Fuel line question
 

Anyone know the size of the fuel lines on a 1st gen? I noticed the supply is bigger than the return, would it matter if I used the same size for both of them? I need to change mine out at the tank, so i figure I would change it all out. Have found some coils of stainless fuel tubing, just need to know what size I need.

Thanks in advance!
Matt

i believe it is either 5/16" or 3/8". take a little piece of the hose into your local auto store and theyll be able to tell you what size it is. as for the return being smaller, its fine if its smaller, as most of your fuel is burned through the engine, the need to flow alot of fuel to the return isnt necessary.

WRONG ---
The VE uses fuel to keep it's cool...
The fuel flowing THRU and out the return is cooling the VE. There's not a huge amount flowing but it is necessary. The feed line is 3/8" and the return line is 1/4". You can put 7/16" or 1/2" for the feed but keep the return line.

I always was told the stock feed line is 5/16, 3/8 is an upgrade. Leave the return stock as in dont touch it, the VE uses it to aid in its operation and its metered to run with it like that.

Alright, so I would be good to go with a 1/4" return line, and 3/8" supply line. Cool, thanks for the help! I knew I had to keep the return, just wasn't sure if I could make it the same size as the supply, so I could just buy bulk tubing. No biggie though.

Think I am going to order this this week, along with some more parts.

It's always a good idea to upgrade the in-tank pickup if you are upgrading the supply line. 3/8 stainless supply line is an excellent upgrade for a 1st Gen. Never worry about it again. But the pickup pulls through a little plastic widget in the bottom the basket that goes through a "less than" 5/16 hole, probably 9/32. So unless you get in there, drill that out a bit and add a 3/8" connection to the bulkhead on the sender top you will not gain any benefit from the larger supply line.

I laugh sometimes reading the posts on various forums about guys that have half inch fuel lines and big pumps but can still "pull it down to zero psi."

Ya think? :lol88:

Yeah, I had read about those tubes, aren't there companies that make them? Forgetting the name atm... Draw straw?

Yes they are draw straws. Made by Vulcan Performance Vulcan Performance - Diesel Bombers

I would leave the return stock. It is plenty large enough for you.

Cool thanks! Thats the plan at the moment (for the return) and i will do 3/8" supply, while I am there. My power goals aren't insane, just looking to supply it for my HE351ve.

i know they flow alot of fuel to keep cool, but i was saying there is no need upgrade the return line because you dont need to flow a ton MORE fuel than stock through the RETURN line only. i was implying leave the RETURN stock size. either i typed it confusing or you misunderstood what i meant. sorry for the confusion

I'm not talking about a draw straw. I'm talking about modding the stock pickup.

10-4 good buddy!

Stick a draw straw through the top of it. Or just use a 1/2" bulk-head fitting drilled through and a length of Teflon or rigid tubing.

that works also! Didnt you have a write up on that? Any chance we can get it?

I went the easy way out with the draw straw. But that cost money, modding the factory pickup is free.

well most aftermarket systems come with half inch.....but some of us would like to swap in a p-pump one of these days so 1/2" is not a bad thing to have

So, I would be good just to mod the stock pickup... gotcha. Do I need to do any work to the top part of the pickup, where its outside the tank?

Ok, so looking at it, I should just drill out the top of the module, and thread in a 3/8" barbed 90* fitting, right? I think I will seal it up with some JB weld (doesn't need to be pretty). Then run 3/8" line down to the pickup.

Thing is... I think I am missing a few pieces on the pickup :humm: anyone got a pic of what a complete one should look like?

No. You need to pull the entire pickup/sending unit and mod the pickup inside of it. This involves installing a bulkhead-type fitting in top like you mentioned and replacing the inside portion of the tubing that runs down to the actual pickup itself in the bottom of the basket. That tubing connects to a plastic piece that the fuel enters into (the actual fuel pickup itself). This piece must be drilled out. Very carefully. I believe I actually used the drill bit clamped in a set of vice grips and a dremel tool to finish it up and avoid damaging the pickup. It's just plastic.

Yeah, I guess thats mostly what I meant, thanks for clarifying though. Never hurts to over clarify.

Make sure whatever you do inside the sending unit is not going to be able to work it's way loose and eventually come apart over time. That happens and it's game over wherever you may be. Diesel-compatible fuel line. I used red loctite on the tubing clamps and let them dry for about two days while I was working on other stuff. Constant-tension spring clamps would probably have been even better.

These things may be obvious to some, but like you said... :w2:

Yeah, I am not sure about the rubber line I got, but I got hard line for the majority of lines. I bought the rubber line at Uh-oh Zone... asked if it was diesel compatible, and they went, "duhhhh i dunno." So, I will prolly try and find some elsewhere.