# Fuel line repair



## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

88 Chevy Suburban the fuel line rotted out just forward of the braided rubber hose at the fuel pump. Can't disconnect the house at the fuel pump too rusty. Don't want to have to replace the pump There is no replacement line. At the end of the hose I have 3” of steel line. I tried to flare it and the flare cracked as I thought it would. It is throttle body fuel injection.
Will a piece of standard rubber fuel line with clamps hold up under the pressure of the electric fuel pump?


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

No regular fuel line will not last. You can get hose made for fuel injection at a parts store. Car quest makes repair kits for fuel lines for lines and fittings.


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

I did not think it would hold up. I know for sure if I even try to disconnect the hose fitting from the fuel pump tube. Tube on the fuel pump will break or leak. If I could get the fitting lose, I can make the new line my self. Trying not to replace the pump.
Thanks for your response. :thumbsup:


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

You can get the fittings that go into the pump from car quest. I just cut the line then you can get the fitting out of the pump to make new line.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Are you using a tube wrench to try and break the fitting loose?
http://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-9-4...1380363300&sr=8-3&keywords=flare+nut+wrenches

A few shots of Liquid Wrench and letting it soak in may help.


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

I have a full set of both standard and metric line wrenches as well as double flaring kit. The Line at the pump is so rusty any movement will cause it to leak. I am looking at maybe replacing the steel line at the end of the hose and secure it with a clamp. The clamp in the photo was placed there to keep the steel tube from moving in the OEM hose. You can see how rusty the steel pump lines are. I did flare the line twice and it cracked both times right on the flare. This is an old rusted out vehicle that I drive to work once a month and leave it in the lot at work for a month. Other wise I would replace the pump. Just don't have extra money anymore.


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

Yea that's not good. Good luck may not have a choice but getting a pump assy.


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## Lotek (Apr 24, 2013)

That isn't the pump, it,s the fuel level sender that the pump inside the tank attaches to, and if it's that rusty, you may as well bite the bullet and replace it.

Wait, you cut a hole in the floor to get to the top of the tank? The tank is held in by 2 bolts after you drop the shield...


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

thats pretty bad. get a new one. those are not that expensive. 

how much is a tow going to cost you, WHEN, that starts to leak.....


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Tow is free! Unless I am mistaken that was all part of the fuel pump when I priced it and looked at it at the parts store. I did manage to get it connected with a new section of line from the tank to the filter. No leaks.

"Wait, you cut a hole in the floor to get to the top of the tank? The tank is held in by 2 bolts after you drop the shield..."

Sure did fastest easy fix' In the past removing straps and dropping the tank, the tank leaked right where the straps were. Cutting a hole in floor not going to hurt anything. The rockers are pretty much gone, just keeping her running. I drive her to work once a month and park her in the lot and then drive the company vehicle. Also have to drop the skid plate, tow hitch to get to the tank. I made a cover plate and screwed it in place, put the mat back. :thumbsup:

I bought the old girl new in 1988 and she never failed to bring me home.:thumbsup:


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Lotek said:


> That isn't the pump, it,s the fuel level sender that the pump inside the tank attaches to, and if it's that rusty, you may as well bite the bullet and replace it.
> 
> Wait, you cut a hole in the floor to get to the top of the tank? The tank is held in by 2 bolts after you drop the shield...


I will look into if I can get just the sending unit as you say and how much it is.


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

It is all part of the fuel pump assembly and the one I was shown. $200.00
I may go ahead and replace it.


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## Lotek (Apr 24, 2013)

That's actually 3 separate pieces from the factory, pump, sender and pickup screen, what you posted looks like it might be Airtex which is absolute junk. If moving the straps caused the tank to leak then maybe it was time to replace the tank as well...


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Lotek said:


> That's actually 3 separate pieces from the factory, pump, sender and pickup screen, what you posted looks like it might be Airtex which is absolute junk. If moving the straps caused the tank to leak then maybe it was time to replace the tank as well...


Lotek you are missing the big picture!
It is time to replace the entire vehicle.
But that is not in the big picture.
This is my second vehicle, I drive it 10 miles round trip twice a month.
It is more about keeping it running then dumping money in it.
Replacing 4 tires may be a decison, do I want to put $600.00 worth of tires on it or is it time to go.
This is a do it your self site, sometimes ya have to improvise, adapt over come.
It is easy to say just replace everything with new.

