what to use for fuel lines ?

[jethro]

Soon I will be taking my fuel tank out to clean it and remove the ford pump.
I am wondering what I should use for fuel lines. Would 3/8 soft copper with flare fittings be OK ?
maybe put and adel clamp about every 2 feet on the chassis ?
Do I want the return line to be bigger or smaller ?
Do I want a few feet of rubber where it transitions from the chassis to the engine to account for vibration and general
movement ?

The old ford line is steel and had low pressure couplings up to the point it gets to the frame rail pump. Is this line of any use
or should I just go all the way with copper ? (maybe a short rubber segment at the tank too)

Tim

[Gots_a_sol]

Most folks seems to use the original feed line as the new return and then put a draw straw type deal in the tank and then all new line to the front.

This guy has some pics of what he did for the bulkhead/feed http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/18195514-post20.html

[PToombs]

I used Synflex plastic air line and the push lock quick couplings on both my trucks for the fuel lines. It works great, you can tweak it around stuff and it resists the diesel too. Just remember the size is OD, so 1/2" line is just over 3/8ths on the inside. It's cheaper than copper and less likely to leak at the couplings.

[RCCUMMINS89]

Marine grade 3/8" supply and 5/16" return. Marine grade has a lot thicker wall to it and has more cracking resistance. Mine has been on my truck now for 5 years, and looks like I put it on yesterday.

[jethro]

Thanks for those ideas - I will dig into both !

Does anybody use a small centrifugal pump as a boost pump ? thinking of one that the engine pump could suck through if it
failed electrically- also one which produces a very low pressure - so if it actually isn't moving much flow it wont lug the little motor down
or get hot- I was thinking of one of the little AC pumps used in the older fords as an in-tank pump....
or maybe a used aircraft boost pump-

tim

[PToombs]

A low pressure piston pump like Eric sells should pull fuel from the tank with no problems. I don't see the need for another pump in there. Make sure you put some kind of a prefilter in before the piston pump to protect it.
I just reread your original post, take the pump out, use at least a 3/8 suction line. Yes, something flexible from the frame to the engine is a good idea. Everything else seems to be covered.

[RCCUMMINS89]

There is no reason for another pump, if one uses our piston pump.

[jethro]

Hi back yall-
I have on order from napa- a canister -screw-off type filter with a quick drain in the bottom. The filter that comes with it
is something like 150 micron. I wanted something fairly coarse to catch any big debris that might find its way into the tank-
but not something so fine that the pump would have trouble drawing through. Thought I would mount it on the side of the frame just behind the cab where I could get to it easily to drain a little out occasionally to check for dirt and water or algie.
I think there my be other filter choices for the base. The napa # is 4913 and filter is 3913

I am using a 2-nd gen piston pump with the reduced power spring supplied from eric (I believe) - seems to work great !

Amazon hose is here in town - I will price the synflex which im sure they will stock !

Thank you all for your guidance !
Tim