Fuel injection hose clamps

[mikkelstuff]

Having had to fix the butchered fuel injection supply lines on my 2002 Ranger, I have installed a few barbed fittings connecting mostly 3/8" hose (made for fuel injection systems). I installed those hoses with single ear crimp clamps thinking those were the best for the application.

Now, after 6 months, I have had one connection blow loose - twice in one week. Luckily once was in my own driveway and once in a parking lot. Lucky also that I had my tool box in the truck for the second incident and a spare worm style hose clamp.

The question here is what type of hose clamp is best for this application? I must say that the fitting that has come loose is not a true sharp edged barb but rather has smooth ribs.

I do see where screw type clamps are offered specifically for fuel injection hoses. I assume these are better than worm style clamps in that they offer smooth surfaces surrounding the hose.

 

[RonD]

Problem is that these are nylon fuel lines, not pliable at outside temps, so are not great with clamps

The Ranger fuel lines are 5/16, some fittings are 3/8 but the hose itself is 5/16

If you heat up the nylon hose, heat gun or soak end in HOT water, it will get pliable, force a splice connection into it, it will stretch if its warm enough
Then repeat for the other end
As it cools it should self seal/shrink or add clamps if you want


But just the clamps alone won't last long

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Fuel injection clamps are supposed to have better clamping force than worm style clamps which when overtightened will distort and slip.

That said, when I got to work on the engine swap in my green Ranger, I couldn’t get the fuel line fitting apart at the rail, which just left me a few options. Keep fighting with it and hope it eventually comes apart, cut and splice, seek a junkyard line, or just switch over to -AN. I went the -AN route. It’s a little pricey, but I figured it would be useful to me for other things. So I now have a length of -6 AN braided PTFE line made up to replace the piece from the fuel filter to the fuel rail. The filter end has an adapter fitting that threads together to hold the stock filter and the rail end has the push connect adapter. Both adapters can be removed from the threaded -AN ends so I can change to say, a canister style filter and just remove the adapter and replace it with whatever I need to adapt to the new filter style. So it’s a sort of modular system.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I noticed they also have repair unions you just push the line in. Never saw them before... I imagine they work like shark bite plumbing fittings. Haven't really looked any place else for them but they have them at Bronco Graveyard.

 

[mikkelstuff]

Sorry for the confusion but this was true 3/8" rubber hose to metal ribbed barb that came apart. I have had no trouble so far with barbed fittings into the original nylon fuel lines.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I noticed they also have repair unions you just push the line in. Never saw them before... I imagine they work like shark bite plumbing fittings. Haven't really looked any place else for them but they have them at Bronco Graveyard.


View attachment 76964

Yeah, I’ve used them for air applications before, we used them a lot when I worked maintenance for a newspaper. Not all are rated for fuel use though, so you have to be careful. But yes, they just pop on like a sharkbite

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yeah, I’ve used them for air applications before, we used them a lot when I worked maintenance for a newspaper. Not all are rated for fuel use though, so you have to be careful. But yes, they just pop on like a sharkbite

Well these are listed as fuel system parts... so one could only assume...

I'm really considering buying a smallish fuel line repair kit to just have on hand. I'm getting ready to get into the fuel system on my Bronco II... and if I need supplies I may add a couple do dads for that purpose.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well these are listed as fuel system parts... so one could only assume...

I'm really considering buying a smallish fuel line repair kit to just have on hand. I'm getting ready to get into the fuel system on my Bronco II... and if I need supplies I may add a couple do dads for that purpose.

I looked at buying a fuel line repair kit, but then I looked at the -AN and decided if I was gonna spend money, I was gonna go with something that could be used for whatever I needed. I’m gonna need some custom power steering lines and some other odds and ends, so I just went that direction. I picked up a lever style brake flaring tool awhile back and then bought the die set for doing -AN for it

 

[Uncle Gump]

We used -AN stuff on the race cars... wouldn't pass Tech without it most places. It's been a decade since I've bought any of it and it was expensive then... probably worse now.

I think I can put a decent kit together for my Ranger/Bronco addiction for the price of a couple basic -AN fittings.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

JIC fittings are the same as AN as far as angles etc. And about 10% of the price of the anodized aluminum stuff. I used it on the fuel lines in my low buck race truck. I picked up mine at Princess Auto (Harbour Freight).