Flaring Fuel Lines & Fittings. NHRA legal ?

[BullittStangV8]

Guys,
I have a 3/8th SS hardline ran from my tank to my engine bay. The issue I have is the limit in length rubber line that the NHRA allows. So, I need to run SS or some other legal hosing from the hardline to the fuel pump. I guess the best option is to flare the hardline, and then put a tube to AN fitting? (I have the one like this: http://store.summitracing.com/partd...&N=700+4294839052+4294847275+115&autoview=sku )

So my question really is, what degree flare tool do I need, and can anyone suggest a flare kit to me? Also, has anyone came up with any other options? I don't know if a clamp around a SS hose, over the hard line, will be an allowable connection? Anyone know?

Mike

 

[rbohm]

if you are going to use AN fittings, then you need a 37 degree flaring tool. the nice thing about this is that even brake lines can be done in single flare with the 37 degree fittings, and the proper tube support that comes with the female end of the fitting.

 

[truck90278]

The item shown in your link (or at least the picture) won't help because it is NPT to AN. Earl's has an adapter which utilizes a ferrul on one end which is compressed by a nut around the tubing. This is a copper ferrul as used in compression fittings. These work nicely to adapt from a hardline to AN and they only cost ~ $5-6. I've used them on SS lines myself. If you want to flair the SS tubing that you have, You need to use a 37 degree tool which will allow you to use AN fittings. You might want to consider running the hardline to a bulkhead AN fitting (flairing and using a nut and sleeve) and from the bulhead fitting using a -6 AN flex hose.

 

[BullittStangV8]

Truck,
Thank you for pointing out that the image I had shown was wrong. The fitting I actually have is the earl's one that you mentioned. I was not sure if a 37 degree flare was needed for a 45 degree flare. I have -6an line ran from the fuel pump on. Anyone have any suggestions for a flare kit that works with 3/8th fuel line?

The item shown in your link (or at least the picture) won't help because it is NPT to AN. Earl's has an adapter which utilizes a ferrul on one end which is compressed by a nut around the tubing. This is a copper ferrul as used in compression fittings. These work nicely to adapt from a hardline to AN and they only cost ~ $5-6. I've used them on SS lines myself. If you want to flair the SS tubing that you have, You need to use a 37 degree tool which will allow you to use AN fittings. You might want to consider running the hardline to a bulkhead AN fitting (flairing and using a nut and sleeve) and from the bulhead fitting using a -6 AN flex hose.

 

[truck90278]

If you use the Earl's item, you don't have to flare the tube, but don't mix 37 degree flairs/fittings and 45 degree flairs and fittings. your seal will not be good. Not quite sure what you mean by "flare kit the works with 3/8th fuel line". A 3/8th line is a -6 line. The AN (Army/Navy) translation is in 1/16th of an inch increments. therefore, a -6 is = 6/16ths or 3/8". If your are going to use the Earls fitting, you don't have to flare anything. Simply put the fitting end with the ferrul over the 3/8" line and tighten the nut. The other end of the fitting is a Male -6 AN which will mate with the female end of the -6 AN hose.

I'm not sure if I'm answereing yourquestion adequately or not, I assume what your described is a 3/8 hardline from the tank to the engine bay - going thru the inner fender panel into the engine bay as original. Then you want to go to the fuel pump with the SS flex hose (adapting from SS hardline to flex hose with the Earls adapter). I believe this is what you stated in your first post fairly clearly.

If you do a search on my threads, the photos of the 65 my son (adaminchains) and I are building uses the Earl's adapter fittings. One thing nice about the Earls fittings is you can adapt a 5/16 line to a -6 AN fitting. Again, with the Earl's fitting, there is no flareing required.

