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Beading fuel lines?

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:29 pm
by skid542
Is there an easy way to bead the metal fuel lines? I'm working on getting my intake manifold put together and would like to change where the stock fuel inlet is going into the first fuel rail. I have a stock line that will put it at the perfect angle if I cut the line but then I'm left with a smooth line to clamp down onto. I'm not sure I want to do that.

I'm running the stock non-parallel fuel line setup for the time being as well, as an FYI. I'm not wanting to go parallel just yet.

Thoughts, comments?

Also - the intake manifold came back from ceramic coating and it looks great :).

Re: Beading fuel lines?

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:28 pm
by evolutionmovement
Try a plumbing supply or something. I bought a small pipe beader years ago for pretty cheap from an old hardware store, you know the kind they used to have before those cumdumpster Home Despots and Loewes moved in, put them out of business, then promptly fired any knowledgeable employees for minimum wagers and stopped carrying the weird items they needed to actually be considered a hardware store in exchange for aisles packed with women goods that have only the most loose connection to actual friggin' hardware?

Re: Beading fuel lines?

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:28 am
by 93forestpearl
I ran cut-off OEM hard lines with aftermarket hose at stock fuel pressure for quite a while without issue, and nothing was bead rolled. I used a hose that was some work to slide over, and then OEM clamps torqued to the max. They never leaked.

Re: Beading fuel lines?

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:50 am
by skid542
Thanks for the input Steve and Dan. I'm going to look into the beader at a plumbing store - we have a good ole' fashion country co-op store here that's got a lot of stuff.

And Dan, that's good to know. I'm running Derek's old injectors (had them cleaned/flowed) with his old ebay FPR. I'm not trying to get too crazy with the build right now what with stock internals and 660's but I don't want to put something together that's not capable of running maintaince free for some time.

Re: Beading fuel lines?

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:55 am
by 93forestpearl
Cool that you have Derek's stuff. It was capable, for sure.



Now that I think about it, I ran non-bead rolled stock cut-of lines at a base fuel pressure of 60 psi. Granted, I cleaned the lines up with sandpaper, and uses only OEM clamps. Whenever I go to a junkyard, I grab all the little stainless t-bolt fuel clamps I can get my hands on.


When you rig everything up, you'll know right away if your plumbing will leak if you have you fuel pump prime a couple times.

Re: Beading fuel lines?

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:08 am
by biggreen96
Yah I wouldn't worry about those coming off. I curse every single time I pull my motor or have to remove some FMIC piping because it means I get to yank and twist the hell out of those fuel lines to get them loose.

Re: Beading fuel lines?

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:22 pm
by evolutionmovement
Hose picks. They come in almost any angle you could want and make removing the most stubborn hoses pretty easy—even old hoses in salt water marine applications. I never had to use more than two of them and some spray lube.