The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Why me, Lord? EDITED: NOW, THE REST OF THE STORY

Well, I got all my new custom self-made fuel lines installed. I also installed the Rochester 1 bbl I rebuilt, and installed the original fuel tank I cleaned and coated. And man, this baby fired up on the second try with a little ether. Coughed a couple of times and then smoothed out and was running like a champ! I was soooo proud and excited.... But then..... I noticed fuel leaking from 3 of the 4 flares I had made in the steel (not stainless) fuel lines. Granted my flaring tool is old and a cheapie, but the flares look perfect (I've used it before with moderate success). I tightened the XXXX out of the flares and fittings, and they still dripped dripped dripped.... I was trying to save money by buying a length of tubing, and I spent a LOT of time bending (and cussing) to fit, so this was very disappointing especially after being so proud of the way it fit and looked. So now if I remove the lines, cut the flares off and re-flare, the lines will be too short. Am I too under-skilled to be flaring, or is this a harder task than I expected? Also, I cannot seem to find "store bought" fuel lines for a "bottom feed" '53 3100. Most of the vendors have the top feed (by the sender) version like the 54's use.... Dang it!!! Any advice brothers????

Did you check Jim Carter Truck Parts?

He has steel and stainless steel lines.

Check the fittings /joints again. Check specifically for cracks or dents in the flare. It is possible to over tighten those joints and crack something. I did it last year with a brake line. I usually back the fittings off and retighten to make sure the fittings are aligned. Be careful to not cross thread anything, that is a sure thing for leaks. See if there is some way to bend the lines in some way to get some wiggle room out of your lines. Are you using a flaring tool that does a double flare? If you have a decent flaring tool you should be able to get there from here.

No , Mike, I'm not. Mine is just a single flare device. Should I be using a double flare tool???

Double flare......yes..........stainless is not the easiest stuff to work with.

Make the old new line usable ( longer) .......add a compression joint in a straight section.

Eastwood has a double flare tool that makes life easy:

http://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html

Nickel copper line makes life even easier:

http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS-Performa...ckel-Copper-Brake-Lines/2111534/10002/-1

I have had problems with poor quality steel tubing (who makes quality anymore) making bad flairs, cracking, stretching unevenly.
So now, for everything except brake lines, I use compression fittings on Nickel Copper or Aluminum tube. Never have a leak.
When you do make flairs, double flair and DON'T over crush the second stage.

You need a double flare tool. If you are careful you can make good flares on the 5/16 tubing. Sometimes the 3/16 tubing on brake lines can give a guy a rough time.

I make all of my own steel lines with flared fittings. They key to making a flare that doesn't leak is 1) having a GOOD tool and 2) using a drop of oil on the flaring tool when you make the flare. Additionally, once you get it made it's also a good idea to put a softer wire wheel to it and clean up any burrs and smooth it out.

I struggled with leaky flares for a long time before I finally broke down and bought a good tool. The one I am using now is a Rigid brand tool. Never had an issue with it.

My dad has the Eastwood tool, he used a cheap one on the brake lines on his 40 chev (car) and had some leaks. Then he bought the Eastwood tool. I used it for the brake lines on my 58 2-ton and had no issues at all. He used it to redo the lines on his car.

The instructions with the tool say to use a little bit of never seize on the end of the tubing while you are flaring it so the tool slides on it and does not mar the flare.

Yeah, I used some PB Blaster oil on the flaring tool, but again, my tool is so crappy it would not hold the tubing tight enough, (even with the wingnuts tightened down flush), and when I started cranking down the flaring point, frequently, the point would literally shove the tubing back into the tool without flaring it at all.

I had to squeeze the tool in a vise to give the tool more grip so the tubing wouldn't slip, and that appeared to work, but maybe I screwed it all up fighting with a crappy tool.

So, after reading your above comments, I went to Eastwood's site and saw their most excellent tool for 200 bucks. I got to thinking (dangerous): There are so many variables here; my steel tubing may be poor quality; my technique and abilities are certainly questionable, and here, I could spend 200 clams or more on the tool, and potentially still be in the same pickle.

I was already deep ($$$) into this project for the price of the steel tubing, and I also replaced my old bender AND cutter with Eastwood's new models, so the $$$ were already piling up on this "simple" fuel line project.

So taking tclederman's advice, I looked up Jim Carter's site and by golly there they were, pre-bent factory lines, and much cheaper than the flaring tool. So, licking my wounds, cutting my losses, and taking the path of least resistance, I've now ordered them, and hopefully, I won't screw them up too.

I do want you guys to know I appreciate your wise responses greatly, I just didn't have it in me to throw any more good DIY money into this part of the project, and opted for the factory made (not my shop-made) lines....

This stuff surely can get expensive, (and humbling) huh????

I'll let you know how it turns out! Thanks everybody! -Lee

I did not have good luck with the Jim Carter pre-bent lines.

The pump to carb line (stainless) had to be rebent and modified to the point I probably should have started over.

The tank to pump line was completely useless. Tried to make it work and ended up buying one of those pre-flared lines from the FLAPS and bending it myself. Worked out well.

(This was only my experience, results my vary)

Well brother, that just fits right in with the rest of this ill-fated project. However, I plan on cutting both lines and installing filters.... Maybe doing that will give me a little "wiggle-room"and make it easier to make 'em fit..... we'll see!

Well Brothers, after botching the fuel line flares with my antique POS flaring tool, and giving up, I took tclederman's advice and bought a set of pre-bent / flared lines from Jim Carter.

Unlike JW51's experience, the lines I received fit right in with only the slightest (expected) amount of massaging.

The new fuel pump from Carter also fits and works well. The carburetor kit from Mikes Carb works wonderfully, and the por15 tank sealer appears to have saved my tank.

So, I'm in business again! Fuel system is perfect..... Now off to the Electrical side!!!! Yikes!

A Million thanks to all who answered my pleas for help, and also to those who left volumes of brainy solutions and ideas on these pages in the past. I would be lost without this forum!

"Bolt-On," Brothers!!!! -Lee