350i fuel hose (pressure regulator back to tank) leaking!!

[ISJ350i]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can give me some benefit of previous experience before I start on this (it's damn cold in the garage this morning). The fuel hose from the pressure regulator back to the tank has sprung a leak. There are two sections, a short bit from the regulator to a join (effected by jubilee clips on a short bit of metal pipe) then a longer piece that disappears through the transmission tunnel. It is the longer piece that has the leak near the join. So, the question is... How difficult is it to replace this hose? (from initial inspection I can't see how far back along the transmission tunnel it goes before the next join) Also, does this need to be high pressure hose (though it would probably be wise to use it anyway). Any advice very welcome..... Thanks. Ian

[Mr Tank]

Hi Ian

I would replace the lot, and by that I mean from the pump to the fuel rail and from pressure reg to the tank.
Because you have one leak now, more will soon follow. The cost of good fuel line is not that high so for safety reason's do it.

Andy

Edited by Mr Tank on Saturday 4th February 10:19

[ISJ350i]

Yes, quickly came to same conclusion myself. Have decided to attempt a temporary repair by using a longer short bit ( if that makes sense) and cut the longer piece to remove the leaking section, and rejoin ( I.e. Shift the join back past the offending leak) so I can get the car to somewhere with a car lift to examine all the underside hoses. Can also check out the pump and swirl pot etc. at the same time... In fact I my plan for this morning was to take it to a friendly garage for that exact reason, through force of habit I check under the bonnet before setting off on each journey and noticed the leak... There's a TVR moral in there somewhere.... By the way, do you happen to know where I can get the big hose that goes from the filler to the tank? Or is it standard hose I can get from anywhere? Thanks for your advice....

[mrzigazaga]

ISJ350i said:

do you happen to know where I can get the big hose that goes from the filler to the tank? Or is it standard hose I can get from anywhere? Thanks for your advice....

Hi Mate...If you are talking about the piece from the filler neck to the tank then i believe that is the 2"ID section...You have to be carefull when buying this..You dont want..Samco..Hose with wire in it..Or marine hose as all of these will leak..I do have a supplier that i found and they supply proper filler hose..Its not a standard size..I will dig out my receipts and edit this post shortly...Ziga

Right...Car Builders Solutions have it and although i say dont get any with wire in i mean where you can see the indentation inside the hose as i have used that before and it developed a leak a short time afterwards...This hose from CBS was fine and still is..The inner is smooth so you get a good connection, Its also wise to renew the 2" clips that hold it on...Its not cheap and i still have just under a metre of the other stuff with indented wire on the inside..Wasted..That cost me £42 per metre..Give them a call first to see if they have it in stock..They should have..Part Number:FFHO2..2" Stainless steel clips X 2..Part:H45SS
http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/category/Fuel_System/Fu...

Edited by mrzigazaga on Saturday 4th February 11:45

[ISJ350i]

Hi mrzigazaga, thanks for the info, that is a great help.... Much appreciated.

[combine]

Its easy to blame tvr engineering for this but , if it was a tin top/everyday/regularly serviced/inevitably more modern car the official dealer would replace lots of stuff as per service manual/software and present one with the appropriate bill/invoice ! 20 year old Tvr's don't tend to get that treatment thats why these things happen ! Am I right ?

[Wedg1e]

combine said:

Its easy to blame tvr engineering for this but , if it was a tin top/everyday/regularly serviced/inevitably more modern car the official dealer would replace lots of stuff as per service manual/software and present one with the appropriate bill/invoice ! 20 year old Tvr's don't tend to get that treatment thats why these things happen ! Am I right ?

On the other hand you could take your Connect van back to Ford under warranty because the passenger headrest has a snapped spring in it... and they decide to change the whole headrest, for the sake of a spring. How wasteful is that?

[mrzigazaga]

Well...As ive learnt..Taking on a near 30 year old car that sat in a garage for 11 years un-cared for is not far short of crazy...But..Its a TVR and that badge has had enough stigma surrounding it to last an eternity..On the plus side..It has out lasted any other car that has suffered the same treatment..Okay being fibre glass and having a plastic coated chassis has helped but finally someone who cares for it and will cherish it has come to its rescue..(ME)..And if it had been cared for all these years then perhaps it would of been a different story!!..My intention is to restore it while driving it which has proved it is possible and yes there are still issues with it but is there such a thing as trouble free motoring??..Even modern cars break you know..I have sorted quite a few things on my wedge myself and im not a mechanic by any standard but im willing to learn and get stuck in when i have to..I feel that once everything has been sorted and i maintain it to the best of my ability then it should serve me well..Regular driving and servicing is a must...I love my wedge and she loves me and i would NEVER give her up for a modern faceless insignificant same as the masses boring quiet un-loved pile of ste!!..Hopefully in another 30 years when im too old or senile..(Or both) to drive her delilah will still be showing off her sexy curves and even though she will be 60 years old she will still look as sexy as she did 59 years earlier......Ziga

Edited by mrzigazaga on Saturday 4th February 16:30

[combine]

Wedg1e said:

On the other hand you could take your Connect van back to Ford under warranty because the passenger headrest has a snapped spring in it... and they decide to change the whole headrest, for the sake of a spring. How wasteful is that?

That sounds fairly typical !

[Wedg1e]

mrzigazaga said:

And if it had been cared for all these years then perhaps it would of been a different story!!.

Aye, and perhaps the owner would have been asking a lot of money for it as a result! That's the tradeoff with old kit.

[mrzigazaga]

Wedg1e said:

Aye, and perhaps the owner would have been asking a lot of money for it as a result! That's the tradeoff with old kit.

Thats true!!..But it was still up for more than it was worth..Mind you i did get it for next to nothing...But the irony is when im finished it will cost more than its worth!!..But it will be worth it to me..Ziga