1997 Blazer Fuel Leak

[djd99]

This thread had gotten way out of hand here, I agree when your budget allows, fix your gas leak with 100% oem materials but when someone has a very low budget and flat broke this is when we need to put our heads together and come up with a alternative. I have fixed a friends car witch was fuel injected with a mix of brake line and fuel hose and the fix is holding up real well. He is flat broke and laid off and needed help and I fixed it for free. My point is If your budget allows fix it with oem materials but when your down and need a alternative a mix of line and fuel hose will work in a pinch.

[blazee]

After seeing the condition of those lines, the only repair that I would recommend is complete replacement. This is for the simple fact that once you get in there and start monkeying with them, the movement will most likely cause them to break in other places causing worse leaks than when you started or increase the chance of problems in the future. Judging by the condition of those lines, they'll obviously need to be replaced soon anyway, might as well take care of it now, instead of creating more work for yourself, and paying to repair them twice.

As for the subject of using rubber hose as a fuel line in general, (as long as it is rated for the application and you are within the listed pressure specs) there is no harm in using it. It's convenient and easier to install in situations which require several turns. The only drawback is that you have to spend more time making sure the connections are done properly. While I don't recommend simply using hose clamps (especially in systems with higher pressures such as the Blazer's 60+psi) I have used them when the need arises, but use 2 at each connection and tighten the **** out of them for extra piece of mind. Ideally, when connecting rubber hose to metal line, I will cut the line with a tubing cutter so that I have a nice smooth end to work with. Slide a pipe fitting over it and then flare the end of tube (flare tools are cheap and come in handy around the house) to make up a proper connection.... just like you see on brake lines and tranny lines. Now that you have the metal fuel line prepared, you screw in a fitting so that you can connect it to the rubber hose...preferable one with the ribs/barbs to insure that it seals well and the hose won't come off.