Fuel line fitting sizes

[chefk85]

Hey everybody. I've looked all over and can't find fuel line fitting sizes from pump to qjet carb. I am going to replace the rubber line with a solid one like it should be. The reason I used rubber temporarily is when I replaced my fuel pump the new one(from napa)had a different size fitting at the pump. Why do they do this? Anyhow and help would be appreciated.

[B. W.]

What pump did you get? The correct fuel pump should have the same thread size as the q-jet (5/8-18) 3/8" brake line is what I use for hard line from the pump to the carb.

Bobbby

[chefk85]

I got whatever pump they said was an o.e. replacement, but apparently it wasn't. Was hoping to get the hard line installed today but I guess what I should do is go home and grab the fitting I bought to make the rubber line work coming from the pump. The line is connected to the original metal line at the carb so that fitting should slide off and be reusable. Guess I answered all my own questions lol. It will just have to wait until tomorrow to get fixed. I will try the brake line and maybe I could get a shop to flare it for me for cheap.

[geezer#99]

Take the fitting from the pump and the one from the carb and match the ends up with an already flared line available at the parts store. They come in different lengths with different ends.
Get two the right length.
One to practice with and one to use after you figure out you bent the first one wrong.

[In The Ten Ring]

I bought a prebent piece from www.inlinetube.com. It worked pretty well. *It went from pump to carb, direct OE replacement.

[midniteblues]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Get two the right length.
One to practice with and one to use after you figure out you bent the first one wrong.

Lol!

I dont understand why most pumps have that small outlet fitting.

I like too flare my own and when possible reuse oe flare fittings. I save all old ones. You can drill out the old tubing and clean the inside at same time. Then use a door pin or the likely stud with the fitting slipped on it and spin it on a bench grinder wire wheel. Cleans them up awesome and they are much better material than the junk fittings on the preflared lines.

Most "help" sections in auto stores should have what you need. If not ask they useally have drawers of fittings behind the counters.

[VetteVet]

Will you be using an inline filter from the pump to the carb? That may require a small length of rubber hose on each end unless you can find one with fittings. Then you will have to have the hard line flared with fittings to match. Isn't this fun?

[Overdriven]

Originally Posted by VetteVet

Will you be using an inline filter from the pump to the carb? That may require a small length of rubber hose on each end unless you can find one with fittings. Then you will have to have the hard line flared with fittings to match. Isn't this fun?

Figuring out the fittings and line sizes is the worst. Multiple times ordering or multiple trips to the multiple stores drives me nuts. But planning the path of the lines, actually bending them up and seeing them following contours and other lines perfectly is so awesome and rewarding. You just have to forget all the parts research and chasing you did to get there!

Edit: the worst was the tranny lines in my fathers nova with the aftermarket radiator. Old school 350 trans and an aftermarket radiator meant for a 60's car and it's got modern style fittings. I get it all done, next summer he pays someone to put a 200r4 in it. Of course they cut the lines and loop some rubber lines there. I just stood there mouth agape and twitching at what they did to my hard work. I never fixed it, just about ruined the car for me and I wasn't sad when he sold it.

[chefk85]

So I made a trip to the parts store to get some 3/8 pipe. All they had was 5/16 fittings both ends so I made a decision to see if the fuel pump I replaced was bad in the first place. I suspected after I replaced it that I may have been having carb issues (which have since been worked out) and that it was the culprit. The old pump has 5/16 fittings so that makes things easier if it works. We shall see. Anyhow, I read somewhere to get a 30 inch piece of line and they only had really short ot really long so I bought a section 40 inches long. Welllllll that's about 15 inches longer than I need for the Ole 283 so it's back to the parts store tomorrow to get a piece closer to 26 inches. I used a coat hanger to get dimensions and length close. I'll buy or borrow a bender and try my hand at bending my own. Kind of fun.

OK now for the parts store employee rant. I walk in. He's on his cell phone. Now mind you I'm only 31 so I know the benefit of having one and using it for many things but not at work. I show him my fittings and explain my woes. He proceeds to tell me they don't sell lengths of fuel line fitted or not. I tell him that I know they do. Shiny hollow pieces of pipe finally got his attention and he leads me into the back. He was absolutely clueless when it came to diameters and lengths of anything (bet he tells his girlfriends it's 12 inches long but really its 4.) I grab the 40 inch length and explain to him that I need a reducer. Heeeere we go...so 25 minutes later after fumbling through bins of fittings and I come home with one that would've worked but it's too shallow to suck up the threads tightly(my mistake for not checking but you know...frustration makes to do funny things). What happened to the old silver haired guys that almost new what you wanted upon entering the building?

