Fuel line replacement on RRC - hints please

Hi Lee,

Sorry I should have said - 88 EFi. steel pipes clipped to chassis, then rubber pipe between fixed pipework and tank/engine. I spoke to my normal spanner wielder who said just replace the steel with FI grade rubber at the breaks. Because of the location of the break(s) I'm replacing right from the tank forwards to a point roughly under the 'B' pillar

Where did you source the plastic stuff? And/or what do you ask for? My MOT is not due until December. Also the rubber hose is the same stuff used to link the steel to the engine and tank. I am going to put it in plastic conduit - which is all that is protecting it in the engine bay.

Cheers

Richard

I got mine at L & H Brakes and Hoses in Lichfield Street Hanley, Stoke on Trent. I don't know if they do mail order.

Always good for advice. Initially made the mistake of getting Rubber from someone who knew no better than me but was happy as usually to take my hard earned. You live and learn!

Lee D

I had to do the fuel lines on my car recently. I went to the local FWB (engineering/connectors/etc place -

and just bought plastic fuel pipe by the metre. They had a few different sizes including the 8mm that i needed. I did the whole lot of my pipe, and reused the old connectors. After warming the pipe and pushing the connectors in I also crimped them using some little round things that you clamp on (was told they were better than little jubilee clips).

If you are not doing all your pipe you can buy all sorts of joinery bits. The ones that screw together and have olives in are the easiest in my experience.

Thanks Lee and Tom,

I've just finished fitting the rubber fuel lines. The state of the steel lines as they passed over the axle was shocking - really only the rust was holding the fuel in. I'll review your suggested sources of polythene pipe when the weather gets warmer - it did start snowing halfway through the job. I think that the rubber hoses will do for now.

Does either of you know how the steel hose attaches to the rubber hoses in the engine compartment on the RR? There's a silvered heat resistant blanket wrapped round the hoses on my RR so I can't see the junction.

I used fuel pipe clips in place of Jubilee clips. Much better on small pipes as they are not cursed with the bulky worm drive mechanism.

Cheers

Richard

Don't let the 'you can't do this brigade' frighten you off 'rubber' hose for this application. It has many advantages.

Natural rubber is not a good idea but fuel resistant (usually nitrile) 'rubber' and viton-lined hose is readily available. Gates do a good range:

Here is one potential UK source - I have no experience of them. Several plastics are not petrol-resistant (particularly to un-leaded). Nylon is OK but not easy to terminate unless you shrink it onto a metal tube or join with a short push-on hose connection.

Having once replaced the same pipes that you're working on I appreciate what a pig of a job it is. At the front end I think it was just a push-on hose and 'Jubilee' clip.

If you use non fuel resitant hose only takes a day or two for it to fall apart on a range rover. A mate did his with what he was sold as fuel hose. We went to shift a landy on a trailer and had to stop about

5 times on the way home to bodge bits of pipe up. I dont go to that shop anymore!

I think that fuel pipes are a pig to do on most vehicles.

On or around Tue, 25 Jan 2005 09:06:41 +0000, Tom Woods enlightened us thusly:

copper 8mm microbore heating pipe would make neat rigid fuel pipes - make sure it's properly clipped on so it can't vibrate, though, or it could work-harden and crack. You can also, at the ends, use a pipe-flaring tool to make a bulge in it so that your rubber fuel hose fits nice and tight - did this on the transmission oil cooler I made for the 110, for where the flexi oil pipes join on.

Almost exactly what I did, except I used 1/4" copper brake pipe. I got it from Vehicle Wiring Products who do a range of copper pipe sizes other than standard 3/16" which is the only size that you normally find at your local bits shop. The1/4" stuff is a nice snug fit in standard 1/4" id reinforced nylon fuel hose - the sort you *do* find at Halfords et al. No piddling about trying to warm it to get the right bends either. You just glare menacingly at it and it adopts the correct shape.

Steve