• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Fuel line routing: 440 with a Demon 850

Kern Dog

Life is full of turns. Build your car to handle.
FBBO Gold Member
Local time
3:36 AM
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
35,069
Reaction score
123,291
Location
Granite Bay CA
I'm adding A/C to my '70 Charger and the change of placement of the alternator requires me to replace the fuel line from the regulator to the dual feed fuel rail on the RH side of the carburetor. I have the regulator mounted to the frame rail near the pump. The original routing was sort of like this:
Fuel 1.jpg


The fuel did not boil despite being routed near the alternator and heater hoses. The line in the picture is for mock-up purposes only but is close to the shape that I am considering. The advantages of this to me is that it is hidden, looks decent and it has worked before.
The downside: With the additional heat from adding A/C I wonder if it might not keep the fuel cool enough. I have a thermal-sleeve that was on the line before that I could use.
Below is another route. It has fewer bends, is out of the way of most everything but to me, it doesn't look as nice and I have concerns about the possibility of fuel leaking from the filter being that close to the distributor. It seems like a high risk of fire.
Fuel 2.jpg
Fuel 2 A.jpg

Another option is one where the fuel rail is joined closer to the center of the carburetor as compared to this one with the gauge and inlet at the front. The middle style would move the filter and gauge away from the distributor but does anyone make a 3 sided 3/8" fitting with a small port for the gauge?
 
Why do you have the coil mounted like that? Normal pad on the intake works fine. If your afraid the coil will 'leak', the dang thing needs to be tossed anyway.

Fuel line routing...neither!
Why don't you route it, like it normally is? Whatever pump your using, get the length of steel brake line tubing. Yeah, it can easily be shortened, after it's bent.
From the pump, across to the front right side of the block, and up from there. That keeps the line away from the exhaust. Up the block, in front, and around the base of the distributor, with a final bend towards the carb line, and filter.

Pretty much like the factory routing. Sure, you can add a thermal-sleeve to it, no prob. It will look much neater. A little bit of a pain, but worth it.
 
Not sure if this will help, as I have efi with an in tank pump, but I put my regulator and filter back by the tank on the frame rail.
I used ptfe stainless braided lines and fittings, easy peasy to put the fittings on.
Fuel line comes up the same path as original, but comes up the firewall to the inner fender.

Not sure if you have a return with the regulator, but I've seen some setups with the regulator mounted on the inner fender, a return off the carb, keeps the fuel cool and the regulator accessible.

You might be able to adopt a few of these, I always hated the solid fuel line up behind the alternator, hose, filter, hose, clamps, gas all over when changing it, etc.

At the least it might make you think, or think I'm an idiot, ha!
 
Why do you have the coil mounted like that? Normal pad on the intake works fine. If your afraid the coil will 'leak', the dang thing needs to be tossed anyway.
The coil is mounted vertically because it clears everything. I had it mounted THIS way:
IMG_4475.JPG


But the MSD instructions advise against mounting their coils horizontally. The coil did fail mounted this way. I changed to another coil and mounted it vertically since then.
Also, I wasn't sure if the horizontal mount would be in the way of the A/C compressor so I just tucked it back out of the way.
 
Fuel line routing...neither!
Why don't you route it, like it normally is? Whatever pump your using, get the length of steel brake line tubing. Yeah, it can easily be shortened, after it's bent.
Pretty much like the factory routing. Sure, you can add a thermal-sleeve to it, no prob. It will look much neater. A little bit of a pain, but worth it.
I do appreciate the help but I'm not sure you understood...The carburetor is not original, the dual feed line isn't either. Also, I never paid much attention to factory correct fuel lines. I just routed mine in a way that seemed to clear the obstacles.
 
But the MSD instructions advise against mounting their coils horizontally. The coil did fail mounted this way.
Okay. And, why did it fail? The big question.

I do appreciate the help but I'm not sure you understood...The carburetor is not original, the dual feed line isn't either.
Yeah, I understand.

There's plenty of ways to route fuel lines. For your's, yep, a tight fit to get everything in. For what it's worth, considering you have two inlets on the carb, maybe re-doing the inlet lines. Get the regulator halfway 'between' the inlets. Would make more room to locate the filter, since you want clear access to it.
Though, yeah, I'd still run the one piece tubing, along the same lines as the factory did.
I'm just giving you suggestions...okay? Good luck with it.
 
