Aluminum fuel line

If only being used as a vent, or return line can aluminum fuel line be clamped to using standard rubber fuel line and hose clamps?

Ive bought a car that had that done that way and thought it was jinkie as hell and replaced it.

But id say yes.

But on my bracket car ive al. line with the... oh whats the term... its got the brass flare ring that tightens down and then an 6 male.

Compression fitting.

Long day... maybe a pic would be better.. brb.

I use a -8 compression fitting into my return line.

As nice as your red cuda is id bet you could find a compression fitting with a nipple and make it look nice and maybe a bit more "proper".

Yes & it'll do OK as a main fuel line in that capacity also. it work hardens then cracks much easier from movement so it must be clamped securely with shorter increments inbetween the clamps.

FWIW - I had 3/8" aluminum hardlines from my tank to near the engine for nearly 8 years before I tore the car down. Never a leak or issue with it, and it was definitely secured improperly.

That being said, I can't say that I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that.

My street car has had aluminum line for 25 years. never an issue.
Doug

Aluminum fuel line works good as long as it clamped with a good rubber lined clamp and is not rubbing on anything. I used it once and where it passed thru the frame it touched and probably vibration and hitting bumps it rubbed thru and leaked. After that i changed to braided line.

This is true of any fuel line, just aluminum will probably rub thru quicker than steel or braided line.

Summit sells tools to bend the ridges in the ends of the tube from the inside of the tube. I forget what they are called, but they look like a bolt and a nut with 3 small balls in one end.

my concern has been with alum lines, its a lot easier to turn a small localized fire in a nice big one, if alum fuel lines are in the flames. The work harden issue with alum is reduced by optimizing one's alum alloy choice, ie 5052, which may not be easy.

I have an aluminum vent tube that has been fine, but my 1/2" aluminum supply line started to crack after about 8-years.
I replaced it with -8 AN braided hose (it was just easier at the time.)

I couldn't believe how fast it rubbed thru, just lucky it rubbed thru in a spot where there was no high heat or over the exhaust.

Either something adult, or a "bead roller"?

IMO a aluminum fuel(vent/return) line on a street driven car is not good. Sure it works but it brings the quality of your car down. Because no matter how good you mount it or what kind of fittings are used it is not as good as steel. And neither is braided line. And only flare fittings should be used with aluminum line, no compression fittings.

Your car is a E body, so it is easy to get pre bent lines. If your car was a unique piece then I could see the want for aluminum even though steel lines are easy to bend. Order up the line from Fine Lines or the like and have steel or even stainless steel lines and have a quality built car under ya.

Thank you to all for the replies



I have 2 lines already and the pre bent lines sold are all designed to fit together as a pair. So making the third fit would be interesting. This is why I am asking about aluminum line to see if it is an option or not.

The third line clamps to the other 2 with S hooks. Mine fit like a glove on this car all the way to the front.

My black 74 has 3 lines also just like this one and is how they ran them on hemi and 440/6 cars.



You ask for a 1970 hemi cuda return line, stock size is 1/4" OD which I think is plenty large enough for most cases. But if you wanted a different size I am 90% sure they could bend it up in a larger size too. Fine lines could provide new hardware too. Not exactly stock but plenty close enough for me and a street driver. They had the hard to find hardware for fuel line mounting.

Challenger1 Thanks, this is what i was actually wanting but didn't think would fit. Which brand lines did you use?

What about nickel copper fuel line? I read it's easy to work with and DOT approved.

Fine lines.
Old 5/16"suction and vent lines off my 74 challenger,

The new ones matched the old ones just about perfect which are 3/8" suction and a 1970 factory hemi 1/4" return line.

I separated the original 2 lines and reused the vent line. I cleaned it up and painted it with Eastwoods tank tone paint. I painted the new bare steel lines too.


Too bad the car is not a pretty as the fuel lines. lol.

This car I did clean up/reuse, paint all the original clamps and bolts

I will contact them to custom make what I want. I want a 3/8ths line to run fwd from the rear 71/72 ECS vapor liquid seperator location to the 72 vapor canister location. Basically I want the 72 factory vapor line in 3/8ths. (well unless Fi Tech says a smaller line would suffice)

EDIT I don't need 3/8ths THANKS

Challenger1 thanks.

I decided to scrap the inline tube steel 1/4 line and go with 2 more 5/16" stainless fine lines (my fuel line is a 3/8th SS fine line) they should fit togethher well I hope. Both will T in to lines at the vapor seporator at the tank.