VtVette

Below is a post I repost every year or so for new members. It's a post I posted years ago about an experience I had with my former '85. If you haven't seen it take a minute to read it:

Hey everyone,

I've been reading lately about several C4's burning due to engine fires. The following is my experience, and would very well have cost me my C4 had the engine not been cold. Please read and take the necessary precautions:

I left my shop one day and got about a mile down the road and caught a strong whiff of raw fuel. Knowing how fiberglass loves to burn, I pulled into the first parking lot I came to. What I found floored me. The fuel line comes up the frame rail and passes by the front of the engine and makes a turn to come up the engine to the fuel rail. Where the fuel line curves up the front of the engine GM made a section of line (about 5" as I recall) rubber with crimp ends at each end to attach it to the metal fuel line. The crimp must have gone bad, or the rubber had fatigued, either way THE FUEL LINE WAS SPRAYING GAS LIKE A GARDEN HOSE DIRECTLY ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD!!!!!!! luckily the engine was still relatively cold, or I'm sure the car would have burned to the ground!

I traced the fuel line from the fuel rail back to it's next junction (a small adapter next to the fuel filter) and replaced both the delivery and return lines with braded stainless lines.

Do not take any chances! please be aware of this problem and take the appropriate actions to ensure this does not happen to you!!!!!

VtVette

carriker

Good catch, that's crazy!

adi4

That is exactly what happened to mine, just I had the air con on and windows up and was driving about 50 at the time, so I didn't smell the gas, first I knew something was going wrong was I saw black smoke in my mirror ............http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1538740

88espo

That is the first line I replaced! I used a braided line and replaced the fittings. RECOMMENDED!!!

BerniesVette

Great post! I burned a TR6 to the ground once by doing something stupid that I knew I shouldn't have done. This should be a yearly reminder for everyone to inspect their cars frequently!
Thanks
Bernie

Sam Lam

Brian:

I have removed the intake manifold on my 89 model and do not recall seeing a rubber tube connector on the fuel line. I seem to recall the fuel line was very stiff and difficult to reconnect to the engine. Do you know what years production had the issue you mention in your post?

Thanks, SAM

Dale1990

If it wasn't for a nice passer-by with an extinguisher, I would have lost my 90 in an engine fire a few years ago.

The Schrader valve decided to spring a leak and cover the intake with fuel. Some managed to get to the hot exhaust manifold and POOF. Luckily the hood was up at the time... I was driving around hunting for a miss and had pulled over to check my plug wires.

Steve85

The rubber part of the fuel line is behind/below the belt tensioner. Follow that piece of hard line that connects to the fuel rails down behind the accessory mounting brackets. As you near the bottom of the engine, you will find the rubber portion.

It may difficult to see with everything in the way but it is worth the effort to make sure you get a good look at it.

BrianCunningham

That explains why the factory uses braided steel lines on my LT1

Slalom4me

Brian, is the flexible portion of the hardlines that rise up the back of
the LT1/4 engine compartment SS braid, or rubber?

My vote is that in time, this will become a concern for 84-96 C4
owners because all the OEM lines have flexible sections to allow for
movement where the lines make the frame-to-engine transition.

Replacement of the rubber sections of fuel lines is a maintenance item.
A less frequent one on north american cars than on some euro cars
but an area that needs periodic attention just the same.

VtVette, on the L98 lines the hose portions are permanently attached
to the hard lines, right?

.

Slalom4me

Oops, looks like I was mixing up the LT5 with the LT1/4 lines.

.

mseven

on mine they are, next time around on new bullit, I will relocate the lines to come up the firewall. I never did like the idea of running the hard lines up the front of the block (not nessesarily because of fire but just heating the fuel but in general)

dclafleur

Good post, it looks like I'm going to have to replace my fuel line too because it is a 15 ft long rustcicle. Has anyone done a write up on replacing the fuel line with SS braided hose without dropping the fuel tank?

Slalom4me

Thanks.

The integration of the flex line with the hard line makes replacement a
bit more of a challenge. The OEM forward sections of fuel line for the
later cars may still be available but my guess is that the earlier parts
will be NLA. I didn't make an extensive search but the usual aftermarket
suspects do not appear to have direct replacements for these parts.

Switching to SS braid and coming up the rear from the filter has been
done by folks who've switched intakes and repositioned their rail
inlet/outlets. I imagine that this is a little tougher to reengineer for
the L98 owner who intends to continue to use the OEM rail
because the factory fittings terminate at the front.



.

mseven

Agreed, depending on condo would be the issue, I believe the stock rubber hoses are rated to 65#. I think it would just be better to cut and flair the metal line at the rubber hose conect, and use real fittings and real line instead of stock rubber if needing replacing. If re-designing or really having to replace it w/out OEM availabilty, starting at the fuel filter would be an easier alternative in every respect (cutting, flairing, layout, bending new etc.)MO. If I were in that position (even if still stock)I'd just go ahead and yank it all and replace w/real fittings, it would be a little work but you'd never worry about that again. MO. I also like the newer "lightweight" h.pressure line for replacement .

RandyJ75

Wow, you learn something new everyday. I did not know this.
Where is a good place to get the braded line you spoke of, VtVette?

VtVette

I'll be out of town until Sunday but as soon as I get some time I will write up a tech article about building the braided stainless lines and what adapters and fittings are required. This is the first mod I do to any C4 I buy (only had early C4s). Bear with me it might take a little while to hunt down the info.

dclafleur

That would make you my hero, my fuel line is orange with rust I can't even get my fuel filter off currently it is so rusted. After taking a look at the line I knew I was going to have to replace it, but had yet to see a good guide how to do the swap.

champs65

Thanks VT; this job moves to the top of the list.

all show and more go

is this on all c4's or just older models?