steel fuel lines.....important?

[ilpourboy]

i'm currently in the middle of a head gasket change and trying to get all the parts i need to finish it up. when i got the truck the steel fuel line from the filter to the ip had a 3" piece of rubber fuel line on it. the previous owner told me that the line had rusted through. he cut the line and slipped the rubber hose over the end of the steel line on both sides of his cut and put hose clamps on them. i don't want to put his patchwork line back on the truck. can i replace the line with rubber hose or do i need to get a new steel line? is this a dealer only item? or, does anyone have one that i could buy? i also need a dipstick tube bracket. i dont know if the 83 just didnt have it or what. my boss has an 85 and hes got one. any help would be appreciated.

thanks.
rob

 

[Exekiel69]

Mr. Bill may have one, top thread on this forum.

 

[ilpourboy]

thanks, i posted in his thread and mel told me to call him. i just wanted to find out if it was important that i have a steel line or not before i called him.

 

[Exekiel69]

If you talk about the one that goes from the lift pump to the filter, that does not necessarily have to have a steel line. If I'm not wrong OG (******) has a fuel hose connected to it. When I did my electric pump conversion I was going to remove it so I could adapt the hose but then I just cut part of it and connected the diesel fuel hose to it. Just make sure iif you use fuel hose to hold it well to something.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Before the injector pump, rubber fuel lines are fine.

Manufacturers use steel lines to make mass production more convenient; they don't flop around.

Although steel sounds better, over the years, I have had to repair numerous steel fuel lines on various vehicles that had worn through from vibration.

I have yet to replace a damaged rubber line.

 

[Agnem]

I wouldn't doubt that the manufactures use them to make the DOT happy. Steel lines are probably less likely to puncture or leak in a wreck, but we're not worried about that either. I used all rubber on the Bronco, works great.

 

[ilpourboy]

so i don't need that steel line, cool. more $ for other stuff. i appreciate the info.

thanks.
rob