Leaking fuel pipe

[TwinKam]

DuncanM said:

gruffalo said:

Really not sure about using braided hose for the fuel lines.

Firstly the fuel pressure is not that high to need braided hose. Secondly you can no longer see the condition of the hose so the first thing you will know of a degrading hose is a leak and potential fire. They look good but are they the way to go?

Agree with this, much better to be able to physically inspect the hoses, and replace when necessary.

Most of you are perfectly happy to use these braided PTFE hoses for brake lines, and cite their universal use in racing as proof of their superiority. Truth is that they are asked to flex much more and go far longer between inspections on a road car than on a race car; proprietary (ready made) lines (used to) carry a warning about this; they're not really ideal on a road car.
Fuel lines on the other hand are not required to constantly flex and twist; they are virtually static in use. Braided PTFE hoses are mechanically far stronger due to the fitting-to-fitting stainless braid, impervious to ethanol and other nasty fuel additives, and completely non-perishing. I consider them to be far superior to any 'rubber' hose in this application as they're many times less likely to deteriorate as a fuel hose than they would as a brake hose.
Braided brakes pipes are actually a right pain, as you can't clamp them off!

[DuncanM]

Braided brake hoses are for improved pedal feel mainly?

I'm not sure how often brake hoses fail, and haven't read about any such failures on TVRs, wish I could say the same about fuel lines.

I like to be able to see the rubber personally .

[TwinKam]

You don't worry about the copper pipe sections of the fuel pipe that you can't see... because you know it won't perish.
You only worry about the rubber hose sections because you know it has a history of perishing.
Now imagine a car without any rubber hose sections to perish as they're all PTFE, which does not perish...
There are instances of the stainless braid on brake hoses fatigue fracturing due to prolonged and sustained flexing.

[DuncanM]

It sounds like you know a lot more than I do on the matter, I'll look into ptfe next time - have only recently changed mine .