Lotek what is the issue with cutting a hole in the floor of a rusted out 25 year old vehicle? Some vehicles come with an inspection plate.

At any rate the old girl is up and running again.:thumbup:


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

I have fixed many a gas line with a rubber hose. It will work fine for years, as long as you use one rated for gas. Some of the vehicles in the 60s had rubber hoses from the factory.


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## Lotek (Apr 24, 2013)

Hardway said:


> Lotek you are missing the big picture!
> It is time to replace the entire vehicle.
> But that is not in the big picture.
> This is my second vehicle, I drive it 10 miles round trip twice a month.
> ...


Not really missing the 'big picture', had one of these in a year or so ago with a similar access hole cut, the Airtex pump had failed, took 30 minutes to get the tank out including cutting off the seized tank strap bolts, looked up and saw the sawzall and angle grinder cuts. With the disassembly involved and the time it takes to cut the hole, not to mention the danger involved in cutting near a leaking fuel system, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to do it that way. There's "improvise, adapt over come" and then there's "Hold my beer"... But to each his own, just wanted to inject a bit of caution for someone else contemplating a similar repair. Fuel systems, brakes and steering are no place to take shortcuts. It can endanger not only the driver and his passengers, but everyone else on the road with him. For 20 miles a month, it might be cheaper to take a cab.


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## Shaynecalkins (Jan 17, 2013)

i am holding in my hand a toyota in tank fuel pump for a fuel injected car and it has solid lines all the way to the bolted cap for the gas tank. INSIDE the gas tank it has a rubber fuel hose with cheesy hose clamps. the hose is about three inches long clamped on both ends, original, not aftermarket and not a return line.on a separate note, we used double hose clamps before when we broke down in other trucks. it was only temporary and it never leaked. ill see if i can load a picture of this thing.


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## Shaynecalkins (Jan 17, 2013)

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz168/emergencydoordr/IMG_03711_zps256aa61f.jpg


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## Shaynecalkins (Jan 17, 2013)

whoa that was a big picture. lets try that again


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## Shaynecalkins (Jan 17, 2013)

before i took it apart


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## Lotek (Apr 24, 2013)

Shaynecalkins said:


> i am holding in my hand a toyota in tank fuel pump for a fuel injected car and it has solid lines all the way to the bolted cap for the gas tank. INSIDE the gas tank it has a rubber fuel hose with cheesy hose clamps. the hose is about three inches long clamped on both ends, original, not aftermarket and not a return line.on a separate note, we used double hose clamps before when we broke down in other trucks. it was only temporary and it never leaked. ill see if i can load a picture of this thing.


That's actually a special type of fuel line that is fuel resistant on both the inside and outside, very common to see that setup on older systems, the rubber line acts as an isolator to keep the vibrations from the pump from travelling up the fuel line and resonating so that it can be heard inside the vehicle. As long as the surface of the pipe is clean and smooth and has a barb at the end, a double clamped piece of high pressure fuel injection hose is a perfectly acceptable way of connecting the tank to the hard line at the frame. Btw, those are special high tension spring clamps in your pics, they work better than screw clamps in that application, they don't cut into the hose and don't vibrate loose.


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## Shaynecalkins (Jan 17, 2013)

now that i look at these clamps i see that they are two clamps, one inside the other. so he is looking to attach steel braided hose to steel pipe. how would you "barb" an antique piece of steel fuel line? steel braid can be attached to a threaded barb then high pressure rubber to the old pump, but the old pump still has unbarbed steel and no way to separate.here is a picture of the barb.


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## Lotek (Apr 24, 2013)

You can do the first half of a double flare...if the pipe is in good shape, otherwise, replace the pipe up to the point where you do have good steel or an oem union.


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Lotek said:


> Not really missing the 'big picture', had one of these in a year or so ago with a similar access hole cut, the Airtex pump had failed, took 30 minutes to get the tank out including cutting off the seized tank strap bolts, looked up and saw the sawzall and angle grinder cuts. With the disassembly involved and the time it takes to cut the hole, not to mention the danger involved in cutting near a leaking fuel system, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to do it that way. There's "improvise, adapt over come" and then there's "Hold my beer"... But to each his own, just wanted to inject a bit of caution for someone else contemplating a similar repair. Fuel systems, brakes and steering are no place to take shortcuts. It can endanger not only the driver and his passengers, but everyone else on the road with him. For 20 miles a month, it might be cheaper to take a cab.


