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Need to build a fuel line quick

Blue85

Blue85

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I'm looking for suggestions to make or buy a new fuel line to replace a leaky hose. I need to be on the highway in a week, but I have other work to do before that which requires it to run. When I did the EFI conversion in 2006 I had a buddy who worked at a hydraulic supply house and we just walked in one night and whipped some lines up. This is PTFE hose with stainless braid over it, something like 5' long. The fuel rail is Camaro TPI, with fittings at the front and it runs behind the water pump and over to the PS frame rail, connecting to a hardline behind the spring shackle. The lines from the tank and up the frame are from a TBI Blazer. I'm pretty sure I had all the fuel lines from that TBI Blazer at the time, but couldn't use the engine portion due to the major differences in TBI and TPI. So the stock fittings are an O-ring type, but my custom hoses use an AN (flare) type. I have an adapter at the fuel rail that is supposedly for a power steering pump. This all worked fine for the last 12 years, but now there is a leak mid-hose (actually I'll call that 10 years, pretty sure the leak started a while back, but it's been getting progressively worse).

So can I buy TPI-type fuel fittings at the local store and just clamp rubber hose onto them?
Can teflon/braided hose be spliced and repaired?
Is a local shop likely to be able to build a duplicate on the quick? From what I'm seeing, that hose is like $1/inch, but I might still pay it if it's drop-in and go.
 
I don't know as I'd want to trust hose clamps at ~45PSI. They might hold, but they might not. With that much pressure if there isn't something shielding it, pretty good chance that it will mist/spray when it leaks.

I believe there are some splice sections sold, which has the Saginaw flare on one end, straight steel on the other.

You can make these ends with a Mastercool 71475, so anyone that has that should be able to whip up the right end. They are an odd fitting, I'm not sure I've ever seen a "real" name for them (like patented) but they seem to be generally called Saginaw. Same fitting as used on the later PS boxes obviously.

A final option, which I have no idea how common they are anymore in the 'yards, is to look at any late 80's early 90's GM FWD crapbox. I recall pulling the flex lines off many of those vehicles, and they are the same fittings as TPI. IIRC GM did use two different sizes in some applications, but they all seemed to fit my stuff. You could do two or three of those inline to get you by, if you can't find a better solution.

FWIW I used the Camaro lines up the drivers side, which necessitated using a fair number of those braided sections, to route the lines from side to side due to the tank fittings, then up front. I plan to buy the 71475 when I re-do the frame, so I can bend up lines that fit right. The Camaro lines are all hand re-bent and are not run as I would have, had I new line to bend.
 
I can't recall who makes them (Earl's?), but there are adapters out there I've seen for Saginaw to -AN. Stupid expensive IMO.

If those are -AN to Saginaw, no idea why it wouldn't work.
 
I already have the -AN to Saginaw adapters on there. It's been a while, but I think that's why I ended up with "power steering" adapters. They were the same fittings but much cheaper. I'll have to see if I can find Earl's parts locally.
 
I have a bunch of spare fittings and hose sitting on the shelf. 3/8" stainless braided rubber hose and AN fittings. You can have them if you want? Do you need straights, 90s or 45s?
 
I've made gobs of fuel line for all kinds of drag cars with the parts above. They can be a bitch to get the inserts in and to start the threads (espeicailly on -10), but it work great. I was partial to the Aeromotive brand, but have used Russel plenty of times when in a pinch.
 
Local hydraulic shops won't touch it - no hose rated for gas/ethanol. The parts stores can't figure out how to order it even when I give them the part numbers.

Then I got the name of a local speed shop. Not only do they have an aisle of these fittings, they explained how to assemble them.

20180807_160200.jpg
 
Yep. Meant aeroquip not aeromotive. Aeromotive was for fuel pumps and regulators. Good shit.
 
Not cheap, but not really more money than the application specific lines for some of the cars. I wish there was a pre-bent set for my setup, but I couldn't find the option for TPI 85 Blazer on the RockAuto site. And Amazon actually wants more for the same parts.

Russell said:
I have a bunch of spare fittings and hose sitting on the shelf. 3/8" stainless braided rubber hose and AN fittings. You can have them if you want? Do you need straights, 90s or 45s?
Click to expand...
Since the supply line failed, the return line is probably on borrowed time. Let me look at what I need to replace that one and I'll PM you.
 
Did they explain the best way to cut them. With a chisel and anvil?
 
I always wrapped it tight as a nuns behind in electrical or duct tape and used a air cut off wheel. They do have to be pretty perfect or it’s a major bitch to get tightened flush.
 
They said to use bolt cutters or a bandsaw, but a cut-off wheel is OK as long as the cut is square. I have 10" extra, so I might look at a better routing and not cut at all.
 
Blue85 said:
They said to use bolt cutters or a bandsaw, but a cut-off wheel is OK as long as the cut is square. I have 10" extra, so I might look at a better routing and not cut at all.
Click to expand...

Bandsaw works good. Make sure you wrap it. But if you don't have a bandsaw...

I was put on to a sharp chisel and an anvil.

Just hit it a few times to make a clean cut.
I bought a good quality chisel and only use it for that.
 
I rerouted and used the whole 6', so I just left the fiberglass tape on both ends. No leaks!
 
Blue85 said:
I rerouted and used the whole 6', so I just left the fiberglass tape on both ends. No leaks!
Click to expand...

6009121313_0123551127_b.jpg
 
Looking at replacing my fuel rail to frame return line, I'm disappointed in 2018 me not recording numbers. The fuel lines on the frame rail came from a TBI Blazer. I can't remember today if we crimped new ends onto them or if they came with female -AN ends. Supply is -6 and return is -5. If they came that way, conceivably somewhere there is a GM vehicle that has lines I could use. The AN fittings are basically/mostly the same as JIC hydraulic fittings (37 degrees), and not at all compatible with SAE (45 degree) fittings at the hardware store.

The TPI fuel rail has female O-ring fittings: 16x1.5mm for supply and 14x1.5mm for return. What I purchased above as an adapter is a 991955 adapter (16mm) and I have a 991954 sitting around (14mm), both of which go to -6. The trick is making the turn from the fuel rail behind the water pump. This is part of why Corvette fuel rails are more popular than Camaro. These fittings are sometimes sold as a set for TPI rails, but are also available as power steering adapters.

1748778354813.png

1748777470055.png
 
Interestingly, what I've been running for a return line has a 90-degree F-F -5 adapter at both ends. I'm trying to eliminate those to make it simpler, with less leak points. I haven't found a 14x1.5mm to -5 adapter, so this new hose may have to be -5 M to -6 F.

I really can't remember where I got the original adapters because nobody can ID or replace them. Maybe we custom made them as my buddy pulled from random bins in the hydraulic shop?

20250601_220840.jpg
 
Last edited:
Blue85 said:
They said to use bolt cutters or a bandsaw, but a cut-off wheel is OK as long as the cut is square. I have 10" extra, so I might look at a better routing and not cut at all.
Click to expand...
I use a pair of these, very quick, very easy...

www.kleintools.com

Standard Cable Cutter, 25-Inch - 63041 | Klein Tools

Klein Tools Standard Cable Cutters are lightweight, yet efficient. They feature replaceable hook-jaw blades that grab and hold cable while the shear-cutting action makes clean cuts. The jaws are made of forged tool steel with a black-oxide finish for long life. The exceptionally strong...
www.kleintools.com www.kleintools.com

63041_mb.jpg
 
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