M.H. Yount
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2008
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
It's next to the carb.
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The Ford engine has supply/return connections on the front/passenger side of the compartment.
Do these connections point down towards the ground? Just wondering why you didn't bring the feed line up the firewall and across to the engine instead of routing under crossmember and up from the bottom of engine.
Well, well, well - not so fast. Car starts, runs absolutely great. Can't hear the pump at all -- could be happier with all that.
Problem is this -- I smell fuel fumes in the garage. There are no leaks at fittings or hoses. As I research this -- it seems it's quite a common problem for folks that use SS or textile braid hose. It has it's roots in the fact that usually none of these hoses (with rubber-based cores) are rated SAE30R9 for fuel use (or better rating). I believe that the problem is that with ethanol in the fuel the molecules of certain components of the fuel literally come through the hose. LOTS of people face this problem it seems. And all are upset about it as many have spent literally hundreds of dollars on stainless braided hose only to have it stinking up the joint. No danger apparently - but a pain in the butt if you have a car that sits in a closed garage for any length of time. Luckily, the garage the Volvo lives in is detached; some folks are actually getting fuel fumes inside their houses!
So far the supplier (Fragola) hasn't returned my email asking questions about the problem. I'll try again next week and also bring Summit into the picture as I actually bought everything through them. In the meantime I found a Ferrari guy out on the west coast who has had some success by putting polyolefin shrink tubing around the fuel line. For about $25 I can try that and see - before I give up and bend hard aluminum lines. Knowing the routing as I now do intimately, it turns out the hard lines won't be so bad if I have to go that route. I only need a 'bender' for one tighter radius turn on the return line at the front of the car. All the rest I can simply 'shape' by hand.
Everything, it seems, is a production.
Word to the wise -- before you lay out a bunch of green for this type hose do your research. Hard lines may be a better (certainly less expensive) to go. FWIW -- the folks that have SS braided lines with a teflon core don't seem to have this problem. Moral of the story is - you can buy fuel line that is hell-for-stout when it comes to dealing with heat, pressure and abrasion. But it won't stop tiny little hydrocarbon molecules from passing right through it unless it was designed to do just that.
Found a place where I can get 25' of polyolefin shrink tube for $19. Gonna try that and then cover it with a silicone stretch tape and see if those barriers solve the problem. Stay tuned. Although -- it's getting boring even for me at this point. I've got new wheels to sand and paint...