Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Steel fuel lines?

[pwerwagn]

I went to order Larry B's starter contacts a few weeks ago, and decided to order the marine fuel lines also. Well, his website was down or something and it would nt let me order them. This weekend I was putting on puke bottle for the blow-by and I noticed my truck does not have rubber lines, they look to be steel. Did they ever use steel lines on the 12V? I thought only the 24V had steel lines.

 

[JGheen]

Yeah, yours is just like mine. I too thought the lines would be rubber but there is a rubber protective sleeve that goes over the steel hard line runing to and from the tank. I think the only part that is flexible is that short piece of hose on the return line somewhere between the injection pump and the fuel filter, which I swear up and down I have looked for but still cannot see a short piece of rubber hose in there, it looks like all hard line to me.

 

[Joe G.]

It can't be all hard lines between the fuel tank and the engine. If it was the vibration will crack them. The supply fuel hose is between the hard line from the tank to the hard line to the fuel heater/pre-filter. The return hose is between the hard line from the overflow valve and the hard line to the tank. They are not very long and are hard to get at.

 

[Crowhurst]

Joe, I'm in the same position as powrwagon and JGheen. I don't understand what I am seeing in relation to the usual description of these lines. Perhaps the 98's are slightly different. I have ordered the marine cables as preventative maintenance, but I can't see where they would go as normally described. Looking from below, it seems that the 2 steel pipes appear from behind the fuel filter. These are then connected with quick release connectors to high pressure slightly flexible lines with an outer rubber sleeve for protection. These are about 18 inches long, and are swaged into the steel pipes from the tank. The existing setup seems too good to replace with flexibles and a couple of clips. The usual description is of flexibles behind the fuel filter, getting hot beside the engine and then leaking. Are the 98's different, or am I being more dense than usual?? Nick.

 

[Joe G.]

The '98s may be different, but there still has to be some sort of flexible connection between the tank and the engine. I would not think that Dodge would change the way they were doing it for half a model year. The steel return line from the overflow valve goes behind the fuel filter to a piece of fuel hose. The fuel hose connects to the steel line close to the bell housing. Maybe that was done differently on a '98. It's not exactly easy to see where the hoses are.

 

[Cooker]

I should have taken a couple of pictures from below when I had the starter and the lift pump off today. Everything was very eary to see.

 

[Crowhurst]

Thanks for that, JoeG, I'll have a look from above when I next change the fuel filter. Nick.

 

[pwerwagn]

After typing this, I did some research. It seems that there are quite a few people that report the steel line's on 98's. Even one guy from cummins reports that his has the steel lines. Do the rubber type have the "quick disconnect" swaged fittings about 8 inches from the fuel filter?

 

[JGheen]

Mine has a quick disconnect hose on the return side and the supply side around the fuel filter area of where the lines run. I got under the truck last night and did some snooping around and found that my lines are hard steel lines running along the frame from the tank and the switch to a semi-hard line with QDs on each end of the return and supply. I still cannot find the short rubber hose that everyone is talking about that is supposed to be behind the fuel filter and injection pump on the return line.

 

[pwerwagn]

I cannot it either. Maybe it is so short you really cant see it??

 

[Crowhurst]

Mines exactly like that. I can't see any short hose. It seems a hiqh quality system, and I am reluctant to interfere with it. The outer sleeve prevents inspection of the inner semi-flexible, but it looks to be unaffected by any deterioration due to heat or oil. I'm not going to use my marine hoses, unless I learn some more. Nick.