Fuel delivery questions, getting an old plymouth back on the road.

[StreetSleeper]

1. Request Recommendations on cleaning or purging old fuel lines.


2. How long can the rubber lines (they sell at the parts stores) reliably be for a daily driver on today’s ethanol fuel? (From hard line to carb)

3. How far should the fuel line be (besides as far as possible) away from the exhaust manifolds as it routes up from the fuel tank?

4. Can I run more than one fuel filter in series?

5. Can I place one filter not far from exiting the fuel tank?

6. It gets to 112 in the summer here, anything extra to the line (like a wrap??) that I can do to avoid vapor lock?

7. If I add a phenolic spacer between an aluminum intake and a carb-are there any precautions that I should take?

8. Thank you. Thank you! Thank you!! For your time

9. (Oh by the way) If I bend replacement metal lines-what do I do to ensure the threads don’t leak since someone told me not to use Teflon tape.

 

[Professor Fate]

1. Request Recommendations on cleaning or purging old fuel lines.


2. How long can the rubber lines (they sell at the parts stores) reliably be for a daily driver on today’s ethanol fuel? (From hard line to carb)

3. How far should the fuel line be (besides as far as possible) away from the exhaust manifolds as it routes up from the fuel tank?

4. Can I run more than one fuel filter in series?

5. Can I place one filter not far from exiting the fuel tank?

6. It gets to 112 in the summer here, anything extra to the line (like a wrap??) that I can do to avoid vapor lock?

7. If I add a phenolic spacer between an aluminum intake and a carb-are there any precautions that I should take?

8. Thank you. Thank you! Thank you!! For your time

9. (Oh by the way) If I bend replacement metal lines-what do I do to ensure the threads don’t leak since someone told me not to use Teflon tape.

1. Rusty or clogged? If clogged, disconnect the hard line at the tank and at the fuel pump. Run some hose from the line in front into a container. Apply air pressure at the rear into the line. If it's still plugged, replace it.
If it's rusty, replace it.
2. Each section of hose only needs to be a few inches long- just don't make them any longer than they need to be to get things hooked up.
It's not the length of the hose that reacts to ethanol, it's the type of rubber. Old fuel hose does not play nice with today's ethanol blends, it can rapidly deteriorate the hose. It's good practice to replace all your rubber lines with new ethanol-friendly fuel injection hose and new clamps.
And remember, it's not just the rubber line going into the carb- there's rubber on each side of the filter, and back at the connection to the tank. There may be more depending on what's been done to it over the years.
3. A couple inches should be fine.
4. Why?
5. See #4.
6. Wrap is fine, bur you don't need to do the whole length. Just the sections in the engine compartment near the exhaust. Installing a return line also can help. I understand your climate is hot, but have you actually been having issues with vapor lock?
7. The biggest precaution is closing your hood. Make sure the added height with the spacer still leaves you adequate clearance from the air cleaner and stud to the underside of the hood. You don't want to find out the hard way when you slam the hood down that it doesn't.
9. Never use teflon tape on fuel systems. The seal is made by the flare (where applicable), not with the threads. On connections where a hose is pushed on and clamped, you just use the first stage die of your double flare tool to create a "bubble" on the end of the hardline, and push the hose over that and clamp it. You DO have a flaring tool (and know how to use it), right?

 

[Dana67Dart]

What he said about cleaning out the fuel system lines.

BUT...

It will depend on how the car was stored and for how long and where.

My 67 dart Sat in my mom's garage for 4 years without being started.

It was in So Cal A few miles from the ocean so the humidity is typically 50+

The tank had 1/2 tank of pump gas and no additives.

I got it to Colorado gave it a shot of starter fluid ( I know I know) and it started right up and kept running.

I filled it up and drove it till almost empty. Did that a couple times and haven't looked back.

It had a clear fuel filter and looked good. I only changed it to get rid of the clear filter.

Modern hose will handle typical automotive fuel blends fine.

Before you spend a tone of time or money on rerouting / insulating fuel lines. Drive it a bit and see how it goes.

My dart did not like heat and typical fuel blends.

I changed to using alcohol free fuel and no more issues