 

[BullittStangV8]

Truck,
I see what your saying now about the earls fitting you used. The fitting I have uses a rubber washer and a compression sleeve type of set up that seals on the backside of the flare to a male -6 an fitting. With the set up I have, I would need to flare the fuel line. Do you have a link to the fitting your talking about? And I understand that -6 an is 3/8th, but for some reason people always seem to talk about hardline/brake line flaring kits in terms of 3/8ths, 5/16ths, ect. rather then -AN terms.

btw this is the fitting I have now:
http://store.summitracing.com/partd...5ERL&N=700+313917+4294906722+115&autoview=sku

It seems the fitting your talking about is more like this one:
http://russellperformance.com/mc/fuel/adapters.shtml

I may just go with the Russell one, as it seems not need a flare at all, like the Earl's one you mentioned Truck.

 

[1320stang]

You can use rubber line in your fuel system, your just limited to 12" of total length as I recall. This can be cut up, ie. four 3" lengths.

 

[BullittStangV8]

I know the limit is 12''. The issue is that I am using rubber hose from the tank to the line, and the distance from the firewall to the pump makes a total distance over 12'', or real close to it. Also, for general safety, I would rather use only braided lines in the engine bay.

 

[truck90278]

Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. but I've been on business travel for a week. I don't have a reference for you for the part we used. I live 10 minutes from the original Earl's (before it was sold to Holly) so I just stop in for any help. If you called "Industrial Liquidators" in Hawthorne, California, they can help you. they are the original Earl's and they can help you. From links you provided to Russel, those photos appear to be ordinary AN fittings using a standard AN sleeve. These will require flaring (37 deg)

 

[truck90278]

Try this site
http//earlsserviceshop.com/page40
the item you are looking for is in the right upper corner and is PN 165008erl. these work without any flaring

 

[truck90278]

this may work better
http://www.earlsserviceshop.com/pg40.html

If you need some help on obtaining the part, send me an email at [email protected] and I'll get one for you and send it to you. I will be on vacation for a week but will be checking my email

 

[BullittStangV8]

Truck,
Thanks for posting that part number and picture. Summit caries them, and Ill just pick one up with a bunch of other things I need from them. Thanks for the help. Ill post some pics of the finished product when I can.

 

[Nicoleb3x3]

question about flaring the tube....is it hard?

My rubber line connecting the chassis hardline to the engine hardline side rail is leaking where the rubber connects into the chassis hardline, I also want to eliminate the rubber with russell AN6 braided lines (I've already had done this on the supply side at a local garage now I need to do it on the return side but I dont want to drive my car leaking fuel and want to do this at home in the garage)

Where the leak is on the chassis side I need to cut the line where the rubber connection is and use the tube nut and sleave to give my hard line an AN fitting, This connection will require the 37 degree flare. I'm then planning to adapt the an 4 to an 6 (no other way because on the return side the line is 1/4" and there is no tube nut & sleave for this size and an6)

At the other end of the braided line to the engine hard line I'm using aeromotive ford duckbill female connector so I'll have a ford stock type of connection. (the engine rails have male ends)

these are the parts I'm using with my russell AN6 line:

On the Chassis side connection: cut and Flared end 37 degree with
6176064 AN4, 1/4" Aluminum Tube Nut Sleeves 1 $3.99
6176056 AN4, 1/4" Aluminum Tube Nut Couplers 1 $4.99 $4.99
TO A:
6176176 Flare Reducer, Male AN4 to Male AN6 1 $4.99 $4.99

Then the AN6 braided hose....

On the Ford engine side fuel lines (ford duckbill male connector)
15101 Aeromotive return line female to AN6 (this ran about $35)

So...back to my question....Can any idiot (like me) be able to make the flare on the end of the line installed on the car? I will have enough room to do it but won't be able to do this on a flat surface or anything.... I've never flared a line before and I'm going to borrow a 37 degree flaring set. And practice on some extra tubing....but how is it done? do I need a flat surface and is it hard to do this stuff?

Also is there any advice on the other types of fittings? I know they can't be overtightened...is there anything else I should know about braided line connections?