Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Complete Fuel Line Replacement

[TSielski]

Has anyone replaced the total length of fuel feed & return lines, from the engine all the way to the fuel tank?

Problem I'm seeing is Mopar in their infinite wisdom manufactured the lines out of three materials. Near the engine, after the leakprone rubber, they are conventional galvanized steel tubing, then, after several feet, swaged on to that is a few feet of some kind of braided SS tubing. Then conventional steel tubing that runs the length of the truck, and then, right before the tank, a black plastic tubing is swaged on to the steel tubing and propietary connectors are used to connect the lines to the tank.

I've noticed that both my feed & return lines, just before the black plastic are rusted terribly; a problem waiting to happen.

Not wanting to even ask a dealer the price for an OEM replacement, will conventional diesel-rated hose of the appropriate size (3/8" feed & 5/16" return) work on the proprietary male fittings on top of the fuel tank? Last time I dropped the tank, I noticed those male fittings were smooth without a raised lip which would make just slipping hose over them and securing with a SS worm-screw clamp questionable.

 

[willyslover]

they make tubing rollers that give a raised ridge to give the needed ridge to clamp to... not very pricey either. . look in some of the tool supply places or specialty fitting suppliers

 

[Woodenhead]

Wouldn't use hose

IMHO



Using hose front to back is unsafe and maybe illegal. All that hose running along the frame rail will be more prone to cuts, damage from road debris, vibration wear (like the return line) than the metal line. If it were me, I'd get some metal tubing and use it for the long runs along the frame rail as far as you can and use hose for the rest.



Just my $0. 02

Mike

 

[Cooker]

I have talked with quite a few guys who, after their braided lines failed, are now running rubber lines to the tank

 

[TSielski]

MIke, I think you are probably right, however I wasn't planning to use diesel-rated rubber hose, but rather two lengths of the best hose available from Earl's Performance; braided stainless steel, teflon lined hose. This kind of hose should satisfy any safety concerns. AN6 hose cooresponds to 3/8 tubing and AN5 to 5/16. I'm concerned about the smooth male plastic fittings on the top of the fuel tank. Without any kind of lip, slipping the braided SS hose oven them, and securing with a SS worm screw clamp, may not be secure enough at those two points. I don't think a tubing roller will put a lip on the plastic male ends of the fittings entering the fuel tank. Those rollers are designed for metal tubing I thought.



Even if I just replaced the OEM with SS metal tubing in the proper size for most of the length, I still am faced with the connection to the tank, regardless of the type hose used for the last few inches.

I don't know of anyone who makes hose ends with the proprietary 'quick-release' type of fitting Mopar uses on these tanks. Appreciate any suggestions.



Tim

 

[Woodenhead]

Just a thought here but what about using a brass compression fitting typically used for plastic or copper tubing? Obviously it would depend on the OD of the tube coming off of the tank.



I'm not familiar with the "smooth male plastic fittings" you're talking about so this is just a guess.



Mike

 

[TSielski]

Thats a good thought. Might work. Would just have to be careful about overtightening.

The fittings on my 95 entering the fuel tank have aobut 1" of straight plastic protruding before a clip and the downward elbow. The hose ends slip over the smooth plastic and snap onto the clip at the end of the fittings on the tank. The hose ends also have some kind of O-ring I believe as well. I'm not sure if these quick release fittings survivied thru to the present generation of Ram, but they sure do make replacing the feed & return lines on a 95 a PITA unless one bellys up to the dealer and mortages their house for a replacement set.



Tim