Mechanical Fuel Pump Fuel Line Installation Photos

[Gumball]

UPDATED 5/3/16 - Here is today's TTT on yet another old thread - this one details how I made a one-piece stainless steel fuel line for my carb'd engine with a mechanical fuel pump. In this installation, the fuel filter is located up top, between the hard line from the fuel pump just before the carb feed. Original post starts below.....


I know, some of you will throw the red flag on the location of this line, but it runs no closer to the u-joint than the fuel line in my '65 Mustang - and that was without the safety factor of the driveshaft safety loop. Best of all, it allows a clean installation of a one-piece line from tank to pump - using short rubber jumper lines at both ends.

For those thinking about running a fuel line for a mechanical fuel pump, here are some installation photos of mine. It's stainless steel 3/8" line with partial flares (bulges, really) on the ends that I made using a quick-connect flaring tool and only doing about half the flare. The line starts about 8" from where the Breeze feeder tube will exit the tank and proceeds around to above the center-left of the 2" tube at the front of the trunk floor, then it tucks close to the 3/4" tubing while heading down at a 45 degree angle or so to a pair of bends that allow it to parallel the inside of the driver's side 4" round tube, terminating must past the driver's side engine mount support where a short piece of rubber line will connect it to the mechanical pump. I used #10 self-tapping stainless screws to hold the rubber lined clamps in place, with some loctite blue for added measure.

As a side note, yes - it is possible to bend this outside of the car and then fish it all the way into the chassis! I had it in and out quite a few times during the fitting and bending. I did use a soft copper line for the template, though.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/img_4124.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/img_4124.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/img_4125.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/img_4125.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/img_4122.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/img_4122.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/img_4121.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/img_4121.jpg.html)

[riptide motorsport]

You'll have no issues like that , nice install

[AJ Roadster NJ]

That looks really nice. I did a one-piece just like that, except I did run down the outside of the 4" frame rail. For me it was the lesser of two evils -- you mentioned the driveshaft issue, but it is also true that on mine, it is more exposed in a side-hit scenario. I did mount it at about 45° up from the bottom so as not to be directly in the line of fire.

How did it go for you on bending and fitting? You could've filmed mine as a comedy show. That is one honkin' long fuel line to test fit, bend, test fit, bend, test fit, bend...but it is nice to know there is a solid line there.

One thing I did was connect with about a 2' loop of neoprene in back that I siliconed lightly to the top of the tank. That way, if I ever have to drop the tank, I won't have to disconnect the line first.

AJ

[Gumball]

AJ - I cheated by first using household-plumbing grade copper tubing to make a template; soft enough to bend in place once I got it close outside of the car by using a tape measure and carefully estimating angles. The in-and-out wasn't too bad once I figured out how to snake it around everything. I started with a roll of stainless tubing, rolled out 10.5' of it, straigntened it as much as possible using an expansion groove in my garage floor and the tread of the rear tire, then bent it to match the copper template as closely as possible. I used the same Harbor Freight bender that I used for my brake lines (it has grooves for three sizes of tubing). The first stainless line didn't come out quite as close to the 3/4" tubes in the tunnel, so I marked changes on it and bent a second one that worked out perfectly.

I like your idea of some extra length of rubber tubing to allow it to stay connected if I ever have to drop the tank - thanks for that tip.

[Gumball]

TTT - hope this helps some of the new generation of cars that are using a carb.

[cnutting]

Big help for me as I will be running a carb, thanks!
Chris