Race Car Lines And Hoses - Fluid Flow

Fluid flow in the modern race car is a critical function. Any failure in cooling, fuel, brakes, or steering will either cripple or destroy a race car.

From a fluid standpoint, we are moving fuel, oil, brake fluid, hydraulic oil, cooling air, and possibly fire extinguisher gasses through various tubes and hoses in the car. From safety, performance, and cost perspectives, it is critical that we make the correct decisions about the types of hoses we use. While braided-steel hoses and blue and red hose ends look great, we need to remember that the cost of plumbing an entire car could range from $300 to $500 or more. Getting exactly what you need for your particular application is vital.

Be aware that every fluid we move through the lines in a race car is flammable, with the exception, of course, of air and water. So we need to use care when making the material selections for lines and hoses. We also need to exercise caution when handling and mounting these lines, making sure we do not mount them in a way that allows vibration or suspension movement to damage the hoses or lines. We also should be aware of the ergonomics of our installations; don't mount a hose so that the next person who works on the car gets cut by a poorly mounted clamp or fitting. Planning is everything.

Depending on the type of car you are racing and the complexity of the various systems, the plumbing requirements can range from simple to very complex. For example, the fuel line configuration on a Bomber or a Street Stock racer will often be very simple-one line out of the tank to the filter, then to the fuel pump before ending at the carburetor. It doesn't get much easier.

In such a scenario, you may have connections at the tank, the fuel pump, and the carburetor. For the most part, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) lines will serve you just fine. In all likelihood, the majority of the lines in the OEM fuel system are solid metal lines with possibly only rubber lines at the fuel pump and carburetor. If the car came with fuel injection, you will find a supply line from the tank to the fuel-injection system and a return line to the tank. These lines will be a combination of metal and composition hoses made of cloth-reinforced synthetic rubber. It is not uncommon for the entire fuel system to be comprised of steel tubing with threaded fittings at each junction on some OEM applications.

While hard lines may work great for hauling the family around in a passenger car, racing applications require the ability to address any component in the system quickly and easily. Remember that the metal lines in most passenger cars were not designed to be worked on every week, or to be exposed to the constant elevated heat and vibration levels that are present in race cars. Repeated disassembly and reassembly may cause some stress-induced failures in all metal lines. But there's something else we need to consider other than how easy it is to adjust or maintain the hose or line. Are the levels of vibration and movement that will be seen in a racing environment enough to damage a hose or line? We need to have a greater level of flexibility and durability in a racing application.

If the car you are running is using racing fuel or alcohol, you need to make sure that any and all hoses in the fuel system are compatible with the fuel you use. Some racing fuels are very hard on rubber goods. At the very least, these types of fuel systems require more maintenance and will benefit from lines that have threaded ends conducive to disassembly.