3/8 ID fuel line

[Jim Herpst]

Guys So its not a Taylorcraft but I am finishing the Carlson Baby Ace rerstoration...got a fuel line locally to run from the J3 fuel valve to the gasculator. A buddy said he was told to use 7/16 from some wizard on his A-65 powered ship. SOO the question is is 3/8 enough on the ID of the fuel line or do I need the extra 1/16 ? Promise to be back on the Taylorcraft in the next couple of years soo for now please answer my humble question as non Taylorcraft as it is

[astjp2]

Re: 3/8 ID fuel line

3/8" is fine, .035 wall will work unless you are running an O-360 lyc or more, you can goto a true HVAC supply shop, they use a 3/8" line that works great for experimental aircraft, it is much easier to work with than the aircraft type and is more ductile so it wont crack as easy as aircraft tubing. A 50' roll was about $30.00 a few years ago. Tim

[Jim Herpst]

Re: 3/8 ID fuel line

That makes sence in my eyeball engineering ways. The new J3 Fuel valves do not open any where near all the way and they even state this in the literature with the new valves. It looked to me like 3/8 was enough based on what I saw that issue to be looking in the new valve. SOO its 3/8 fuel line from the tank to the gasculator (And I will see about a steel braided one from the gasculator to the carb)

Thanks. Will go on and contine back to my lurking in the weeds till I get another Taylorcraft.

Thanks much again

[astjp2]

Re: 3/8 ID fuel line

If you use braided teflon for the carb to gascolator, fire sleeve it and put a date tag on it so you know how old it is, or someone else will know later on. its cheap insurance. Tim

[Jim Herpst]

Re: 3/8 ID fuel line

Thank you much again for the good advice

Jim

[Len Petterson]

Re: 3/8 ID fuel line

Pipe is measure ID and Tubing is measured OD sometime what confuses pepole.
Note what almost all the treads in gascolator etc are normaly NPT ( national pipe tread Note it has a taper to it.)or in some cases JIC newer stuff. Threads on tube fitting nuts are JIC
JIC is what is used in oring boss type fittings and are using National Fine as standard treads, here is NF 7/16 commonly used.
Never heard of 7/16" tubing in copper, steel or aluminium. 3/8 " is standard as aircraft fuel lines, next size up would be 1/2 od and it would be about 7/16 id.
Len

[astjp2]

Re: 3/8 ID fuel line

Mil Spec tubing (Titanium, 6061, 5052 hard grades) using rhosann fittings and the ms21922/3 series can come in 5/16" 5/8" etc, there are some Odd size tubing used on aircraft like the F-15C/D's. It has to do with flow rates and heat generation, pressures and all of those things that the engineers need.... and are special application. Never heard of JIC in aircraft, its either 37 degree flare or 45 degree or flareless. Most aircraft built before the mid 1950's used automotive grade copper line and fittings and it is acceptable to use them to day on those aircraft. Tim

http://www.gen-aircraft-hardware.com/images/pdf/ftgflless.pdf