Some may have noticed that I tend to focus my threads on the cheaper/easier mods and additions to these truck - not everyone is a journeyman mechanic - or building a hi-buck ground-up $ledpuller or dragracer!

Here's another one:

Cheap fuel flow improver:

As guys seek and add more brute power to these Cummins, weak points surface, one being fuel flow to the Cummins and VP-44.

Some guys go to the expen$e of larger lines and fittings for the fuel system, but for moderate power up around 400 HP or so, the stock lines do a pretty decent job.

But for at least some degree of help - on a budget - consider this mod. This is a simple drilling out of the fuel holes in the stock banjo bolts that attach fuel lines to the fuel filter, Lift Pump, and VP-44.

The existing holes are in the neighborhood of about 1/8 inch - and can be safely enlarged to about 3/16 for improved flow - here's a before/after shot on a pair of banjo bolts:



As can be seen, quite a difference - and there are *4* of those holes in each banjo bolt, so the flow improvement is significant. By the way, these enlarged banjo bolts CAN be bought from several suppliers, but if you have the tools, why not do your own?

Here's one of my bolts secured in a machinist's vise on my drill press:



I would strongly suggest use of a drill press for drilling these holes - the placement and neatness is somewhat critical in order to maintain proper sealing of the banjo fitting to it's mating surface. Here's what the outer half of a banjo fitting looks like with the bolt out:



Hopefully, you can see the inner recess, where the fuel flows from the line and around into the holes drilled into the bolts.

And here is the setup with the bolt partly inserted:



This fitting is off the fuel line attachment to the VP-44, so the included portion extending seen is where I attach the line going to my fuel pressure gauge.

Here's the other fitting seen earlier, fully installed at the bottom of my fuel filter housing:



A few cautions:

1. Keep every fitting and hole drilled ABSOLUTELY as clean as possible, to keep damaging metallic garbage outta the VP-44!

2. Use something like a Dremel tool to clear and relieve the new holes. both for smoothness, and also to avoid damaging the banjo shoulder washers.

3. Either buy new shoulder washers, or be VERY careful of the old ones - they are easy to lose during disassembly of the fittings.

4. Be every bit as conscious of clearing the INSIDE of the newly drilled banjo as the outside. After drilling, chamfering and de-burring mine, I used a suitable drill bit to ream out the inside of the bolt by hand to remove internal burrs from the drilling process, I then flushed inside and outside with strong shots of WD-40, and LOTS of compressed air.

That's about it - on mine, I also replaced the 1/4 inch hard line between the fuel filter and the VP-44 with fuel rated neoprene line - that is about the most restricted part of the line on our trucks, so it was easy to do while I had stuff apart.

ENJOY!

 

I think I'll buy replacement bolts and try drilling the originals out.

Probably a winter project. I'll let you know if I see any changes from norm.

Thanks for the post.

 

 

Why not use a barb and remove the banjo fitting altogether?

 

I guess it's pretty hard to locate barb fittings with the proper thread...

 

One thing to remember not to over tighten as you have taken away meteal and have created a potential week spot if tightened to much, just a reminder!!!

 

If you use a barb fitting that fit's the threads in the block or pump the hole through the barb section is going to be extremely small as in pin hole size. If you check out a 3/8" male threaded barb fitting, the hole through the barb is only about half the size of the 3/8" hole in the other end.

 

Just easier to get a Vulcan Big Line Kit...
http://mopar.mopar1973man.com/2002%2...n_big_line.htm

But its cheaper to drill out the banjos... But very careful drilling out the banjo that you don't weaken them to the point the snap and break off...

 

Theres a plan - eliminate the Banjos altogether

 

I got to admit the banjo are the tightest spot for the fuel to flow though... But the next problem is the size of the fuel line. The stock fuel line measures out at about 6mm ID ans the Vulcan Big line Kit is 1/2" (or 12.6mm) which is double in size compared to stock lines...

I'm not knocking Gary's idea... But it is limited for that amount of HP/TQ it would support. I would use Gary's idea on a stock powered engine but I would upgrade to Vulcan Big Line kit if you plan on any increase in power...