SS fuel Lines
 

I wanted to upgrade my Fuel system replacing all the lines with -6. I was wondering if anyone has done from tank to rails all braided lines.

I've googled and some people have complained about fumes... Fumes typically mean leaks.

Any experiences?

I personally wouldn't consider braided hose an upgrade. While it's easier to install, it's expensive, heavy, and more prone to failure.

What would be an upgrade? As far as increasing the diameter of the fuel line?

IF it was me, I would "upgrade" to 3/8 tube

Of course, that's just me

What are your HP goals? Stock lines should be good to 400 and maybe beyond that.

500hp is my goal.

So in what way is SS line more prone to failure? My ideal is that the lines themselves would have fewer connections overall if they start at the sending unit.

500 is probably the max that stock lines could handle so increasing your line size may be warranted. Rubber is inherently weaker than steel, but multi-ply braided line may be "safe" enough. There's a lot out there on pros/cons you may want to search on.

There's obv a lot of options when it comes to plumbing, choosing the correct hose/fittings for the job can be a bit overwhelming at first.

I'm not a fan of SS braided, aside from -3/-4 applications (brakes/turbo oil feed/etc) and even then I use SS with the plastic covering. SS is heavy, has a poor bend radius, and is abrasive to anything it contacts. On the up side, it's at the cheap end of the spectrum so at least you have the option if budget is tight. For fuel, id stay away from SS, especially those with synthetic rubber core.

Hardline is another option as mentioned. It's fairly cheap, kind of a pita to work with, and you'll have to invest in a good set of tools - tube bender, tube cutter, flare tool, deburring tool. Ridgid makes quality tools for this.

There's nylon braided hose. The interwoven nylon strands are quite strong, non-abrasive, and usually have a pretty decent bend radius - depending on the brand. Nylon braided hose is also light weight, however it's not particularly heat resistant so this may limit your usage. You'll find a ton of choices available, be sure to select the correct fittings for the hose. Earls products you typically can't go wrong with. Earls "Prolite" is their defacto nylon hose, unless they've replaced it with something else recently. However, I believe Prolite is still a synthetic rubber core so I would not recommend for fuel. I use Prolite hose for water/oil plumbing.

Next you start getting into the "good stuff". Real racing hose found on F1/LM/Indy/etc needs to be light, strong, heat resistant, and pliable. Typically you're talking about some form of Kevlar aramid braid with a Teflon (PTFE) core. Earls offers the "Ultraflex" line, Goodridge has the 910 series, I believe XRP has a high end PTFE/Kevlar hose...there are options, but to play in this category you have to pay. The top tier hoses like the Ultraflex and Goodridge 910 will feature a smooth bore PTFE core with a convoluted outside diameter - this provides optimal flow from the smooth bore, plus extreme bend radius produced by the convoluted outside surface of the core. Best of both worlds. There are other hoses that are straight smooth bore or convoluted, which are a bit cheaper. Aeroquip has a decent PTFE nylon braided hose at a reasonable price - I could prob find a link if you are interested.

IMO PTFE should be considered a required criteria when shopping for fuel hose. That "fuel smell" you mentioned in your OP is due to modern fuel additives and ethanol found in today's pump gas which are able to permeate synthetic rubber core fuel hoses. Rubber also has a shelf life and will deteriorate over time, so diligent inspection/maintenance is required. With PTFE hose pricing coming down substantially over the last few years, there really is no excuse anymore. Here's a link with more info:
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/...ce-fuel-hoses/

Lastly, your choice of hose will be greatly influenced by the fittings available. Some high end hoses only offer crimp on hose ends. Crimp fittings are great, but this means you will either have to shell out for your own crimp tool (commonly in the $1000-2000 range) or bring all your plumbing to a racing supply shop to have your fittings crimped. You only get one shot with a crimp hose end so you better get it right the first time. Other hoses offer the option of reusable hose ends you can install yourself with simple hand tools.

After substantial research, I decided on Goodridge 910 hose for the fuel plumbing on my FD track project. I found a website that offers the hoses and fittings at a pretty competitive price, pm me if you want more info. The 910 fittings were super easy to work with and are reusable if I need to modify routing later on. I too plan on 500-550whp, but with the increased fuel demand that comes with E85. I ran a -8 from the tank to the front, split that into parallel -6 hoses for each rail, parallel -6's to the regulator, then single -6 return.

Attachment 574826
Try doing that with a -6 SS braided hose.

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I really appreciate your post. Ive seen this product before and was really interested in it. My only problem is the price. I just cant justify spending nearly 1k on just the hose. Weight is a non-issue(I honestly don't care about 20Ib my car isn't competitive).

Im probably going to stick with SS PTFE Lines.

I had braided SS fuel lines on my FC for years with no issues.
I now have the ability to make metal lines, and would not do it that way again, but it worked fine for me at the time.