Fuel Pipe

[PAUL RUDDY]

I set about replacing all my steel fuel pipes and hoses with genuine parts, the steel supply and return pipes come in four parts with a connector half way along.

For a while now the front section of the feed pipe has been unavailable from Porsche, however the parts dept at Kendal Porsche have placed an order for this item every couple of weeks and have asked re availability on several occasions, on Monday I received an email that Porsche have remade this pipe.

I duly ordered one and will collect it at the weekend.

I think credit is due to the parts guys who keep asking on our behalf and to Porsche who continue to remake parts for us.

As a side note a quick estimate that to replace everything from the tank outlet/return to the fuel rail including filter, pump, pipe clamps, pipes, hoses, pressure regulators, pressure damper you are looking at about £1200+........gulp

Cheers, Paul

 

[vitesse]

And the possible factory cost for those parts-say£100 top whack !

 

[edh]

I'm having mine done at the moment - have ordered all the flexi hoses from Porsche, but my mechanic is planning to make up the hard lines from 8 & 10 mm cunifer & re-using the fittings

..of course mine isn't ever going to win any concourse points, and hasn't ever seen a toothbrush..[]

 

[bmnelsc]

I'm having mine done at the moment - have ordered all the flexi hoses from Porsche, but my mechanic is planning to make up the hard lines from 8 & 10 mm cunifer & re-using the fittings

..of course mine isn't ever going to win any concourse points, and hasn't ever seen a toothbrush..[]

I, for one, am happy to see there is a mechanic who knows how to use a pipe bender and is willing to do this work. Not sure if cunifer is the same as the original lines - I would think stainless steel would be preferable even tho it is much harder to bend and I wouldn't think would be significant extra cost.
As to cost - the Porsche "tax" shows up in varying degrees on our cars ranging from irksome to astonishing - look at the cost of the rubber "water distribution pipe" on the S2s. This granted complex piece of molded rubber is over US$500 on Pelican Parts web site. It is hard to believe that Porsche would engineer a part with such high cost to provide a relatively simple function yet has a comparatively short life. Just doesn't seem reasonable to spend the annual $1500 maintenance budget on a tune up and "water hoses".

 

[Frenchy]

Expensive, but I can vouch that Paul's resto jobs are always 100% with absolutely no compromise, whoever ends up with this car probably will never realise the effort and expense but into it.
His drive is originality rather than expense, I am sure he won't be offended to mention any panel work had to be spot welded as per original in the original locations, something people will never ever see.
Once finished he should be persuaded to to take it down to Silverstone Classic and put it with the dealer resto's if at all possible, maybe our local OPC could sponsor and claim as part of their resto as they won't do one ?

 

[Chrishazle]

Thankfully replacing the fuel pipes and filter on my 968 was nowhere near £1200 a couple of years ago, even though the 92MY pipes were NLA so we had to convert to 93+ MY lines and filter hanger. IIRC the cost of parts (from before the filter to into the engine bay above the OS wing) was about £240. Time required for the change was 4 1/2 hours using Waylander's method rather than the WSM method of dropping the entire rear axle.

 

[Frenchy]

Porsche Classic parts prices have gone silly, when they are waving the classic flag, it does not help people doing restorations on classis Porsche cars to fly their flag for them.
They should be reducing not inflating their prices........ Not Good from Porsche !

 

[vitesse]

Tell me about it!-just replacing the top windscreen trim clips on the grey 924S-I need 6 -had already bought 4 earlier in the year-IIRC around £6.46 each +VAT less discount for something that could be made for pennies.

 

[PAUL RUDDY]

I picked the fuel pipe up yesterday, Porsche have "improved" the original design, or so they think.

The extra rubber shroud over the hose in the engine bay is now a silver heat resistant material, I know it is probably better at the job but it looks cheap and tacky, the good news is that it's possible to slide it off and slide the old rubber part on after warming it up in hot water.

An added bonus is that the original rubber hose has the manufacturing date on, in my case 04/87 so it is also more in keeping with the originality of the car.

The rubber hose swaged to the steel pipe on the new part has also changed, the old one has a 951 part number on it, the new rubber has an Audi logo on, I can only assume that the new rubber will also be resistant to the new ethanol rich fuels.

Cheers, Paul

 

[MRGT]

Mine need replacing soon as they just managed to get through the MOT. Just the genuine Porsche fuel pipes have been quoted at £600 plus VAT and the labour is a further £950 +VAT, and this is with a highly respected Indy. Thats nearly £2000 not including any extra bits required [8|].

Howard

 

[edh]

Ouch! That's a lot of labour (or is it a very steep hourly rate?)
I will post up when i get my final bill.
btw, one of the fuel hoses at the rear is NLA - the return from the metal line to the tank. The other two, either side of the fuel filter, are still available.

 

[MRGT]

Indy reckons 2 days work on account of dropping the back axle. I don't have an issue with the labour its the parts that are ridiculous ! I am pretty sure they were an awful lot less a couple of years ago. Needless to say I will be seriously looking into alternatives []

Howard

 

[Chrishazle]

I wonder if the WSM method for the 944 is like the WSM method for the 968, and therefore open to Waylander's method that does not require dropping the rear axle. He did the fuel lines on my 968 by using BF&BI to lower one side only of the rear axle, thus reducing the WSM time estimate from 8-10 hours to just 4 1/2 hours on my driveway, not on a lift!!

 

[MRGT]

Been in contact with Jon Mitchall, he believes he has a solution which comes in significantly lower in cost. Will probably be looking at getting them done in the New Year so will let you all know what the outcome is

Regards

 

[TTM]

Once the car is up on a lift, dropping the rear axle should require no more than 1 hour, assuming the off side longitudinal bolt does not need cutting due to rusting in the sill.