the tank (unless you have a pusher pump in the tank) Most electric pumps have this type of screen built into the inlet on the pump. Then when the pump pushes the fuel out under pressure you put a normal type filter as the pump will assure good flow through that filter because of it being pressurized.

The flex hose from the rail to the pump is a must in my opinion.

Regards,

Roscoe · #7 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 08:33 AM

I ran braided stainlessline from the tank to the chassis. I then ran 1/2" to the engine area and finished it in braided stainless.

Roscoe

Whaler · #8 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 12:35 PM

For the record I am using a mechanical holley pump. I have a Russel inline billet aluminum filter between pump and carb.

The tank outlet id 1/2" NPT and I will have a screen at that point as well.

Roscoe that almost looks like the anodized hardline you can by for fuel line going out of your pump to engine. Obviously not the same braided hose you used to go into it from the tank side as you have at the outlet.

Tim

justa6 · #9 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 01:52 PM

That setup sounds good to me. You've got a screen before the pump and the filter after the pump. Should be fine. Oh, one other thing I forgot.

Make sure your vent is more than a stock Ford. They are too small for a high performance motor. I bought a "tip over" valve for a fuel cell and installed it on my Mustang tank. Its about a 3/8 vent and automatically closes in a roll over (hopefully I won't be using that function)

Regards,

SuperHart · #10 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 02:14 PM

Looks like Roscoe placed his fuel lines, filter, and pump on the inside of the main frame rail, and these items don't seem to be protected from the drive shaft. Just my opinion, but I wouldn't install any fuel lines, etc. where the drive shaft or any other moving item could get to them. Drive shafts tend to do funny things when a U joint fails. I know that most guys use drive shaft safety hoops but still, better to be safe than sorry. I installed all my fuel line, filter, and pump on the outside of the main rails well away from any rotating parts. As previous posters have suggested, the last piece of tube should be flexible, not hard, to allow for vibration and flex.

Roscoe · #11 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 03:54 PM

Superhart,
I can appreciate your concern. Believe me I tried to put it somewhere else but it just seemed like a damn good place. There is a driveshaft loop to protect it but if that driveshaft goes, the fuel pump will be the last thing I'd be worried about...get my drift?
Roscoe

SuperHart · #12 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 04:12 PM

Hey, Roscoe, I'm glad to know that you would be worried about something. Hmmmmmm, you wouldn't be referring to a certain part of the anatomy needing to be contained in a crotch cup, would you?

Seriously, your setup does look pretty trick. I'm always a sucker for those pretty stainless hoses and fittings.

Roscoe · #13 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 04:40 PM

Superhart,
Actually, I just finished relocating my forward filter and pressure regulator from the engine compartment down to the chassis, near the bell housing. During the process I took out the hard line and used braided stainless for the whole thing. Fuel line runs up the rear of the engine now and the engine looks less cluttered.

I should add that with the remote dual filters, oil cooler, oil thermostat and Accusump the engine compartment looked like a bowl of pasta. I also brought the oil line coming from the engine around to the passenger side of the oil filters. Looks alot neater now.

Roscoe

Whaler · #14 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 05:54 PM

Super hart
thanks for the photo as I was curious to know how guys had terminated or made that final transition from hardpipe to pump...what did you use to run the hardpipe up from the tank??
Another safety thought is running the battery feed and fuel line on the opposing frame rails..

Tim

justa6 · #15 (**permalink**) 02-01-2002, 06:05 PM

I just thought of something that might be of interest. If you have a fuel pressure gauge and a pressure regulator make sure you DON'T use of of the two ports of the regulator for the pressure sending unit.

Reason I found out from an engine builder here in Atlanta area. Those pressure regulators that have in IN side at the bottom of the "T" with the two out ports on each side. Those two "out" ports have an .080 diameter and they are made so both out ports flow to a float bowl. I made the mistake of using one of the out ports for the pressure regulator and the other to the carb. There was no way that one side could feed the engine at full throttle. You guys probably already know this but I didn't. The way we fixed it was to put an individual line on each out port and then teed off one of the lines to the pressure gauge.

Regards,