Thanks for the great comparison pics and the complaments. I seem to have learned something today about injecter hard lines. Now to find out why we have differant lines like has now been talked about here. Still kinda wonder if a shop made the lines with the rubber cushion on them. Thats something I have never seen before. Also the lines to cylinders 6 & 8 really should have a vibration dampner clamp on them. That numbe 8 is a long run with no clamp on it. But if its been running like that and not broken yet I suppose its not going to break. It just looks like a too long of a run without support.
Good eyes, Gary! Actually the cushion is 1/4" fuel line that I slit along the side and wrapped around the injector line. I was still trying to figure out some sort of pedestal spacer and it seemed like good insurance to protect the line. (Just in case my calibrated eye was a little off.) At this point, all the line clamps have been reinstalled. I even used an additional 2-line clamp on the #5 and #7 lines because of the long run you mentioned. Tried to do that with #6 and #8, but the turbo gets in the way. The OEM configuration doesn't call for the 2-line clamps, so it won't be a disaster if I can't get it in place for the pax side lines.
On another note, good luck with your research. I have access to two Navistar/IHC dealers and two Ford dealers, and there is
far more knowledge on this list than is available at the authorized dealership. That's not meant as a compliment; it's a simple statement of fact. Invariably, when I go in for parts or info and mention what I'm working in, folks look off into the distance, think a minute and say "Yeah, I remember those old motors." Uh huh. Yup. Just what I need - vague memories. I'll tell you this, all the straight lines I've found are identical, and Dale (my truck's previous and original owner) never had problems with the injection lines. I'm still pretty clueless on why there's two distinct patterns. Maybe it's GVW thing - F3250 vs F350. I noticed that straight lines showed up on 6.9's as well as 7.3's, so I don't think it's an engine displacement thing. They also showed up on an 85 (early production) and on an 87 (later production). Very weird. Again, I gotta tell ya, this list is what made the second set of pictures possible. Otherwise, I'd be sitting out on the carport today with a bunch of 4" PVC pipe and a Chevy air filter trying to make everything fit.