#21  
Old 05-09-2021, 11:55 AM
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One other option might be one of Holley's in-tank pump /regulator combos. Here's the listing for your Firebird: https://www.holley.com/products/fuel...s/parts/12-304

The neat thing is that you retain your stock tank. The pump and regulator are mounted on the pickup, so there is no return plumbing to worry about. The regulator is pre-set to 58psi. So all you need is the stock steel fuel line forward, but remember to replace any rubber line with EFI rated hose and clamps. On the FiTech throttle body, cap off the return port and the possibly the vacuum port to the built-in regulator. Something to think about anyway.

fwiw, I did this "dead head" style setup previously on my '38 Chevy street rod FiTech setup. But as these new Holley products weren't available at that time, I used an in-tank pump with an LS-style Corvette fuel filter/regulator unit instead which shortened the return as much as possible. I wish something like this was available back then.

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  #22  
Old 05-09-2021, 01:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Formulajones View Post

even had me put the car in gear and try to start it making sure I had a working neutral safety switch, lol.

That's happened to me a few times. I just play dumb.


I don't know why's it's not working sir, I promise I'll get it fixed before next time. lol

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  #23  
Old 05-09-2021, 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Formulajones View Post
Here's a picture of the 1/2" stainless lines I did on a 2nd gen Firebird. They simply run along the factory route so not much to see, even come with the spring wire wrap like factory. Most people looking at it wouldn't even notice it's 1/2" line.
Perfect! Thanks! It looks better than my AL lines for sure. Where do they route/stop up front?

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Old 05-09-2021, 06:25 PM
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Another thought is to run Camaro lines - they route on the pass. side IIRC and may be much easier to go to a FI unit.

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Old 05-09-2021, 07:43 PM
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Perfect! Thanks! It looks better than my AL lines for sure. Where do they route/stop up front?
They run along the factory route up the passenger side frame. For this particular year (72) they run on top of the frame by the control arm and then terminate where the short section of a 3rd set of lines would have been that run across the front of the engine cross member over to the fuel pump under the front of the oil pan.

On a 70 model like mine they make a turn behind the engine cross member and run under the rear of the oil pan and then over the cross member to the fuel pump.

Here's a picture of the front section of the 1/2" lines in the factory location (for 72) That lone bolt next to the cross bar of the upper control arm is where another line clip goes, which will hold the lines closer to the control arm where they should be. I just didn't have it installed yet for this picture.
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Old 05-10-2021, 09:17 AM
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thats one thing i dint like about the earlier 70-73 cars is the passenger side fuel line & the line going across the front of the oil pan... the later years & the OP's 78 are a much better design, routing on the driver side & not crossing over the cross member or oil pan.

  #27  
Old 05-10-2021, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by 78w72 View Post
thats one thing i dint like about the earlier 70-73 cars is the passenger side fuel line & the line going across the front of the oil pan... the later years & the OP's 78 are a much better design, routing on the driver side & not crossing over the cross member or oil pan.
I actually like this design on the 72 where it crosses in the front under the oil pan. It gets plenty of air flow up there and basically comes along the side frame rail where it isn't all that close to the engine.

I don't like my 70 though, it's a little different. It crosses behind the cross member under the engine between the cross member and oil pan sump, then runs up and over the cross member along the oil pan rail to the fuel pump so it's packed with a lot of heat and doesn't get nearly as much air flow as the front version.

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Old 05-10-2021, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by 78w72 View Post
thats one thing i dint like about the earlier 70-73 cars is the passenger side fuel line & the line going across the front of the oil pan... the later years & the OP's 78 are a much better design, routing on the driver side & not crossing over the cross member or oil pan.
Depends on what you are going to do. For me, running the line up the passenger side of the car and engine ended up with a cleaner install. I had an almost a straight shot from the rear frame rail where I have the LS regulator installed, along the SFC to the front frame rail and up into the engine compartment along the upper control arm mount and terminating after clearing the control arm. I had to put two 45 degree bends in the entire line.

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  #29  
Old 05-10-2021, 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Formula8 View Post
Depends on what you are going to do. For me, running the line up the passenger side of the car and engine ended up with a cleaner install...
Or run it up the passenger rear of the engine and over.

This was run drivers side - had I thought about it a bit more I would have run it passenger side, avoiding the clutch linkage and throttle assembly. Only this to avoid is the oil filter and heater hoses.


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Old 05-10-2021, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Formulajones View Post
I actually like this design on the 72 where it crosses in the front under the oil pan. It gets plenty of air flow up there and basically comes along the side frame rail where it isn't all that close to the engine.

I don't like my 70 though, it's a little different. It crosses behind the cross member under the engine between the cross member and oil pan sump, then runs up and over the cross member along the oil pan rail to the fuel pump so it's packed with a lot of heat and doesn't get nearly as much air flow as the front version.
i suppose theres pros & cons to both ways depending on what youre doing. i just like the 78 routing on the driver side for stock mech pumps better since the line doesnt need to make a right angle turn all the way across the front of the engine to reach the pump like on 72's... even with air flow the line is actually clamped to & touching the oil pan which transfers a lot of heat in stop & go driving or sitting in the staging lanes at the track.

where it runs on top the frame next to the engine its very close to the headers if you have bigger pipes, my line is all of about 2" from the big 2" tube super comps i run, way to close for comfort, i had to use some heat wrap on the line in that area its so close. you can kid of see it in this pic, runs very close, would be much cleaner & away from major heat sources on the driver side. they make the later year driver side run in 1/2" too & would be much easier than trying to convert a later year car to passenger side routing.
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  #31  
Old 05-10-2021, 10:56 AM
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That doesn't look too bad for clearance. I think even with the RA manifolds on the 72 I did it was still just a couple inches. I'm okay with that. As long as I can get a hand between fuel lines and heat sources I've never had an issue, and being where it is with plenty of air flow tends to mitigate any would be issues.

On my 70 the factory didn't come up and over the frame rail like that. It's all hidden behind the engine cross member and runs under the oil pan sump. What's worse is it makes a turn to come up and over the cross member on the driver side, still running under the engine between the block and the RA exhaust manifold where there is a ton of heat and very little air flow. I've just never like fuel lines running "under" engines like that.

I'd much rather have that come up the top of the frame rail by the upper control arm. It seems to be the lesser of 2 evils I think. Honestly though I don't think there is a real good way to do it on these 2nd gens.

Coming up the passenger side is fine, but I'd like that better if the car didn't have power steering, and the front mounted steering box. Which I think is why initially on the 70 models like mine when they crossed under the back of the engine, they didn't come up and over the top of the frame there, and ran it under the engine along the block instead. Of course the starter is there too.
baaaaa lol Always something

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  #32  
Old 05-10-2021, 11:10 AM
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that pic is kinda deceiving since the close area is hidden by the A-arm mount part of the frame. the heat wrap does its job & ive never had any type of vapor lock or hot fuel issues, just closer than id prefer.

  #33  
Old 05-12-2021, 11:10 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Vaught View Post
Copper Lines would not be allowed on any SCCA type Race car at a club event.

Too soft and too easy to be damaged and a potential fire from the rupture of the line.

Tom V.
He said Copper-Nickel. Not copper. Big difference. OEMs use it

  #34  
Old 05-12-2021, 06:35 PM
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I cannot overstate how much I love working with copper-nickle tubing. Makes plumbing a car so much easier.

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  #35  
Old 05-12-2021, 06:55 PM
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I don't have a problem plumbing regular steel lines. Easy enough to work with

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