If you have read my Gas and Oil book (available in the "Parts" section of this website) then you should understand the modern gasoline and how it affects our antique vehicles. I have covered this subject in additional tech blogs, so take some time to read those if you want a better understanding of why things work the way they do.
This blog is about the rubber fuel line hose that runs between the gas tank and the carburetor. Some fuel systems are all rubber fuel line hoses, some are a combination of rubber and metal fuel line. Either way, the rubber fuel line hose is the topic of discussion here.
Most all fuel line hose manufactured before 1985 is what as known as non-barricade rubber fuel line hose. It was made before alcohol gasoline became common place and has served us well for many years. That is no longer the case now.
Modern alcohol gasoline among its many properties is that it is an aggressive fuel and it attacks the non-barricade rubber fuel line hose from the inside out, eating away at the inside of the rubber fuel line causing it to weaken. And as you might suspect all those little particles of rubber lining from the inside of your non-barricade fuel line hose have to go somewhere and that somewhere ends up being the fuel filter (having one is a must) or into the mechanical or electric fuel pump causing them to fail, or further yet up into the carburetor where the little pieces get wedged into the bore of places like the accelerator pump, needle and seat, or main jet. Those small particles are not welcome in any of those places!
When the non-barricade hose becomes weak enough (which can occur in six months or less in some cases) it springs a leak and you have a potential fire hazard. You definitely do not want raw gas dripping onto the intake or exhaust manifold of the engine or on top of the exhaust pipe where it passes under the car.
Then there is you car in storage. I had a customer who put his car in storage in mid October and stopped by in mid January to get the paperwork out of the glove box to renew his tags only to find a huge puddle of gasoline under his car. The alcohol gasoline had eaten thru his original fuel line hose on the bottom of the fuel tank and drained the whole 20 gallons of gasoline onto the floor under his car! Lucky for him he did not have a hot water heater or a furnace pilot light in his garage.
It does happen more often than you think. By the time you notice the fuel line being brittle on the outside it is almost two late. I know what your thinking...I never buy alcohol gasoline so this does not apply to me...Well in a number of states, Ohio for example, the gasoline retailers are not required to label the alcohol gasoline pumps delivering the alcohol gasoline. Adding the alcohol to the gasoline is a federal requirement so you might as well figure you will end up with some sooner or later.
The cheapest way to buy"Barricade" Fuel Line Hose.
Barricade Fuel Line Hose
So now the burning question...What is the Barricade fuel line hose and how can I identify it?
Barricade fuel line hose will be marked on the side of the hose along with its intended application. The kind you want is for the non-fuel injection hose (like shown here) unless of course you antique vehicle is fuel injected. Here is what the hose will look like that you need to use...
All Barricade fuel line hose will be marked.
And if you are curious as to how it is made and why it costs so much more compared to the old rubber fuel line hose we used to buy, here is an explanation.
Two layers resist the damage from the alcohol fuels.
Lastly, the cheapest way to buy the barricade hose is in 25' spools which will normally do a couple of antique vehicles depending on the application. You can buy it in smaller packages but it is all sold by the foot and the smaller packages will cost about 30 to 40 percent more per foot. Save yourself some money and buy a roll to always have enough on hand. You can buy 25' rolls of the Barricade fuel line hose in the "Parts" section of this website under the "Fuel" heading.
Fuel Line Hose Clamps
The last thing I want to mention is fuel line hose clamps. I have tried them all over the years and the ones that are the most unfriendly are the ones that strip out when you try and tighten the clamp on a smaller diameter application. The only one worse than that, is the one that turns egg shaped and will not seal on one side and cuts into the fuel line hose on the other.
So that is why I now offer these stainless steel hose clamps. They seal good, hold their shape, and are easy to tighten. They are sold in packages of ten and are well worth the price. You can buy them in the "Parts" section of this website under the "Fuel" heading.
A quality fuel line hose clamp is a good investment.
Don't forget to be safe when working in, on, or underneath your antique vehicle. Time spent in the hospital is time away from the garage. You know where your time is better spent!