Russell braided SS fuel line failure

[parsonsj]

After my main fuel hose failed last weekend, I've been slowly getting the parts together to re-engineer my fuel delivery setup. I pulled all the Russell SS hose off my car since I'm converting it all to hard line, except a short hose to allow for engine movement where required. Most of the car was already using hard line, but I got a bit lazy at the end of the build and used about 3 feet of hose in the pressure side and 4 feet on the return side.



Anyway, tonight I pulled the hose ends off of one short hose (from the fuel rail, so it saw 42 psi), and cut the hose apart.

Check it out: what an unbelievable garbage piece of hose!! This hose has been in service for just over 2 years, and has less than 2000 miles. Russell really has some explaining to do.

jp

[CarlC]

That's ugly.

[72NovaSS]

Thats so wrong for a company to put out a product like that!

[Hammered]

CR@P! That's what I'm running although just a few short sections here and there. Still, it only takes one to fail and burn the car down. How you discover the first failure?

[parsonsj]

How [did] you discover the first failure?

I noticed that my fuel level was going down at an alarming rate. When I got home I had a big puddle of gasoline all over the floor. It was pretty hard to miss... the scariest part was that the gas was dripping on the headers.

jp

[Bow Tie 67]

Thanks for the info John, it seems like its always something.

[parsonsj]

And btw, I've received no response from Edelbrock (Russell's parent company):

I'm writing to alert you about a problem with your Russell brand SS ProFlex hose. I've been using it in my fuel-injected 67 Nova for the past two years. I had about 30 inches of hose feeding my main fuel rails, and another 8-10 inches in the fuel rails themselves. I run my setup with 42 psi.

Last week, my main fuel hose failed, with fuel gushing out. This is after barely 1300 miles of road use, spread over the past two years. I removed all the Russell hose, and cut one of the sections in the fuel rail apart (this was not the failure, but a lot easier to cut up). I've included a photo of it. It has several cracks, and one large crack that would have failed at any time. I found the same cracks in all the main fuel line hose. It seems to me that the hose is incompatible with pump gas, but I would very much appreciate your take on the matter.

Regards,

John Parsons

[Fuelie Nova]

Just curious what you are going to replace it with. I also have two flex lines approx 24" long going to my fuel rail. Three years old, 45 psi...
I think I should replace them.
Tg

[MastMotorsports]

John,

I am a consumer of this product as well and am very interested in figuring out the cause of this failure. I am curious as to how this piece of hose was configured in your fuel system. Looking at the discoloration of the hose, it looks like there were two fittings placed close together in the system. The piece of hose that the fitting attaches to and some hose thereafter should be under higher stress to create the seal at the hose end. Having two fittings close together could cause a highly stressed section of hose that also (if I understood you correctly) is the main piece absorbing the movement of the engine in relation to the chassis.

If your system is configured this way...I am not saying that two fittings so close together caused the failure, but I would like to hear your thoughts and input about this. Maybe some pics of a longer length of hose not located around fittings would shed light on the possible causes of this failure.

Shaun
Mast Motorsports
High Performance Powertrain Solutions
[email protected]
www.mastmotorsports.com

[parsonsj]

Hi Shaun,

Good question! That photo is of a section of hose from between the fuel rails. It had no movement as both ends were attached to a rail. I included it in the thread because it was convenient to cut apart and photograph.

Here's a pic of the section of failed hose that was between the fuel rail and chassis. As you can see, the failure mode is the same. One more thing I'd add: the hose feels hard and crusty. As if it were very old. Cutting it is more like whittling wood than cutting rubber.

jp

[parsonsj]

Just curious what you are going to replace it with.

I'm going to replace the hose with hard line, plus a short 12" section of PTFE-lined hose from Brown and Miller.

jp

[MastMotorsports]

Hi Shaun,

Good question! That photo is of a section of hose from between the fuel rails. It had no movement as both ends were attached to a rail. I included it in the thread because it was convenient to cut apart and photograph.

Here's a pic of the section of failed hose that was between the fuel rail and chassis. As you can see, the failure mode is the same. One more thing I'd add: the hose feels hard and crusty. As if it were very old. Cutting it is more like whittling wood than cutting rubber.

jp

Thanks John! That is exactly what I was hoping you would post up. This picture shows alot of information in analyzing this failure. I do have one question...what kind of fuel does your engine run? I would like to get to the bottom of this issue.

Thanks,

Shaun
Mast Motorsports
High Performance Powertrain Solutions
[email protected]
www.mastmotorsports.com

[Damn True]

Dang!

Any response from Vic's boys? I wish you'd have said something sooner. I spent about 30min speaking with Vic last week at the Wine Country Classic.

[Vegas69]

That is a really dangerous situation for many on the road right now if it's not related to your application. I am also interested in the type of fuel you run? I have been using Jegs AN fittings and hose. I hope Russell doesn't make it too.

[jknight16]

Yeah, Jegs stuff here too. Wonder who makes it, hope its not the same...

[parsonsj]

I run pump gas. 93 octane from the station on the corner.

And yes, I think this is a dangerous situation.

And no, I've not heard back from Edelbrock.

jp

[Fuelie Nova]

I'm going to replace the hose with hard line, plus a short 12" section of PTFE-lined hose from Brown and Miller.

I just emailed them to get info. I have a fuel injected Nova using the same hose you had. Driving it from Minneapolis to Gettyburg next month... don't need a fuel line failure.
Tg

[Boulder69]

I've got Earl's (non-braided) line from the pump near the tank to the rails. Should I be concerned as well? Is it all the funky stuff in gas these days that causes problems? I'm gonna go check and see if it feels hardened like Parsons described.

[Hammered]

There's a lot of info out there on low sulfur fuel causing rubber parts failures, but most of it is with diesel.

[parsonsj]

From Edelbrock:

John,
This hose is compatible with pump gas. The normal life expectancy of this hose is from 4 to 6 years, with normal use, not sitting dry for extended periods of time. The worst thing for this hose is to sit dry after fuel has been ran thru it. If you have a receipt we may be able to assist you with this situation.

So, Edelbrock says to keep the hose immersed in fuel, and it will last longer. Maybe use checkballs or something to keep fuel pressure in the rails?

jp