 
I cut the hole in the floor with no sparks at all, did not use a grinder or a saws all.
Can't fit all the equipment in cab.
There is absolutely no safety issue with the repair I made. 
I used steel line and double flare.
I don't drink and my repairs are always safe.


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## Shaynecalkins (Jan 17, 2013)

if you look at his picture i did not see any good steel. He was afraid if he took it loose at the union it would twist or break the pipe. I think his question short and sweet was the same question most of us has asked at one time in our past....will two hose clamps be sufficiant to hold a pressurized fuel line. I dont think anyone wants to give a guy a straight answer because of what COULD happen should it fail. ive done it and lived to tell the tale. and i think im not the only one. But.... i dont know if i would call it a permanent fix. I would feel better about a barb now that ive seen the factory do it. Maybe my pictures will clear up a little of the mystery for people that assumed it was solid all the way to the pump....i did.assume that is. i thought it was all high pressure line. I also had a truck where they changed the in tank pump to a 100 dollar holly that mounted on a frame rail. I dont know how they disabled the in tank pump.


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Shaynecalkins I did not use any hose or clamps for the repair. The hose clamp in the photo I put it there on the OEM high pressure hose that has a stainless steel casing, so when I flared it, it would not be disturbed. I double flare the peace of steel tube OEM attached to the OEM hose. My orignal question was will standard fuel hose hold up under pressure. Which I was suspect that it would. I did not add any hose, I used steel line with double flares and brass couplings. 

Shaynecalkins thanks for your response.:thumbsup:


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Shaynecalkins said:


> if you look at his picture i did not see any good steel. He was afraid if he took it loose at the union it would twist or break the pipe. I think his question short and sweet was the same question most of us has asked at one time in our past....will two hose clamps be sufficiant to hold a pressurized fuel line. I dont think anyone wants to give a guy a straight answer because of what COULD happen should it fail. ive done it and lived to tell the tale. and i think im not the only one. But.... i dont know if i would call it a permanent fix. I would feel better about a barb now that ive seen the factory do it. Maybe my pictures will clear up a little of the mystery for people that assumed it was solid all the way to the pump....i did.assume that is. i thought it was all high pressure line. I also had a truck where they changed the in tank pump to a 100 dollar holly that mounted on a frame rail. I dont know how they disabled the in tank pump.


"I would feel better about a barb now that ive seen the factory do it."

I have in the past double flared a line and sliped the house over the flare and placed two clamps on it.


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

i use 3/8 compression fittings to join those lines. My wife threw that fuel pump away about a year ago, brand new in the box, I could have sent it to you. Now I am Mad all over again


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## Shaynecalkins (Jan 17, 2013)

i misunderstood, i thought the fitting was to rusted to break free so it was to be eliminated. the rubber hose i have has a internal cloth braid formed into the rubber so i dont know if thats "standard" i have a piece outside, i will go look. my aftermarket standard fuel line has six strings in it, my oem high pressure fuel line has 12. hope that helps. i know you got it fixed already but ive asked the same questions and did not have pieces to check against. so here is pictures for anyone else.


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## Shaynecalkins (Jan 17, 2013)

i was thinking compression fitting too, but auto repair is not my main expertise. alot of time i go to ask for compression fitting for this stuff and the guy get that "deer in the headlights" look and says; you know this is a car,right? not household plumbing. the sizes are all wrong.pfft! compression fitting always works. get me a "sharkbite" dangit ill fix this.(JOKING...DONT DO THAT)


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Shaynecalkins said:


> i was thinking compression fitting too, but auto repair is not my main expertise. alot of time i go to ask for compression fitting for this stuff and the guy get that "deer in the headlights" look and says; you know this is a car,right? not household plumbing. the sizes are all wrong.pfft! compression fitting always works. get me a "sharkbite" dangit ill fix this.(JOKING...DONT DO THAT)


I had to buy a 18" piece of steel line that has the special end with an O ring that fits into the fuel filter has I was not able to form the special end. The other end of the line had no flare; it came with compression fitting to connect to the long steel line. So compression fitting are used on cars. I did double flare it thou, because I can.


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

mj12 said:


> i use 3/8 compression fittings to join those lines. My wife threw that fuel pump away about a year ago, brand new in the box, I could have sent it to you. Now I am Mad all over again


Sent the pump to whom, because if it was the set up I need. I could have picked it up:thumbsup:


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