Sourcing new return fuel line?

[Dr.Jeff]

As we discussed offline, that's a different fitting than I thought you were dealing with. So what I said about the size of it may be different....just for future reference if anyone else reads this thread.

 

[kmead]

By way of update, I hit upon a maybe smart/maybe dumb solution. The stock fitting was *so close* to being able to fit onto the 5/16" line that I figured I might as well try drilling it out just a bit, The goal was to see whether I could get it to fit without eliminating so much material as to make it dangerous. I definitely got it to fit, and I think(?) it's not dangerous. Obviously not an ideal solution, and I'll plan to replace it at some point down the road, but I think this works for a medium-run fix.

View attachment 44177

So how did you flare the hard line?

I would also replace that OE flexible fuel line. It uses the compression ring to keep it sealed on the nipple on the female interface of this connection.

 

[JNewm]

The NiCopp replacement hard line is 5/16", so it actually fit the cheapo flare tool I bought at Advance (unlike the stock 7.5mm line, which was a bit too small for the tool to "grab"). I did the first step of a double flare, which seemed to be what the stock one had on that end. Kinda weird, b/c it had a bubble flare on the other end, the one that connects to the braided rubber hose that connects to the filter. I can't figure why that end would need a bubble flare, since it's just connected to a rubber hose(?).

I should replace that flexible line; you're right. When I was shopping for parts for this project, though, I couldn't find it on MWB or VAS (my two go-to sources). Is that a common part, able to be sourced elsewhere?

 

[Rodger]

Plan C: @Rodger, you mentioned above that you have a used return line... Is there any chance you have a non-rusted supply hard line you'd be willing to sell + ship my way?

Yes I do have a couple extra of the supply lines as well.

 

[kmead]

The NiCopp replacement hard line is 5/16", so it actually fit the cheapo flare tool I bought at Advance (unlike the stock 7.5mm line, which was a bit too small for the tool to "grab"). I did the first step of a double flare, which seemed to be what the stock one had on that end. Kinda weird, b/c it had a bubble flare on the other end, the one that connects to the braided rubber hose that connects to the filter. I can't figure why that end would need a bubble flare, since it's just connected to a rubber hose(?).

I should replace that flexible line; you're right. When I was shopping for parts for this project, though, I couldn't find it on MWB or VAS (my two go-to sources). Is that a common part, able to be sourced elsewhere?

The rubber is just high pressure fuel line. The collar is what locks it in. The OE rubber tube does seem to last better than all the others but it is old and right above the exhaust manifold. I also need to take my own advice on this.

This is a picture of the old nipple on the OE line from MWB, you can see it has ridges for retaining the fuel line.

So you used the NiCopp/Cunifer material, nice choice and much easier to deal with in so many ways over a steel line.

 

[JNewm]

Yes I do have a couple extra of the supply lines as well.

Of course I would stumble onto a solution as soon as I send out the call for help. I *think* my bored-out stock fitting fix will work in the short- to medium-term. Thank you so much for the response, and for the generous offer; both are much appreciated. ("Don't post while you're still frustrated" is a good takeaway for me.)

The rubber is just high pressure fuel line. The collar is what locks it in. The OE rubber tube does seem to last better than all the others but it is old and right above the exhaust manifold. I also need to take my own advice on this.

Ohhh, okay. I think that makes sense. So a guy could just buy a length of generic 7.5mm ID hose, as long as you have the unique(?) metal collar. Or, alternatively, if a bit more ambitiously, go the @Dr.Jeff route and replace all the in-line connections with a single flex line.

So you used the NiCopp/Cunifer material, nice choice and much easier to deal with in so many ways over a steel line.

I saw a few negative comments about it online on various forums, but honestly didn't really trust them. (This forum seems to be about the only source of reliable user-generated info on the entire Internet!) At any rate, all they were saying was that if NiCopp lines are not supported they can work-harden from vibration... So I figured as long as I clip them in like the stock ones, it would be fine.

I did find the NiCopp to be super easy to flare and bend. The only downside was that it seemed to want to kink more easily than the stock lines. I couldn't do a 90-degree bend without kinking the line, at least not with my crap tubing bender tool. I ended up just basically forming them in place by hand, using the bends of the body panels themselves to create the bends in the line. Worked pretty well!

 

[Dr.Jeff]

The NiCopp replacement hard line is 5/16", so it actually fit the cheapo flare tool I bought at Advance (unlike the stock 7.5mm line, which was a bit too small for the tool to "grab").

The issue you found with the flaring tool not fitting some of the hardline tubing is a real issue. The Fiat lines and fittings are a mix of metric and SAE (inch) dimensions in some places; the tube itself may be SAE while the fitting is metric. A good example of this is the hydraulic lines for the brakes and clutch. They use bubble flares which are primarily a metric thing. So most of the bubble flaring tools are made for metric sized tubing. But Fiat used SAE dimension tubing, so depending on the size of tube the tool will not hold the tube properly as you found. In the case of the smaller brake lines we get lucky because the SAE and metric size tubes work out to be almost exactly the same dimensions, so a metric or a SAE flaring tool works good enough. But for the larger lines like the clutch or fuel, there is enough difference between the metric and SAE size tubes that the tools will not work interchangeably. Therefore you need a bubble flaring tool that holds SAE pipes....a difficult item to find (affordably). Fortunate in your particular situation the fitting is not a bubble flare so a SAE flaring tool could be used, which fits the tube correctly.

So a guy could just buy a length of generic 7.5mm ID hose, as long as you have the unique(?) metal collar.

Regarding the flex hose with the collar cinching/retaining ring. You might find the same issue as you had with the hardline; the new hose needs to be the correct inside diameter (to connect to the fitting securely), but also the correct outside diameter (for the cinch ring to work securely). Not all hoses are the same dimensions on both the inside and outside, just like the hardlines the thickness of the wall will differ from one to the next. I know, it's never easy on these cars.