Any difference between marine fuel line and auto fuel line?

Charlie S and Titan

Charlie S and Titan

Well-known member
I need (want) to replace the fuel line in my new-to-me boat. It is pretty stiff, maybe even brittle, and I'm worried that it might fail sometime when I least want it to. The line is mostly above decks in the splash well and exposed to sunlight (it runs from a bulkhead through hull fitting, across the splash well, into the bilge through a rubber grommet, into a fuel water separator, out of the separator, up through the rubber grommet across the splash well into the engine).

Is there any difference between marine fuel line and auto fuel line? Is it more UV resistant, better sheathed, more resistant to something, etc?

I don't mind paying the marine store prices if there is a difference, but if auto stuff is the same, then I'd just as soon buy it since it is a fraction of the price. We're only talking a total of 10' of 3/8th line here after all - even the marine stuff will be under $40.

Thanks,
Charlie
 
I cant answer your question but I can tell you that if you leave the fuel line in the sun it WILL deteriorate quickly, no matter if it is auto or marine. If you can, run it under soemthing to keep it out of the sun.
 
After further consideration, I will just use the proper marine stuff. It wouldn't make any sense not to.

Sorry to clutter the board. Eric or Steve, please feel free to delete this.

Thanks!
Charlie
 
The stuff is spendy... but I bought it, since it was the right thing to do.

I alway have to take a deep breath before spending extra on boat specific stuff, but I always end up going the marine route anyway after I recover from the sticker shock. Marine wiring and connectors are a prime example - kills me to pay so much for it, but it makes sense in the long run, so I do it.

The 3/8" line was over $3 a foot, but I ended up only needing 6 feet (tank outlet to fuel/water separator). I also bought a prefabbed Moeller fuel line to run from the separator to the engine. Figured the factory crimps are probably a good thing.

I also picked up new fuel/water separator (the old one was corroded and leaking) and I am in business. Figured that having a fresh fuel line setup was good preventative maintenance to keep the motor happy. $100 in maintenance is much better than $2,000++ in repairs.

The new line is much more flexible than the old stuff, and it appears to have a much thicker OD/sheathing than the old stuff. I'm guessing the stuff I removed was the fuel line that originally came new on the boat 9 years ago.

Thanks for the advice, both on the board and in PM.

Charlie
 
If boarded you will be sent back to port for repairs with automotive line as per USCG.
 
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