How much fuel line needed

[77crewcab]

I am about to go buy some new fuel/vacuum line and wodered if anyone knows how much is needed I am guessing about 5 feet of 1/4 inch line.

[DiverRay]

Three feet will do the bike. It seems like a lot more...
Ray

[77crewcab]

Does that include for the vacuum lines as well?

[DiverRay]

No, the vacume lines should be slightly smaller. I think the 7/32" line will fit, but it's been a while.

[77crewcab]

Okay let me reprashe I mean all the lines for the petcock fuel control octopus. But I guess I need to do the plain vacuum lines too so about how much of that?

[Brian_D]

I just re-plumbed the fuel lines on my '81LH. If you are using the octopus, 3 ft (what DiverRay said) of fuel line will cover it.

However, I decided to eliminate the octopus. I routed only the rear nipples from the L/R petcock down thru the 1-2 (and 3-4) carbs, thru an in-line fuel filter, thru a fuel T fitting, and in to the opposite side fuel inlet - so the fuel comes up from the bottom. The T fitting was used to connect both the 1-2 and 3-4 carb fuel inlets together. I purchased 4 ft of fuel line and used approx 3-3/4 ft. Of course I capped the front petcock nipples and capped the #2 carb boot.

For the vaccume advance hose, I found that only 1" of the end going to the #2 carb was bad, so I just trimmed it back and reconnected.

[77crewcab]

So you went from both petcocks to a T then to the inline filter then to another T then to the inlets for 1-2 and 3-4. Is that correct? Something like this petcocks>---filter---<fuel inlets

[DiverRay]

I know on my '79 standard, I only need about 10" of vacum line for the petcocks. On your bike, I think you have one longer line going back, so 2' should cover everything.
Ray

[Brian_D]

Actually, more like this

1-2
inlet
|
+------- to 3-4 fuel T
|
|
filter
|
|
R-Side
Petcock

[77crewcab]

Did you connect both left and right petcock fuel nipples or just the right one? I am thinking of connecting both petcocks with a T and from there go to a filter. from the filter going to another T that branches off to the two fuel inlets on the carbs. Any problems running without the octopus? Do you have to change what position you run the petcock in i.e. can still be set to on, prime, and reserve with no problems in running the engine?

[Brian_D]

The left and right side front petcock nipples (PRI) are capped. I routed both the left and right side rear petcock nipples (ON and RES) thru seperate fuel lines and filters. They are T'd together just before the 1-2 and 3-4 carb fuel inlets.

No problems without the octopus - but with my setup, the PRI position is not used (since it only bypasses the octopus when the octopus is connected).

connecting both petcocks with a T and from there go to a filter. from the filter going to another T that branches off to the two fuel inlets on the carbs

I was worried that one fuel supply line (2 - 1 - 2) would restrict flow at WOT. Only reason I T'd the fuel lines was to ensure balanced fuel flow to both carb sets when fuel tank level is low (of course I haven't tested that --- yet).

[77crewcab]

Okay thanks!