Guest 240hybrid Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 I want to get some peoples opinions on the use of steel braided line over a regular solid stainless steel/aluminum fuel lines. Im interested in using a 3/8 braided for supply and a 5/16 braided hose for a return line on a 400+ 280zxt motor. I was wondering if anyone knows roughly the cost per foot for these sizes, because I was confused by Jegs.com's size listing of -10, -12, and -16 . Also is the installation ease to cost ratio worth going with steel braiding rather than a regular solid line?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greimann Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 Personally, I am a big fan of hard line. Mild steel, not stainless (because it is tough stuff to bend and flare) or not aluminum (because it can crack too easily due to long term vibration). The up front cost is more because you will need a bender ($20) and a good flare tool ($80), but the mild steel line is very inexpensive when you get in 25 ft. coils. I would recommend that if you go to hard line, that you do 37 degree flares instead of 45 degree flares because you do not need to double flare with the 37 degree fittings and they are compatible with the AN style fittings that braided line is terminated with. The dash sizes you refer to are the numerator of the fraction X/16, so a -6 line is 6/16 or 3/8 dia. A -16 is a one inch line! Here is a pix of some hardline, painted black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240hybrid Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 Just curious, where did you get your solid steel line at?? I went to check pricing on some tonight, but Home Depot didnt have any at all, and advanced auto only had 4 ft pieces(roughly $4.75) that were already flared and had fittings attached. I was told Napa would carry 3/8 and 5/16 steel tubing in increase sizing that I'm looking for, is this true?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greimann Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 Summit carries steel, stainless and aluminum in 3/8 and 5/16. I would recommend going 3/8 all around to keep it simple. No need to run down and buy two sizes of fittings when technically one size will work for supply and return. Since you buy this stuff in 25ft coils, you won't have so much extra with one size. http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=22692&view=2047 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240hybrid Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 I appreciate the info., I'll check out summit and see what they can help me out with. I'll calc out the price on the braided line too and find out what the differences in cost will be. I'd still appreciate if anyone elses opinions on the matter, especially if they have good or bad stories/experiences working with either of these 2 fuel lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 If you get a quote be sure and post it. BTW, I'd do a price match from this site for SS lines. I used -10 entry -8 return on my zxt project. Wasn't too cheap, and they weren't too malleable as far as hanging etc. I probably wouldn't use SS lines again, hard lines seem to be the way to go for price and durability. Plus I like Greimann's idea.. 25 ft of 3/8 for send/return would cover the new electric pump I put on my 240z.. -980mak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240hybrid Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 After what greimann said about using the same for a supply and a return, I believe I might go with the steel braided 3/8 for a supply and return instead of solid SS lines, considering the ease of installation, considering I'll prob end up spending the same amount of $ for either. Even though Solid lines would be cheaper the tools required will drive up the cost for Solid SS. I have jegs.com qouting a price of $87.99 for a 20ft section of 3/8 braided lines, and the site you gave me 980mak was at 89.80 for the same -6(3/8) sized braided lines at that 20ft length. I cant tell for sure if I'm going to run steel braided till I find out pricing on fittings, then I'll make my final decision on the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 I dont really know about the quality but you can go to autozone and get a double flaring tool and a tube bender on loan for free. You just pay a deposit and when you bring them back they give you your money and tax back. That is what Im planning on doing for my breaks and fuel lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240hybrid Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 I decided that Im gonna go with a braided line. I did a search on braided lines from jegs.com when I first started interest in changing out the lines and came up with these two choices. http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=4486&prmenbr=361 Heres the regular Stainless Steel lines. http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=2701&prmenbr=361 I did a search to see what others are going with....it seems that people like the pushlock type due to it being more cost effective than the standard SS line, and that its supposed to be just as good as the SS type. Anyone have opinions on these 2 fuel lines?? Also, does anyone have any pics of the "pushlock" type to show how it attaches to the fuel rail? Threads?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeZguy Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 I'm running SS lines on my 84zxt, plan to do the same to my 77' and I'm having an L6 being built that will be tapped to run SS lines for everything. I picked up just about all my fittings and lines from Ebay. Only bought brand new on both, cost about half of what Summit and Jegs charge. For the fuel rails, I just use the end covers on the hose. Russel has some hard line adapters to AN, but they are for 3/8 or 1/2 hard line. They use a crimp(compression ring), and are to big for the 5/16 hard lines. I've been running them for about 9 months with no problems. The 84' is my daily driver, all year round. .....chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-ya Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 I used Summit 3/8" aluminum fuel lines, and a combination of braided SS #8 and #6 hose. I used compression fittings to translate between AN fittings and aluminum tube. Another option (I just did this on our club 240Z race car). We had an extra 240Z 5/16" solid line, so I ran it in place of the 5/16" charcoal canister line. So now We have both a 5/16" feed and return line on the car. It was easy (especially since the car is on a rotiserie). Another option would be to take the 5/16" canister line, and using a tubing bender, bend it so that it runs along the passenger frame rail. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240hybrid Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 Very useful info., I'll definitely check on ebay for hoses and fittings. Wouldnt mind saving the $. That idea for 2 5/16 lines is not too shabby, but I no longer have the carbon caniser line available in my car, I removed it, because the previous owner removed this canister and tore and bent the 5/16 line you speak of all to hell . Do you run into any pressure problems using the 1/2 inch line? I believe I'll go with the SS braided line, sounds like Ive covered everything I can think of. Thanks guys, Chase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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