Thanks for the help and I'll post some pics tomorrow of my progress.

[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by Overdriven

Figuring out the fittings and line sizes is the worst. Multiple times ordering or multiple trips to the multiple stores drives me nuts. But planning the path of the lines, actually bending them up and seeing them following contours and other lines perfectly is so awesome and rewarding. You just have to forget all the parts research and chasing you did to get there!

I agree;
I spent a week doing the same thing to my truck. The hardest thing was to figure out how to plumb the trans cooler in and to decide how I wanted to route the lines.

Edit: the worst was the tranny lines in my fathers nova with the aftermarket radiator. Old school 350 trans and an aftermarket radiator meant for a 60's car and it's got modern style fittings. I get it all done, next summer he pays someone to put a 200r4 in it. Of course they cut the lines and loop some rubber lines there. I just stood there mouth agape and twitching at what they did to my hard work. I never fixed it, just about ruined the car for me and I wasn't sad when he sold it.

I hear you!

Originally Posted by chefk85

So I made a trip to the parts store to get some 3/8 pipe. All they had was 5/16 fittings both ends so I made a decision to see if the fuel pump I replaced was bad in the first place. I suspected after I replaced it that I may have been having carb issues (which have since been worked out) and that it was the culprit. The old pump has 5/16 fittings so that makes things easier if it works. We shall see. Anyhow, I read somewhere to get a 30 inch piece of line and they only had really short ot really long so I bought a section 40 inches long. Welllllll that's about 15 inches longer than I need for the Ole 283 so it's back to the parts store tomorrow to get a piece closer to 26 inches. I used a coat hanger to get dimensions and length close. I'll buy or borrow a bender and try my hand at bending my own. Kind of fun.

OK now for the parts store employee rant. I walk in. He's on his cell phone. Now mind you I'm only 31 so I know the benefit of having one and using it for many things but not at work. I show him my fittings and explain my woes. He proceeds to tell me they don't sell lengths of fuel line fitted or not. I tell him that I know they do. Shiny hollow pieces of pipe finally got his attention and he leads me into the back. He was absolutely clueless when it came to diameters and lengths of anything (bet he tells his girlfriends it's 12 inches long but really its 4.) I grab the 40 inch length and explain to him that I need a reducer. Heeeere we go...so 25 minutes later after fumbling through bins of fittings and I come home with one that would've worked but it's too shallow to suck up the threads tightly(my mistake for not checking but you know...frustration makes to do funny things). What happened to the old silver haired guys that almost new what you wanted upon entering the building?

Thanks for the help and I'll post some pics tomorrow of my progress.

they're all posting on this forum!

[chefk85]

Got the fuel line bent into shape today and it went pretty well. I did barely kink it in one spot but im not too worried about it restricting flow. I also managed to Crack the fuel filter housing. It had been jb welded previously so I sanded it and applied another layer of jb weld on top of it. We will see if it leaks in the morning. I will upload some pics of my fuel line bending adventure then. All in all it wasnt too difficult a job and kind of fun. Wish me luck. Pics tomorrow.

[chefk85]

So this morning I went out to start it and check my work and the line was leaking at the pump as well as the fuel inlet housing. I managed to stop the leak at the pump and upon closer inspection of the fuel inlet housing I noticed the filter housing had been cross threaded. oh no. After tinkering with it for a while I figured out that it wasn't going to be easy to get this thing threaded correctly if at all. I was right. After multiple attempts I recracked the housing where it had be jb welded. This time theres no fixing it as it cracked all the way through the housing and the threads. Time for a new carburetor. Suggestions? I was thinking edelbrock qjet if I could find one as I like qjets. Not sure if its anything like the original but it might get better fuel mileage than something that's not a spreadbore. I also am trying to stay away from buying a new intake. Oh and I found out I'm going to be a father for the first time! He/she's already learning to work the gas pedal and shift gears in mommas belly...

having issues posting pictures...keep getting that error message..ill try again in a few