Fuel leaking - again - check those lines!
Discussion
(click to see it properly)
Thats 2 sets of fuel lines leaking in 10 years or so, this can't be right! Not going for braided next, need to find a fuel line that's up to the task.
Lucky for me I had the bonnet off & was re-wiring the fans and was turning on the ignition without starting the engine. I could hear it hissing out and dripping, I assumed it was running rich when parking it up last and had ordered new spark plugs.
Was the fuel actually leaking through the braid or at the joint?
From your pic it looks as though the leak occurred where the braided line joins the steel U piece behind the block.
Why TVR retained that steel U piece is a mystery as it saves two joints if the braided (or plain nitrile) hose connects straight onto the engines fuel rail.
From your pic it looks as though the leak occurred where the braided line joins the steel U piece behind the block.
Why TVR retained that steel U piece is a mystery as it saves two joints if the braided (or plain nitrile) hose connects straight onto the engines fuel rail.
I replaced my fuel hoses last year with R9 spec material. Then got a nasty surprise finding another leaking hose - a short length that joins two metal sections above the gearbox. It is where the fuel run crosses over fro the near side to offside of the chassis and impossible to visually inspect and only sign is when petrol is dripping off the bottom of the bell housing. Replacement is a pain and involves hugging the bell housing from underneath and feeling around for the hose clips.
Anyone who has done a body off might have a pic.
Anyone who has done a body off might have a pic.
Plan B said:
I replaced my fuel hoses last year with R9 spec material. Then got a nasty surprise finding another leaking hose - a short length that joins two metal sections above the gearbox. It is where the fuel run crosses over fro the near side to offside of the chassis and impossible to visually inspect and only sign is when petrol is dripping off the bottom of the bell housing. Replacement is a pain and involves hugging the bell housing from underneath and feeling around for the hose clips.
Anyone who has done a body off might have a pic.
There you go, fuel pipe routing pictures as requested, Anyone who has done a body off might have a pic.
The copper to rubber joint may just be relocated on refitting, in situ really would not be my idea of fun
Mr Jenks said:
Plan B said:
I replaced my fuel hoses last year with R9 spec material. Then got a nasty surprise finding another leaking hose - a short length that joins two metal sections above the gearbox. It is where the fuel run crosses over fro the near side to offside of the chassis and impossible to visually inspect and only sign is when petrol is dripping off the bottom of the bell housing. Replacement is a pain and involves hugging the bell housing from underneath and feeling around for the hose clips.
Anyone who has done a body off might have a pic.
There you go, fuel pipe routing pictures as requested, Anyone who has done a body off might have a pic.
The copper to rubber joint may just be relocated on refitting, in situ really would not be my idea of fun
I've just replaced the fuel pump, filter and adjoining lines, which, even with the rear suspension off, was fun, fun, fun !
From the above pictures, please educate me, copper line from N/S wheelarch, to over the gearbox, where it is held by a 'U' pipe ?
Why is the hose to the rail joining there ? Why is it not visible from the engine bay ? (at best the bonnet to take off)
Frank
I suffered from frequent fuel leaks where the rubber hoses joined the copper pipes even after fitting two fuel clips at each joint.
Decided to rip the whole lot out and start again with Cohline braided hose (as used on Mercedes). OK I need to check for leaks as the braiding covers the inner hose but being a decent product I should be OK for a while.
Details:
http://www.bertram-hill.com/tvr-griffith.html
Decided to rip the whole lot out and start again with Cohline braided hose (as used on Mercedes). OK I need to check for leaks as the braiding covers the inner hose but being a decent product I should be OK for a while.
Details:
http://www.bertram-hill.com/tvr-griffith.html
Plan B said:
I Agree it's not great is it
No its not ! Fl*pping dangerous it is, I'm so uneasy about it, I bought 2 x 2 kg fire extinguishers (in the perhaps vain hope I can do something about it, when the worst happens)The joint under the 'fire-wall' (pun intended) of the OP is a particular worry......
(@loubaruch); txs for the suggestions !)
Just to check - is it possible to replace from engine to filter with the body on? The copper seems to disappear above the frame and below the body near the rear suspension mount.
I share the frustration shown with the r9 posting above, this braided line was from a respected supplier often posted on here, and it's the second failure, the other line was swapped out a couple of years ago for a unbraided one because of this. To the posting above it looks like its in the line above the join, I'll peel the braid back and have a peak when I remove it to confirm.
I share the frustration shown with the r9 posting above, this braided line was from a respected supplier often posted on here, and it's the second failure, the other line was swapped out a couple of years ago for a unbraided one because of this. To the posting above it looks like its in the line above the join, I'll peel the braid back and have a peak when I remove it to confirm.
gavgavgav said:
is it possible to replace from engine to filter with the body on? The copper seems to disappear above the frame and below the body near the rear suspension mount.
It would appear so, line from the filter join runs outside of the lower chassis rail, bends in at / and over the gearbox, the snag would be the u-bolt on the g/b itself, I guess ? anybody, please advise ...Yes you can replace from filter to engine in one complete line, one problem you may experience if you have a 500 with the carbon cannister up front is that the feed to the cannister and the main fuel feed from the filter both have to pass between the chasis and the body and there is not much room. Maybe why TVR used copper tube in places. I got around the problem by running a single line from filter to engine (high pressure) but changed the carbon cannister feed(low pressure only vapour) to copper in this area explained here:
http://www.bertram-hill.com/replacing-the-fuel-lin...
My leaks always occured at copper/rubber joints and usually after the winters lay up. Last year with all new lines was the first time I enjoyed a year of fume free driving.
http://www.bertram-hill.com/replacing-the-fuel-lin...
My leaks always occured at copper/rubber joints and usually after the winters lay up. Last year with all new lines was the first time I enjoyed a year of fume free driving.
Renewed my fuel lines in Copper Nickel and routed them as per original TVR installation. The only difference being the engine end flexible termination points which I repositioned to improve access from underneath. The pressure line (left hand pipe) now comes across the top transverse chassis tube and is clipped to it. The picture shows jubilee clips but these were changed for the correct petrol pipe clamps before the body went back on.
gavgavgav said:
Great relies to this post I must say. Where are you guys sourcing quality fuel lines from? I feel It always seems a gamble off ebay unless you know the supplier is OK.
I found: http://www.bgcmotorsport.co.uk/Very helpful, they stock many types of fuel lines and sourced from stock the difficult one from the tank to the pump where the diameters are quite different.
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