As the title suggests, I'm deep into a 5.3 swap into a 1997 Ford F150. I need suggestions on the fuel line which is the last mechanical hurdle I need to cross before getting into the electronic "fun" of it all. Pictured are my two connections that I need to bring together. The first is the familiar Vortec fuel stubs and the other is the F150's fuel line. I've been told that cutting the lines until I have just straight tubing and using a compression fittings and braided fuel line would be best. Could someone explain this suggestion? I'm open to any other ideas.

 

so, you can get a Russel hard line to braided fitting, that takes that 3/8 (or whatever, thats a guess) tube to a braided fitting, ususally -an.. on the other end, youd follow those lines back to your factory hard line, cut it, install an adapter (usually needs a tube flair) and then meet the two

essentially that would be a piece of braided line, two hose-an fittings, one special russell fitting for the rail, one size-specific (but otherwise generic) tube-an fitting.

Your alternative would be a fitting that goes on those ford lines that terminates in something more universal, -an or npt, and then braided line from that to the rail, but that would be kind of funky (hard line to soft to an adapter to braided to hard.. lol)

There is another f150 swap goin on, maybe see what that guys doin?

 

My Thunderbird had the same lines and I just eliminated them. For the engine side you can buy new fittings from your local parts store in straights or 45's for around $10 each.

I did pretty much what Irish350 said only I used fuel injection rubber hose because braided line and fittings are insanely expensive and unnecessary for my application. I've been driving the car as my daily for over 15K miles in all sorts of weather without even a drip from the fuel system.

Key things to note:

• This will be more expensive and harder to cut than regular fuel line but it is worth the extra money and work to only do it once. When complete I had less money in lines, clamps and fittings than I would have had in braided line alone - AND I was able to get it at any parts store.

 

Dude....I'm going to PM you. You have the exact information I need. Big Thanks!!

 

yeah QFT about the braided stuff... i said that cause i had it on the mind, but its all looks and $ at that point

 

Because of the budget nature of the build, I'm going with function first. After it's running well, I can look at improving the look. Braided hose is not out of the question but it's for later.