Fuel pipe issues again!!!!
Fuel pipe issues again!!!!
Author
Discussion

MIKEB

Original Poster:

2,869 posts

311 months

Wednesday 10th August 2005
quotequote all
Right,

This fuel pipe issue is really begining to pi$$ me off.

The pipe has begun to go hard again. The reason for this is that it is cheap pipe. It's unleaded injection 10 bar stuff but it was very cheap.

If I let the car stand in the sun all day the fuel seems to expands in the pipe and as the pipe has hardened the jubilee clips no longer do the job correctly and the pipe either leaks some fuel or blows off the inlet fuel regulator all together pi$$ing fuel all over thehot engine and exhuast!.

I intend to go buy some expensive high spec pipe and then get some good jubilee clips that do the job. (recommendations anybody?).

I was also gonna flare the fuel regulator inlet pipe on the engine and the return inlet pipe to the fuel tank, and the ends of the hardline tube that goes the length of the car, as at the moment they are just straight with no flare. This will give the jubilee clips something to do up against.

This will stop the blowing off nonsense and the improved pipe will stop the hardening issue.

Question
I have never tried flaring anything except my trousers - is this an easy job? And next question does anybody have a flaring kit that will do 8mm hardline pipe that I can lend??

MikeB



chassis 33

6,194 posts

311 months

Wednesday 10th August 2005
quotequote all
MIKEB said:
I intend to go buy some expensive high spec pipe and then get some good jubilee clips that do the job. (recommendations anybody?).


Norma and Jubilee are probably the best makes of "worm drive hose clamps"

Also MIKALOR stainless steel hose clamps are bloody good, but only go down to around 19mm, so ok for the fuel tanks but not sadly for your pipes.

Regards
Iain

dickymint

29,056 posts

287 months

Wednesday 10th August 2005
quotequote all
Try Dave at this place. Think you've spoken to him before. Not cheap but all racing spec.
www.motorsport-plumbing.co.uk/

adam quantrill

11,679 posts

271 months

Wednesday 10th August 2005
quotequote all

I used cunifer brake pipe (lorry spec - large dia) for the long runs. Then you only need a foot or so of good-quality flexible pipe to connect it up.

The hose clips that have the nuts and bolts and a circular internal metal sleeve are better than jubilee clips at clamping - especially under these pressures.

mikeb

Original Poster:

2,869 posts

311 months

Wednesday 10th August 2005
quotequote all
What do we think of the 1000psi burst stainless braided petrol hose from Demon Tweaks then? Anybody use this?

MikeB

jmorgan

36,010 posts

313 months

Wednesday 10th August 2005
quotequote all
Is there another problem here?

SEvans

1,191 posts

296 months

Wednesday 10th August 2005
quotequote all
mikeb said:
What do we think of the 1000psi burst stainless braided petrol hose from Demon Tweaks then? Anybody use this?

MikeB


Yep, but do you want to spend that much? If you only need a short piece then I may have some left over. I did the whole run from the fuel pump to the engine bay in this as it was going to cost nearly as much in joints to run the middle bit in copper/cunifer. The return I did in cheaper stuff as it's not under pressure. I also have a role of the cunifer stuff if you want it.

mikeb

Original Poster:

2,869 posts

311 months

Wednesday 10th August 2005
quotequote all
Twice now the I have been covered in fuel as has the engine and hot exhaust.

I just want some tidy stuff so I dont want to repeat the event.

Mike

shpub

8,507 posts

301 months

Thursday 11th August 2005
quotequote all
I use red stripe hydraulic piping. Benzene compatible and designed to very high pressures and environments. It is similar to the stuff you see hanging from JCBs. The 520 has Cu piping all the way down and up through the wheel arch and about a foot or so to hook it to the engine. I use a couple of clips just in case one fails.

adam quantrill

11,679 posts

271 months

Thursday 11th August 2005
quotequote all
>> it was going to cost nearly as much in joints to run the middle bit in copper/cunifer.

When I did it, I just bent the pipe into shape. Apart from the expense, joints would interfere with the flow.

MIKEB

Original Poster:

2,869 posts

311 months

Monday 15th August 2005
quotequote all
Are there any issues using 8mm copper tube for hardline all the way along the car - delivery and return with braided bits either end with proper goodrich race fittings off the regulator, fuel return rail etc.

MikeB

adam quantrill

11,679 posts

271 months

Monday 15th August 2005
quotequote all

Copper isn't as good as cunifer - it work hardens.

Having said that, the joints are going to be flexible pipe anyway so probably not so much of an issue.

I just thought - I have 20m of mirobore pipe stashed away somewhere, that would probably work just fine.

mikeb

Original Poster:

2,869 posts

311 months

Monday 15th August 2005
quotequote all
....so has my maintenance department in work ;-)

The trouble is that the guy who had the tank fabricated on the passenger side just had 20mm of aluminium tube sticking out of the side...pointing towards the inner side of the rear wheel.

When you jubilee clip a rubber pipe to it you have to put such a tight bend/knot! on the pipe to stop it rubbing on the inner tyre wall that it restricts the flow.

Couple this with cheapo fuel pipe and you get my issues of the pipe hardening and leaking everyplace. And the inlet pipe on the fuel rail blowing off as the jubilee clip isn't doing its job anymore as the cheapo fuel pipe has gone hard.

So I intend to replace all the pipe with 8mm copper up and down the car (the feed pipe and return pipe) and then have a 90 degree brass elbow back onto the tank with 8mm compresison joints either end - I got these out of the RS catalogue under the Hydraulic liquid transfer section.

This will hopefully get rid of the restriction as it is a nice diameter 90 degree bend and not a slipknot!

I am then gonna replace every single other bit of pipe on the feed and return with proper 1000psi burst braided petrol pipe and goodrich fittings off each of the hardlines and on the inlet rail and pressure regulator return and then jubilee clamp ends onto the pump and filter.

If it leaks after this then I will shoot the car!.

MikeB

gsx600

2,740 posts

277 months

Monday 15th August 2005
quotequote all
mikeb said:


If it leaks after this then I will shoot the car!.

MikeB

Sounds like it will be easier to set light to it if it still fails
Just roll the car foward 100 m and light the petrol trail