EFI Fuel lines

[1969]

I have Tom’s 23 gallon EFI tank, and plan on running the Edelbrock Pro Flo 4. I see that Tom’s offers an EFI fuel line kit, but in their photo written right on the hose says “Not for fuel injection systems”.. gonna call them on Monday and see what fuel line they are running in the kit. I don’t necessarily need some fancy braided hose kit, I just want it to be long lasting and easily serviceable if I have to show up at a random parts store. Anyone else running a similar setup to what I’m doing?

https://tomsoffroad.com/products/66-77-ford-bronco-holley-sniper-23-gallon-fuel-tank-hose-kit

 

[toddz69]

Yeah, the 30R7 hose in the picture is for low pressure, carbureted systems. Make sure they're using 30R9 - that's for EFI systems. As an aside, 30R10 is for the submersible hose in a fuel tank.

Todd Z.

 

[1969]

Yeah, the 30R7 hose in the picture is for low pressure, carbureted systems. Make sure they're using 30R9 - that's for EFI systems. As an aside, 30R10 is for the submersible hose in a fuel tank.

Todd Z.

Thanks for the information Todd. Do you have any preference on fuel lines? I see WH offers braided lines, and BC offers a hard line kit?

 

[anoblefox]

been using Aeroquip dash 6 Push Lok hose for 40 years, getting the hose end install tool is key for ease of installation. I detest braded steel hose.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Fuel hose can get even more complicated. The hoses listed above have some permability. That is the gas will seep through the hose.
If you think about the submersible hose, it is rated for fuel on the outside as much as the inside. Because the exterior of fuel hose will not survive contact with fuel.
Wait, fuel hose that fails in contact with fuel? Yep, that is why they have submersible hose for use in a fuel tank.
But back to that permability issue, fuel seeps through the hose. the hose that can't take fuel on the outside?

There is another level of fuel hose. Marine fuel hose has a non-permeability layer on the inside. For coast guard reasons where they really freak out about fuel fumes coming through the hose. Something about fumes building up in a boat hull and causing the boat to blow up. They don't like that. I've switched from regular fuel hose to barrier type fuel hose. Found the rubber lasts way longer. From a few years to well over a decade. Now for EFI, it gets harder. Finding EFI rated barrier fuel hose. It does exist, but is hard to find. While discussing barrier type fuel hose, you also have to watch the barbed fittings. The sharp shark fin barbs that really bite into the rubber hose should be avoided. The cut through the barrier that you worked so hard to find. You should look for the smooth bulge type of barbed fitting. Keeps the hose from sliding off, but doesn't cut into the inner barrier layer.

And then there are the hose clamps. Oh, dinner is ready... Todd Z can probably fill you in on those.

 

[toddz69]

Thanks for the information Todd. Do you have any preference on fuel lines? I see WH offers braided lines, and BC offers a hard line kit?

There are hard line kits and it's hard to go wrong with them from a longevity/durability standpoint. You'll use some rubber lines for transitions at various points depending on how your truck is set up.

For soft lines, I imagine that regular parts stores still sell rubber EFI line (30R9 rated)- I haven't shopped for any for decades so I don't know for sure. Back when I did my 5.0 conversion back in '97, I bought it from Napa and 28 years later, my truck is still plumbed with 90% of that. The secret, in my opinion, is to route it properly - away from heat/abrasion, proper bend radii, proper stress relief, proper fittings, proper hose clamps (use EFI hose clamps) and support it properly in its runs (I use Adel clamps and T&B ty-raps for much of mine). The insides will probably degrade before something happens on the exterior. I removed a section of mine a few years ago and inspected it under a high-power scope at work and it still looked pristine.

If you're going to use rubber hose, I'd use the barricade hoses that @Broncobowsher mentioned - specifically Gates Barricade hose or Holley Vapor Guard. They both have liner layers to deal with crummy fuel. Holley also sells -6 AN fittings designed for the hose along with either the proper hose clamps or Oetiker clamps that can be crimped.

The PTFE-lined (make sure it's non-conductive) braided hose is also a good option. Assuming all the proper precautions taken above, I think it could be considered a lifetime installation on a typical rig. The fittings are a little more challenging to assemble than say...Vapor Guard fittings, but still not too bad. A PTFE-lined braided hose with an exterior liner (Fragola is one vendor that makes such a thing) would add even more durability.

My truck is so oddball and non-standard that it will probably always have flex lines in it - and that's a not bad thing if done properly.

Todd Z.

 

[fordguy]

been using Aeroquip dash 6 Push Lok hose for 40 years, getting the hose end install tool is key for ease of installation. I detest braded steel hose.

Push lock with the tool is awesome. I used an and an to factory. Fittings, no leaks. I have 4 fittings (2 for filiter) and one on each end. I have returnless so I only have one line.

 

[ntsqd]

I use the "Emissions Barrier" EFI rated fuel hose on Push-Lock/Barb-tite type fittings as I also am not a fan of braided SS hose or hose clamps on rubber hose. Braided SS has it's uses, but I limit it's use to those systems that really need it, like brakes. "Push-Lock" is Weatherhead's name for these fittings and "Barb-tite" is Parker's name for them (or I could have that backwards), Aeroquip calls these fittings "Socketless Hose Ends", Earl's calls them "SuperStock Hose Ends". Pushing the hose onto the fitting takes some effort, a lubricant is advised. -6 isn't too bad. By the time you get to a -10 you're going to be working for it.
That assembly is good to the pressure rating of the hose. These hose ends are designed to not need a hose clamp, and putting a clamp on them is actually bad because the clamp will cause the barbs to cut the liner in the hose. What I have done instead of a clamp when something is super critical is to use a T&B Zip-Tie between the barbs and only pull it snug, not tight. I've recently found that the T&B's are a good idea where the hose will be under a vacuum. I have also used the clamp formed with Safety Wire using a Clamp-tite tool instead of the T&B Zip-Tie for this purpose.

I am way off the Ranch in using that hose on those fittings as they are not designed to work together, but partly as an experiment I plumbed the Valiant's Walbro fuel pump with this hose and fitting combo, and that is all that mounts the pump! Note that you can see the barbs in the bulged hose. The inlet fitting in the pic below was changed to a 45° which removed that mild kink in the hose. Has run that way for years. I have no concerns in using this hose on these fittings. What you decide to do is up to you.

Expect to pay several dollars per foot for the Emissions Barrier EFI fuel hose. It is not inexpensive. Unlike the cheaper hose, IME you won't need to replace it in a couple of years. So even though it's more expensive up front, in the long run it is the lower cost option.

 

[Jdgephar]

I just used 3/8" brake lines. Bent them myself to where I wanted them. AN-6 fittings with some EFI rated rubber fuel hose where needed.

 

[widowmaker77]

I’m running explorer efi
And I used the nylon efi hose like ford used in the older 80’s and 90’s trucks. The hose ends are readily available at auto parts stores. I made a tool to push the ends into the hose.

 

[ntsqd]

On the Bronc-up I used nylon line and wash-down poke-n-hope fittings to connect to the nylon line. Those were screwed into bulkhead fititngs that had AN adapters on the other side.
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