Hey guys, I'm planning my fuel system routing but I have the engine/trans out of the car. I'm going to start bending 1/2" nicopp but I want to know how much room I nave near the transmission. I have my FPR and fuel filter mounted to the firewall (well on a custom plate, see my build thread for details). Can anyone take a tape measure and stick it on the bellhousing of their trans and tell me roughly how far away it is from the trans tunnel sheet metal in a few spots? This is a quick mockup of how one of the lines might start. Will this run into anything? I'm thinking of roughly taking this route (marked in red) with both lines stacking vertically next to each other, making their way to the frame:
That would be awesome! I'd feel stupid bending all these lines up only to have to redo them after I drop the engine
Idk if this helps, but it's a start & super easy to get to so just lmk whatever you need. If you were closer (nonidea where you are) you're welcome to stop by or even send me the stuff & I'll see if it fits.
This is super helpful! I might ask for some more shots once I get back in the garage, but it looks like I might be able to snake the lines in there. Seems like there's about 2.5" to play with from the firewall to valve cover. You don't have an airbox mounted, but since I'm going to try and make the lines flush to the firewall I think that 2.5" is a good reference. This does make me think that I should make the line 3 pieces instead of 2. My original plan was to have a line from the firewall all the way to the rear crossmember which would have bulkhead fittings through it. Now I think I should also put a pair of bulkheads near where the lines go to the frame in the engine bay. I don't see a way I'd be able to remove such a long line with the engine installed, so breaking it up into 3 pieces might work. Please let me know if anyone has better ideas for routing!
From what I can see you're doing a nice job, and that's coming from a former brake sys plumber for the OEMs. If your double flares are concentric they should seal well, and the tubing you're using is more forgiving than some other stuff out there. Keep in mind more clipping (fixing the lines to the body or frame or even to each other) is better than less. Free standing tubing, especially the small 3/16" diameter stuff, fatigues easily when free standing due to vibration. Most of the fuel/brake bundles I released for production were clipped at 12" or less when possible. Ye Olde shake 'n' bake (pressure/vibration/temperature) testing told us to stick with that rule of thumb giving a healthy margin. If you're getting close to body or frame with tubing, don't hesitate to add a little bit of protection. A slit piece of rubber hose over the tubing is easy insurance and won't move around between bends. Devon
Dipstick tube transmision modulator tube and heater hose also make the passenger side tight for routing stuff.
Thanks! That makes me feel better haha. This is excellent advice, I definitely have some areas that could benefit from protection. Most of my flares are concentric, the ones that aren't are only off by a teeny but, so we'll see what leaks . . . I'm using these fancy Notchheads for retainers, they are damn expensive for what they are but really nice. Guess I'll order a few more packs! Yeah dipstick area looks tight, I will probably end up running a flexible locking dipstick to help with that.
I've done aircraft lines, stainless, aluminum, and others of all sorts and sizes, more couplers and connectors clamps and brackets, as well as automotive, motorcycle and residential/commercial. You (Bob Gibbs and a couple others) do excellent work.
This will be a road course/drift car, wasn't planning on any drag racing. But thanks for enlightening me about the firewall rules, I had no idea!
You may enjoy the odd drag race once you get a feel of the G forces the turbos provide. You will be shocked.
Started on the fuel line routing tonight, here's my first draft of the front piece from frame to filter:
You gonna build a turbo car and go drifting? you got to go down the track we gots to know what one of these turbo cars with a 350 can really run I been waiting forever.
Why are you mounting the filter and regulator on the firewall? Won't it make it more difficult to service the filter back there when the engine is installed? Plus, there will be a lot of heat right there which won't be good for the regulator and hot fuel won't make the engine run better. If they ever develop a leak, it could be a fire hazard.
This is all true, I guess I was visualizing it as being easy since it's up high, but it's hard to remember what the clearance is like when the engine has been out for so long. Where is everyone else mounting their fuel stuff? Inner fenders? I was hoping to leave them clear so I could mount meth injection on one and an oil cooler on the other.
Haha well that's the plan, drifting and road course HPDE! I mean sure I'll take it to a drag strip just to see how it does, but I'd have no idea what I'm doing haha Everytime I go to a drift or HPDE event it's always new cars and maybe the odd 80s car like a foxbody or an old Toyota. I think it'd be awesome to be the only 70s car, not to mention Buick out there. I don't think there's many Buick drift cars out there, probably a lot more at autocross. I think drifting is much more fun than autocross though . . .
I used to drift my 71 before it became a sport, on snow mostly lol, in the old 2 bbl days lol. so you can do this, should be a blast with the big car come out of the corner with both wheels spooling up from the turbos. ( I watched a lot of GN'S at the track...spool up.. tires frying) We can guide you on how to go down the track I/we are well experienced here lol.
