20+yr old Aeroquip lines

[Alex]

The fuel lines (Aeroquip stainless) on my 65 cobra are ~22yrs old so I figured I would replace them this year (with Aeroquip Starlite .... I hate stainless braid so much, grrr, so many pokies). Aeroquip uses some type of synthetic rubber that's rated for around 25yrs.

I cut some open and visually the inner rubber looks in fantastic shape, I wouldn't be afraid to use them for 5-10yrs. Had a similar experience with my Aeroquip coolant lines when I replaced them last year (i.e., visually looked prestine). Even lines that I did really stupid stuff with, like a sharp bend the second the hose leaves the fitting, looked in fantastic shape.

I don't use any ethanol gas so that definitely helps, and for ~6months of winter i Just leave the car parked with a 1/2 tank of gas.

I'm glad I took forum advice two decades ago - don't fuck around with fuel lines, use the best (Aeroquip), otherwise plan on replacing them every few years.

Across 4 kit builds and numerous other cars I've only used Aeroquip and I've never once had a fuel leak/weep/smell/etc.

I considered teflon lines, but "lifetime" doesn't mean "lifetime", it's ~50yrs. I've already got the tools/skills to build the Aeroquip lines so I figured I'm fine replacing at year 25 than year 50.

TLDR - I <3 using Aeroquip starlite .... long-life durability and easy to assemble

 

[Neil]

The fuel lines (Aeroquip stainless) on my 65 cobra are ~22yrs old so I figured I would replace them this year (with Aeroquip Starlite .... I hate stainless braid so much, grrr, so many pokies). Aeroquip uses some type of synthetic rubber that's rated for around 25yrs.

I cut some open and visually the inner rubber looks in fantastic shape, I wouldn't be afraid to use them for 5-10yrs. Had a similar experience with my Aeroquip coolant lines when I replaced them last year (i.e., visually looked prestine). Even lines that I did really stupid stuff with, like a sharp bend the second the hose leaves the fitting, looked in fantastic shape.

I don't use any ethanol gas so that definitely helps, and for ~6months of winter i Just leave the car parked with a 1/2 tank of gas.

I'm glad I took forum advice two decades ago - don't fuck around with fuel lines, use the best (Aeroquip), otherwise plan on replacing them every few years.

Across 4 kit builds and numerous other cars I've only used Aeroquip and I've never once had a fuel leak/weep/smell/etc.

I considered teflon lines, but "lifetime" doesn't mean "lifetime", it's ~50yrs. I've already got the tools/skills to build the Aeroquip lines so I figured I'm fine replacing at year 25 than year 50.

TLDR - I <3 using Aeroquip starlite .... long-life durability and easy to assemble

Aeroquip makes a number of liners for stainless braided hose. One car I owned had the rubber liner (type 601?} in the fuel system and it leaked like a sieve. I have never had a Teflon- lined hose leak, even after years in service.

 

[BenL]

The fuel lines (Aeroquip stainless) on my 65 cobra are ~22yrs old so I figured I would replace them this year (with Aeroquip Starlite .... I hate stainless braid so much, grrr, so many pokies). Aeroquip uses some type of synthetic rubber that's rated for around 25yrs.

Thanks for the warning. I should figure out the ages of my hoses.

I like braided rubber hoses because they look more like old-style hoses.

The Starlite page says

Note 1: Corrosive fuels (including methanol, nitromethane, E85, and most brands of on-highway pump gas) may shorten the life of this hose. If in any doubt, we recommend Type 910 PTFE-Lined Aramid Braided AN Fuel Hose (Part No. 3490) instead.

Link to the Teflon lined braided hose:
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3490

 

[Alex]

Aeroquip makes a number of liners for stainless braided hose. One car I owned had the rubber liner (type 601?} in the fuel system and it leaked like a sieve. I have never had a Teflon- lined hose leak, even after years in service.

As far as I'm aware their automotive stainless braid and starlite is all AQP. AQP is their synthetic rubber. If there's another composite then yea, it needs to be AQP (but again I thought all their automotive hose was AQP)

I've assembled 200+ assemblies for coolant/fuel/oil and never once had an issue.

 

[Neil]

Thanks for the warning. I should figure out the ages of my hoses.

I like braided rubber hoses because they look more like old-style hoses.

The Starlite page says


Link to the Teflon lined braided hose:
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3490

That Goodridge hose from Pegasus is expensive but excellent.

 

[Ron McCall]

I replaced all of the fuel hoses in my race car last year with Fragola PTFE hoses . During routine maintenance this year, I noticed that all of the swivel hose ends were leaking fuel from the actual joint where the fitting swivels. This is with 112 Octane Sunoco leaded fuel. Their tech told me that it is because the car sits for a few months at a time between uses. I call BS! Every other hose end manufacturer that I've spoken with tell me that this should never happen.
I had BMRS ( Thanks to H for the recommendation) make up some replacements. They supply most of the NASCAR teams and are excellent to deal with.

Ron

 

[Alex]

I replaced all of the fuel hoses in my race car last year with Fragola PTFE hoses . During routine maintenance this year, I noticed that all of the swivel hose ends were leaking fuel from the actual joint where the fitting swivels. This is with 112 Octane Sunoco leaded fuel. Their tech told me that it is because the car sits for a few months at a time between uses. I call BS! Every other hose end manufacturer that I've spoken with tell me that this should never happen.
I had BMRS ( Thanks to H for the recommendation) make up some replacements. They supply most of the NASCAR teams and are excellent to deal with.

Ron

Funny how it's never the manufacturer's fault.

I remember the first fuel pump I bought for my 65 cobra - external Aeromotive SS series. As soon as I ran it fuel poured from the body where it was sealed with an o-ring (nb: assembled from factory, not by me). This was during winter (around -10*C)

Okay, bad parts exist, so I boguht a second one. The damn thing leaked at the same point!

Okay, maybe really bad luck and I didn't want to make a new mounting bracket for a different fuel pump, so I bought a third one. Fucker leaked at the same point again!

So I called Aeromotive and they were like 'oh, don't worry bro, it may leak when it's cold outside, but in the summer you'll be fine'. WTF???

 

[Devin]

I too have had bad luck with Nylon braided PTFE (albeit off-brand) hoses on my Cobra replica. I’ve replaced every section of them over the past year (and the car is a little over a year old!) with plain rubber ethanol compatible hoses. Where I live, there are only a couple of stations with Non-Ethanol fuel and try my best but impossible to predict keeping ethanol out of the tank. Of the lines that failed, it all occurred in sections that had anything other than a straight run from fitting to fitting. IMO, not a good product and would rather deal with the highest quality rubber or synthetic rubber lined braided hoses and inspect them yearly. I like the look of braided lines however they are impossible to see the actual lines age and condition as the vehicle gets older.