Fuel Lines

[sawood12]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

I would urge anyone using flexi hoses for their fuel pipes to make sure they check them annually at least.

I'd kind of trust my garage to do this when they do the MOT, service or any other time it's up on the ramps, but then I've built a relationship with them over many cars and vans that means I trust them fully. If they say they've been using flexi pipes for well over 100 collective years then that's fine by me....[8|]

Well that's what i'm elluding to. A basic run of the mill MOT inspector will just take a quick look to make sure there is nothing obvioulsy amiss just to satisfy the criteria of the test. I'm referring to a much more detailed visual inspection to ensure the are no nicks, signs of abration etc. Rubber hoses are not very damage tolerant and a seemingly small abrasion to the surface can quickly turn into a much more serious defect. Just look at how quickly tyres bulge if you damage the side wall - one minute everything looks fine - a few days later you have a bulge the size of a tennis ball.

Maybe i'm being too cautious with applying my experience of flexi hoses to cars. In the industry I work in rubber and steel braided flexi hoses are not very robust and are only used when there is no viable alternative.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

It's a big job if you use original parts and replace the whole thing as you need to drop the rear beam. Of course full replacement is best, and will last at least 20 years but will cost ££££££.

I just had the rotton bit replaced with a length of flexi pipe at the local garage for around £100 all in, but will think about doing it properly if the gearbox is out for a clutch or something in the future when the labour is much reduced.

TBH if a car hasn't had the fuel lines repaired/replaced then it will need doing imminently!

 

[colin smith]

If I buy I will!!!!

 

[Alexw]

the same thing happened to me a while back, i took it into a local garage my dad has used for years with his 924, he replaced the back end with a bit of flexi pipe stuff, cost about £50 []

 

[924nutter]

The though of a bit of flexi-pipe file me with horror. The pipe is 10mm od and I replaced a rotten peice on my 924 by cutting said pipe back to good metal, around by the pump and carefully threading 10 mm SOFT copper pipe over the torsion bar housing. By pulling the pipe straight off the coil it doesn't work harden too quickly and I was able to effect a good repair with metal pipe. (if copper is good enough for brake-pipes....) Join the pipe with 10mm compression joints. Pull them up good and tight.

 

[James_G]

The previous owners has done this on mine (jubilee clips and fuel hose []) and its passed the MOT since no problem, but advice has been that there are better (and safer) ways of doing it. I am favouring the 2nd option below:

Expensive (and unlikely) Option

Drop the geearbox and replace all the pipes with new. There is a rumour that somebody has figured a way of doing this without dropping the gearbox, which I am sure somebody will confirm.

Less Expensive (likely) Option

Fitting some PFTE coated flexi-pipe with proper union joints attached to the good bit of the fuel pipe. Somebody has done this as I remember the post, but I can't find it and I would love to know where to get these flexi-pipes from. Can anybody advise me and the OP?

Cheers

James

 

[zcacogp]

James,

Pirtek is the usual supplier of high pressure hoses. Great company, lots and lots of local branches, and usually very helpful.

They run a fleet of large vans which have hose-making machines in the back. If you need a hose, give them a call and they'll make one up for you. In situ if need be.

http://www.pirtek.co.uk/


Oli.

 

[James_G]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

James,

Pirtek is the usual supplier of high pressure hoses. Great company, lots and lots of local branches, and usually very helpful.

They run a fleet of large vans which have hose-making machines in the back. If you need a hose, give them a call and they'll make one up for you. In situ if need be.

http://www.pirtek.co.uk/


Oli.

Oli, thanks for this. As luck would have it there's a service centre here in Guildford so I'll be paying them a visit very soon.

Cheers

James

 

[Hilux]

My car went in for its mot today and the mot station advised me that my fuel lines have some corrosion to the rear. I was going to cut out the corroded parts and replace it with flexible rubber fuel hose. Just wondering if any of you guys have done this and if so what diameter bore hose do I need (at work just now so cant get under the car)?

The lines normally rot where they raise up just after the rear floor pan. Many people simply cut out and replace this section with a flexible pipe and jubilee (wrong) or petrol line clips (right with a proviso)

The proviso is that you have a high pressure fuel pump and a straight pipe with a straight hose can blow off. It is good (safe) practice to either 1) Flare or create raised ends or section to the ends of the metal line (note all water hose connections have this and its not under half the pressure!) or to have hoses made with compression fittings. Jubilee clips do not afford even pressure all around (not such a danger issue on water pipes) whereas dedicated fuel line clips do (hence their name)

 

[u63af]

I will probably get some made at pirtek then. I had thought of this but seen as the fuel pressure reg is fitted with a jubille clip I thought that it would be ok.

Would compression fit (sleeve style) joints work with a flexible hose made by pirtek?

 

[Fen]

I agree with Paul. It is a good point re: the fuel pressure regulator although later cars changed over to a compression fitting and the FPR has a flared section to assist sealing and reduce the chances of hose blow-off.

 

[u63af]

I am going to use standard fuel hose to do it but I am going to swage (put a ridge on) the ends of the solid fuel line so that the hose cannot blow off. and use 3 fuel clips on each section of hose. Probably a bit over kill but I dont want it blowing off.
Cheers
Sandy

 

[u63af]

Forgot to say, my car is a later turbo with the threaded fuel pressure reg but I am changing it to a 3 bar one so it will become a fuel clipped connection

 

[bertelli_1]

The 'professional' way to do it is to drop the axle & fit new OEM pipes. This is costly (mainly in labour) but will last another 20 years.

 

[Big Dave]

Just out of interest.
I have a pair of rear fuel pipes ,,, "spare" . I bought them to do my 944S2 but they didnt realy need doing, + now sold the car...They dont fit the 968...
These are the Genuine Porsche versions , I bought them from Kendal OPC last year....
Are they any use to anybody..???
Make me an offer i cant refuse...
PS,, theyd probably be better picked up as i wouldnt want to post them. Ive heard horror stories of bent + buckled pipes posted....

 

[u63af]

Dave,
Thanks for the offer but I am in Scotland.
Cheers
sandy

 

[swright]

ORIGINAL: u63af

I am going to use standard fuel hose to do it but I am going to swage (put a ridge on) the ends of the solid fuel line so that the hose cannot blow off. and use 3 fuel clips on each section of hose. Probably a bit over kill but I dont want it blowing off.
Cheers
Sandy

Don't use standard fuel hose because it WILL burst!!! And that's from personal experience when i replaced the pipes on my old lux.

Only use the high pressure fuel injection grade hose.

 

[rcsalmons]

I went the Pirtek route, supply pipe had a fitting directly on to the filter one end and the other a compression joint. The return pipe went directly to the top of the tank and a compression joint at the other end.
The pipe was high pressure fuel hose and also purchased some sleeving material similar to seat belt material to avoid any abrasion.

Total cost less than £100.

Its not realistic to put a swage/flange on the existing pipes while fitted to the car they are made of steel, not copper!

Rich

 

[Hilux]

Its not realistic to put a swage/flange on the existing pipes while fitted to the car they are made of steel, not copper!

Dunno, never done it however if the pipe is cut and can be moved away from the underside a bit it is entirely feasible with a brake line tool!

 

[bennyboy]

What's the story with fuel lines? Worth replacing if still original on a 20 year old car? Should they all be done at once? Dave, are yours the full kit?