Braided stainless fuel lines
 

Hi! I have a 1993 jdm fd3s. I'm upgrading my fuel system and I wanted something nice to replace the oem fuel lines, so I decided to go for braided stainless steel lines.

My question is: How much lenght do I need to change my whole fuel system and how much do I need to replace only the oem engine bay lines?

More info: I will be using an aftermarket fuel rail & an a/m FPR. Do I need a new primary rail with this?

better off keeping the hard lines hard, where they are. hoses are more problematic.

Ok, so what is the best option if I want something new that will fit with the aftermarket parts?

you'd have to be a bit more specific, is this going to be running E85 or pump gas? what are your power goals? what size pump are you running? stock fuel tank? these are rather important questions because unless your lines are rotted out the stock line is good for about 600whp on pump gas and about 450whp on E85.

I'm going to use pump gas, stock tank, either 340lph aeromotive or 280lph supra fuel pump. HP goal is 380 rwhp.

I just want to know what are the inconvenients of using braided ss lines other than the cost of the product and installation. I would really like to convert the lines in the engine bay at least.

I'm guessing the ss lines fittings don't work with the oem fuel rails. I'm changing the secondary rail to put IDs 2000cc, but I don't know if it's necessary to change the primary fuel rail too for the ss lines?

i do use SS hose in the engine bay from the firewall but i would probably talk someone out of using it under the car. mainly because rubber line has a lifespan where many of the stock hard lines are still doing just fine. exception would be salted winter roads rusting out the lines from the outside.

for that i would just do the SS line from the firewall to a modified stock primary rail with FPD deleted, one off the secondary rail to the FPR and from the FPR to the return hard line. the stock primary rail retains the stock rubber line and use a banjo to feed it to the aftermarket secondary rail. the rest of the fuel system would be fine for those goals.

6' of -6 AN line should be plenty for replacing the lines in the engine bay. More than plenty if you plan on keeping your fuel lines in series (as opposed to running parallel lines).

Why not go with Nylon braided (PTFE) lines as opposed to SS though?

I replaced all my fuel lines (from the tank to the injectors and back to the tank) with a combination of -8 and -6 lines. It wasn't cheap, at all, and it isn't something I'd recommend if you're planning on keeping power levels low (sub-400whp).

6' of -6 AN = engine bay done w/ parallel lines.

Now, is nylon braided cheaper? Where can I buy it?

Thanks

The car never sees winter, so I'm going to keep the hard lines and just mod the engine bay, it's much cheaper. :)

Your suggestion means the lines will be in series, so I'll need less than 6' of -6 AN line (how much? 4' or 5').
Delete pulsation damper on primary rail ok, but I don't know how to mod my primary rail to fit banjos... need to add threads to the rail or is there another way?

mainly depends on where you locate your FPR, you should be able to get by with between 6 and 8' for a paralell setup.

Ok, I'm going to get:
8' ss lines & fittings + FPR w/ gauge + FFE fuel rails and IDs and that should cover the fuel system in the engine bay.

Now, I have another question: can I use ss lines to replace the hard metal lines on the turbos for the coolant and the oil?
What is the qty required and the size? -4 ?

Nylon braided push lock is so much easier to work with, you should at least look into it.

You can use SS or nylon braided lines to replace anything you want to, but when you get to doing things like the turbo oil and coolant lines where you need to buy y-connectors and lots of other fittings it gets to be very expensive and cumbersome.

What if I tell you I have a free installation? :)
I'll go ss way because they're nicer and because I don't have to do it myself!

So, do the turbo need a -4 AN size or -6 AN is just good?

for the twins, again i would recommend leaving the factory hard lines, anything rubber in that oven will cook and you will find yourself replacing leaky hoses every other year. unless it's a show car that you rarely drive the route you want to take is not practical.

Alright, big thanks for the quick replies! I'm ready to order now :D

Stainless steel lines need to be replaced every so often as well, phil (aicrotary2) had his burst on him a couple months ago. When he called about it they told him that they need to be replaced every so often because that will happen. Luckily he was only moving the car a few feet into the garage bay when it happened and it wasn't warmed up or he could have lost his car.

^ what was the manufacturer of the lines? I've seen steel braided hose last in aircraft applications last thousands of hours.

If you're using Summit brand hose, it's a crap shoot.

Here's another good option, which is also cheaper.

Rising RPM rails with FPR for a FC3S.

I just sent them an e-mail to know if it can fit a 93 FD3S.
I'll update this when I get an answer.

FC rails are completely different.

and aviation is a tad different. you know, with the minimal airflow those engine bays get...

The Rising RPM FC3S rails won't fit a FD3S indeed

The good "nylon" is actually Aramid Fiber (Kevlar)Braid over a PTFE (Teflon) smooth bore tube, such as Goodridge 910. They arenot cheaper than SS braid but offer a tighter bend radius, lighter weight,higher flow rate for a given size, due to smooth bore), high protection butwithout abrasiveness of the SS. If your goal is to go cheap but maintain high quality, stay with OEM rubber hoses, if cost is not much object go with teh 910 hose and fittings, if low cost is everything, stay away from the RX-7

This is some good info, I got a New little project that I'm trying to do it right in Since I hate doing things 2-3-4-5 times , Getting older and having 2 project is money I hate throwing away,
anyways

my 1st gen turbo had a bad fuel pump , When I started it had Aeromotive a1000 , no fuel relay so it burn pump,
So I bought a Bosch 044,Fuel relay , Got 1/2 Aluminium fuel line , Russell fittings for lines, Got a Aeromotive Fuel gauge, but now looking for some Hoses to go around for my engine bay and tank for main and return,
question

what size hose should I got with and im thinking should I go with teflon or witch one since i wont need alot only maybe 8 feet or so. I'm trying to do it right,
Thanks

I use aeroquip fuel line. Its good stuff.

Thanks bro , I got your text but was super busy today , thanks I will look into it .:nod:

I used Vibrant Performance -8 Nylon Black Race Hose on my 20b swap. Seems completely fine to me. I would not want to use SS or pushlock. I actually bought a set of fragola push-lock fittings and 8000 series race hose. Literally impossible to press the hose onto the fittings without some sort of special hose tool.