I've never liked the location the conventional Holley style carb fuel line connection joins to the rest of the fuel line, aiming right at the distributor. This last time I went all braided stainless right to the carb, which worked well and is pretty clean. If you do that, it opens up your options.

Are you using a mechanical or electric pump?
 
But the MSD instructions advise against mounting their coils horizontally.

Yup, and the heat doesn't help, and with little room to mount vertically I put mine on the inner fender.

Vertical, cool, right next to the dizzy, and cleans up the cluttered manifold.

I also made a harness for the coil, horn, and alternator wiring and mounted it on the passenger inner fender. Used the same factory clips as on the driver's side.

Only pic I have on my phone is during the process, but really cleaned up the engine.

20180521_173655.jpg
 
I've never liked the location the conventional Holley style carb fuel line connection joins to the rest of the fuel line, aiming right at the distributor. This last time I went all braided stainless right to the carb, which worked well and is pretty clean. If you do that, it opens up your options.

Are you using a mechanical or electric pump?
I have a mechanical pump with a regulator next to it mounted to the frame rail.
 
I’m not digging the over the valve cover deal. Plus it looks like the sharp 90 at the inlet will be subject to kinking
 
Funny thing about those MSD coils, I had a blaster-2 and mounted it upright like they said to... And it was the only time in my life I ever had a coil leak oil out the top!
Anyways, my car has no A/C so I don't know if this helps ya. And, I'm not running a regulator....but my 3/8 braided line has a sweep 90° fitting right out of the pump, and comes up between the alternator and the WP housing. Got a nice open space to run through there...

20190906_212304.jpg

20190906_212211.jpg
 
32326AB9-515E-40F5-94F1-9AB0C8CC0A6B.jpeg
B4A3C658-8633-4848-81A3-E92AEFBA06F1.jpeg
49F81D9C-196D-47D3-9151-5D5BD267D6AC.jpeg
Nothing new, just how I ran fuel line. Keeps it cool, plenty of room. Cool fuel, coil out of way. No problems. Everything easy to work on.
 
As far as my car....This is a simple stock tank, Holley mechanical pump, Aeromotive regulator with a return line connected to the 1/4" stock steel line.
At a car show yesterday I saw a couple of cars with taller distributors that place the cap up higher. This opens up space to avoid the cramped curve around the stock cap. I'm not going to spend $500 on a distributor just to get a better fuel line path!
 
And the ss braided lines and fittings are not cheap either. Mine is similar to Beanhead's with a nice gentle curve over the top of the dist.
 
what tank / pump are you using? thanks

Tanksinc with a Hyperfuel pump.
I cut the tanksinc welded in pump ring out, it's too small and made for their pump which uses brass npt fittings.
I think now Hyperfuel makes a pump housing that fits.

Hyperfuel is a good pump, but throw the internal efi hose and the one hose clamp out the nearest window. Get the proper plastic hose and 2 of the correct clamps.

Tank is inexpensive for what you get.
  • EFI style internal baffling. Extra Large 4.3 liter internal fuel tray to prevent fuel pump starvation.
  • Perfect for your Pro-Touring, Autocross or Road Racing Ride
  • Fuel pump and sender are recessed in the tank for easy installation with no modification needed to your car.
  • Looks like an OE tank when installed.
  • Coated galvanized steel then Powder Coated Silver.

It's in an a-body, but they have many tanks.

Buy from summit, way cheaper.
 
I'm not going to spend $500 on a distributor just to get a better fuel line path!
Lol! I wouldn't either!
Another for what it's worth. Just one note on those braided fuel lines. It takes more clearance to route them, because the diameter is much more, than steel tubing. Their great, if you have the room for them.

A taller distributor doesn't mean much. Factory routing, puts the tubing up near the alternator rear bracket, curved over towards the engine center, to get past the distributor, then bent towards the carb. Plenty of clearance.
Yep, a little pita to get it bent right. Though not that hard. I made mine in 5 minutes, taking my time, to feed two 600cfm Eddys.
 
I have made fuel lines many times before, I just wondered if someone had found a better way that I hadn't thought of. Years back when I had some fuel percolation problems, I took a Harbor Freight heat gun to test temperatures and if I recall, my fuel line was in the 140-150 degree range in the Summer. I added a regulator with a return and it dropped not only the temperature at the line but also at the carburetor bowls.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top