Fuel return lines

[SnowDrift]

I purchased the Quadstar fuel log for my return line setup but am having a hard time determining how to route the lines. I would like to have the lines underneath the intake manifold but the block is so bulky that I'm not sure that is possible. Does anyone have pictures of a clean setup?

I'm also open to other ideas if someone has a better solution. I'm trying to get away from the factory steel line across the front of the engine.

 

[SnowDrift]

There really isn't room here if a guy keeps the factory fuel filter manager.

 

[Will L.]

Run the 1/4” clear line from ip to the back how ever you want to, in the valley would be easiest.
Cap the front port of the injector return lines instead of the rear two.
All injector return lines remain the same except the last two now need to join together. Stuff that metal crossover return line at the rear of engine, or simply run the two 1/8” lines into a 3 way connection where the third one is 1/4”. Now connect that 1/4” line to the 1/4” return line from the ip into a 3way connection where the line hord port goes to the 1/4” metal line that goes to the tank.

 

[SnowDrift]

It isn't the routing schematic that I question, it's the neatness of how to route the lines and the means by which to do so.

 

[SnowDrift]

Thought about plugging one side and adding a Y. Would just have to figure out where to mount.

 

[Will L.]

What about getting some 1/4” stainless tubing. Run it down the bottom of the valley up along the passenger side of the ds4 so only using the clear tube to connect the two. It would fit neatly through the valley- look at how the oil journal is. Plus being below the 8 injector lines- I would think it will just blend in. The black one going sideways across the front stands out more. The two rear ones will tuck away behind the heads easily- again I would say stainless tubing will blend in due to injection lines, and on driver side the brake lines also.

 

[dbrannon79]

Curiosity has me wondering just how much fuel gets returned from the injectors.

Wonder if you could run all 8 injectors with a single 1/8" return having a piece of stainless crossing over from the 1 to 3 then come off ether # 7 or 8 to the block, then you'd only need one 1/4" from the IP and one 1/8" from the injectors into the block and then out back to the tank.

 

[Will L.]

All 8 of the 1/8” lines would not fill up a single 1/16” line. They are 1/8” for easy flow and not restrictive to the injector out flow. But rather than 2 lines back to the tank and into it- they combine into one line. The line is larger than the 1/4” ip return so that it is easier flow to the tank rather than the 1/4” ip return pushing against the injector returns- hence the 5/16 return.

One of the things I wanted to do with a 6.5 is replace the rack style rocker arms with studded ones like the sbc uses. Better individual adjustment to each valve, but this would require more frequent access into the covers for adjustment. Custom valve covers that are cast aluminum (eliminating some of the obvious leaking issues) then the top of the cover would come off for the access.
The injector lines would be in the way, and it’s always been annoying to get them out anyways. So making new lines that go out an around the valve covers was the plan.
In doing all that I was going to run the return lines into the rear where they all would run together already. A db2 has the supply fuel line going up center of the valley already- they get the fuel in where the ds4 has that big harness in the middle of the output lines. So running my ip return line there only made sense, and accomplishing something that bothered me as it does you- that oddball return line going lateral across the front of the engine.
So in case you were wondering why I already had options figured out soon as you asked- I thought these options through about 2 decades ago. But until I could justify the studded rocker arm mounts- none of it was going to happen.

 

[SnowDrift]

I have an insulated silicone sleeve I'm running the fuel lines in under the IP. It's the routing of the lines at the collection point that still bugs me. The block is not really set up for mounting anywhere - no mount tabs, no tapped holes for a bolt, etc.

If it looked like this, then it still gets drilled and tapped the same way, but now has two mounting holes. If this is adopted, then maybe @Quadstar will send me a prototype.

Another version has all the fittings in one side and plugs on the ends due to the thru-drilling. It's going to have two additional potential leak points, but easy to remedy if that happens. I think I might fab up a bracket to use this mounting location.