For what's it worth

I may be the only human on Earth that didn't know this. But if I educate one person pecking this out it will be worth it. I bought a Max Wedge recently. It's been a drag car since late 64 or 65. It had lots of braided fuel line on it. My son and I run a Modified Four Wheel truck and have been competing in this sport for 25+ years. It also has quite a bit of braided hose on it. Some of it is probably 20+ years old. However, the only thing that runs though the hose on the truck is either alcohol or oil. I was starting the car a few days after I got it. No air cleaners. Hood is closed. It back fired through the right side carb when I cranked it for the last time. I thought I saw something coming though the hood gap on the right hand side. I got out, opened the hood and saw flames two feet tall. The flames were coming from the braided fuel line. Put it out with a couple of fire extinguishers. Talked to the guy that did the last build on the car eleven years ago. He put the braided line on. I believe the difference on the truck that has some braided line on it and the car is the car has had gasoline run through it and the truck only alcohol. So my opinion is the gas has something that degrades the inside of the braided line. Alcohol doesn't. This car was setting in a building with nine other classic cars. It was insured, goes to the body shop Monday. I guess the moral of the story is "Braided line doesn't last forever so if you have some on your car that's more that a couple years old, change it out". Sorry this turned out to be such a long post. Burt

Sorry Burt! Wow, what a debacle. I guess before I run anything through any hose, I would
check with the manufacturer as to what it's rated for. Alcohol seems to be pretty nasty to me.
I know some have different composition liners for fuels. Hope the car gets repaired and you
can continue!

Could be the quality of the line. I know you need to use fuel line that's ethanol compliant or you'll have deterioration problems useing it.
Glad you saved it and got the fire out. Could have been much worse!

Some time in the future we'd like to see pics of your car

Ethanol fuel turns all 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and above fuel lines to a gooey mess. I'm not sure when the auto manufacturers changed to ethanol safe fuel lines. If the fuel lines have not been upgraded in 11 or more years and the car is new to you don't assume they are good. I use non-ethanol fuel in my old cars. I will try to remember if anyone buys one of them to let them know this. Also no one states if the reproduction fuel line kits sold are ethanol compliant. If I have to replace a fuel line on my driver cars I get the ethanol lines even though I really don't need them.

No, you're not alone, Burt. Thank heavens you got that fire put out!
The folks above know of that which they speak. I've seen it with my own eyes on my own car -
todays' fuels with ethanol in it EATS the older style "rubber" fuel lines and it does so fairly quickly.
I've got my own "come to meetin'" old thread on here somewhere where the same thing happened
to me - only I was more fortunate when I discovered it; the fuel line merely collapsed shut, shutting
off the fuel supply to the carb.
Bought several feet of the correct, ethanol-compatible stuff at the parts store and replaced the pieces
at the sending unit and at the fuel pump to restore fuel supply.

not only fuel lines, ethanol eats up fuel pumps also!
just changed out the pump from a Buick for the 2nd time in about 3 years.
they seem to only last about a year and a half.

Also, ethanol fuel line cannot be submerged, like in an in tank pump setup.

I'll post some pics when it returns from the body shop. Some of you on the west coast may recognize the car. It was an all black Fury known as the Rushin' Russian. The name on the car now is Pasani and Waite. Pasani bought the car new. The car now is black and white.

Burt Byers said:

Some of you on the west coast may recognize the car. It was an all black Fury known as the Rushin' Russian. The name on the car now is Pasani and Waite.

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Remember it well, it was the Black Russian. Had a horrific transmission explosion at Sacramento Raceway in the seventies (photo made the cover of Drag News that week). Does transmission fluid still drip from the headliner near the rear view mirror?

https://www.carbuffs.com/1964-Plymouth-Fury--Max-Wedge-Concord-CA/6520383

Sorry for the mistake on the name. I was told Rushin' Russian first and then was told the correct name was Black Russian. You know how it is with old people (me). Yep that was the ad. Probably why there is no headliner in it now. After the body shop then off to the upholstery shop. Burt

matthon said:

Also, ethanol fuel line cannot be submerged, like in an in tank pump setup.

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Using the correct fuel line it can. Some Moto Fuss is have in tank pumps. Every one of them came from the factory in Italy with plastic filters and the wrong fuel line.
Many have failed with either the filter swelling and leaking or the fuel line coming off the filter or pump.
Proper fuel line and a metal filter with the proper clamps fixes it.