Petrol Fountain

[alinton]

So a few weeks ago I took the Cerb for a spin, after it lying idle for a month or so. Weather etc.

I nearly always drive with the window open, and I thought I may have detected a slight petrol smell, but dismissed it.

Then last weekend I got the car out and removed the panel, to give my mechanic mate access to the starter motor, which I suspected was faulty.

Leaving the car idling for a few mins before setting off for his place, I came back and noticed a strong petrol smell, and looking in, there was a nice fountain of petrol towards the back of the engine, spraying up and descending onto the rear coil pack in a pretty, picturesque way.

After marvelling at its beauty for a few nanoseconds, of course I switched off and investigated.

The rubber fuel pipe had perished. This is the one that comes through the bulkhead, heads down the V (rubbing on the sharp edge of the AC pump), over the front and down to that strange thing thats held on by Terry clips.

(Whats that for anyway? pipes from it head towards the front of the car, join together then come back. Provision for a fuel cooler?)

So a word of warning guys, keep an eye on that. Its not good to have fuel playing on your coil packs.

A.

Edited by alinton on Wednesday 23 June 18:25

[jonbarrett]

I replaced mine last year after reading a similar story

[jammy_basturd]

Cars with A/C do indeed have an oil cooler just above the steering rack, that these pipes would go to.

More and more stories about petrol hoses failing nowadays! Sounds like you had quite a lucky escape.

[jammy_basturd]

Just to add, I'd double check the rest of your fuel lines, as they'll be the same age and just as likely to be perishing.

Incidentally, if anyone needs either the fuel filter to pump hose, or the fuel feed hose to engine, I've got both for sale, brand new (supplied in error from Racing Green).

[alinton]

jammy_basturd said:

Cars with A/C do indeed have an oil cooler just above the steering rack, that these pipes would go to.

More and more stories about petrol hoses failing nowadays! Sounds like you had quite a lucky escape.

Well its not an oil cooler, it SHOULD be a fuel cooler, but on mine the pipes are just connected together, there is no 'cooler'.

So the whole assembly is redundant, even though I do have A/c.

A.

Edited by alinton on Wednesday 23 June 22:08

[Alistair H.]

I had very similar last year when fuel pipe to fuel rail had perished and was spraying fuel everywhere. i replaced all fuel pipes straight away. Easy to see how TVR's can catch fire.

[morebeanz]

alinton said:

jammy_basturd said:

Cars with A/C do indeed have an oil cooler just above the steering rack, that these pipes would go to.

More and more stories about petrol hoses failing nowadays! Sounds like you had quite a lucky escape.

Well its not an oil cooler, it SHOULD be a fuel cooler, but on mine the pipes are just connected together, there is no 'cooler'.

So the whole assembly is redundant, even though I do have A/c.

A.

Edited by alinton on Wednesday 23 June 22:08

I believe the metal pipe held on by clips is the fuel cooler and the cooling is A/C related. As I recall the A/C feeds run through it too, and hence the fuel is cooled with the A/C on...

[DonnyMac]

jammy_basturd said:

Just to add, I'd double check the rest of your fuel lines, as they'll be the same age and just as likely to be perishing.

^^^What he said^^^

[Steve_T]

morebeanz said:

alinton said:

jammy_basturd said:

Cars with A/C do indeed have an oil cooler just above the steering rack, that these pipes would go to.

More and more stories about petrol hoses failing nowadays! Sounds like you had quite a lucky escape.

Well its not an oil cooler, it SHOULD be a fuel cooler, but on mine the pipes are just connected together, there is no 'cooler'.

So the whole assembly is redundant, even though I do have A/c.

A.

Edited by alinton on Wednesday 23 June 22:08

I believe the metal pipe held on by clips is the fuel cooler and the cooling is A/C related. As I recall the A/C feeds run through it too, and hence the fuel is cooled with the A/C on...