R9 Fuel pipes leaking now

[Luckyone]

I hadn’t driven the Cerb for a good few months so gave it a quick check over before the MOT & found a big puddle of petrol under it, after checking the pump was running ok, luckily I hadn’t tried to start it.

I have had so many problems with leaking pipes (last time a rodent had eaten through the return pipe!) so I wasn’t too surprised to find a leak.

It had dried up by the time I’d moved it & got the wheel off but the pump pipes didn’t look good


This was after running the pump for 1 second


Worst thing is its the R9 pipe I put on about 4 years ago




Marked 2015 07


Luckily the Gates stuff recommended on here a couple of years ago (& in Sprint recently) is still looking good in the engine bay, it was 2017 I put that in


I still had the rest of the roll


The new fittings I put on last time are still perfect so the Gates when on very easily.


I did put some of these pictures on the Facebook page but I don’t like the layout of that so will be sticking to PistonHeads even though I really hate my stupid username.
Mind you maybe it’s not so stupid as I still have a Cerb given this is the 4th or 5th time I have found big puddles of petrol under it!

[jeremyc]

Luckyone said:

... so will be sticking to PistonHeads even though I really hate my stupid username.

You can change your username if you wish ...

[Luckyone]

jeremyc said:

ou can change your username if you wish ...

Yeah I know but I’ve been about on here long enough to remember SXS changing his name & guess quite a few other have too so they may not know who I am if I changed it...

[Robscim]

Thankfully you spotted it before you had a disaster!

I seem to remember there was a bad batch of fuel lines a while ago - one of the specialists was replacing the lines they'd fitted. Not sure if this is applicable but maybe worth a google?

I need to get mine changed as the main fuel line sprang a leak just above the engine on the way to Le Mans this year - I feel I dodged a bullet there!! I replaced it on the way but need to get Andy to check/change them all at service time.

And its a useful reminder to us all to get the fuel lines checked - we don't want to lose any more Cerberas!

Cheers

Rob

[Luckyone]

Robscim said:

I seem to remember there was a bad batch of fuel lines a while ago - one of the specialists was replacing the lines they'd fitted.

I put the picture with date stamp on if it’s helpful to anyone. The R9 should be ok. But I got the Gates last time just to be safe. Someone on here recommend some good new heat shielding for the engine bay pipes, thats still looking good on mine, don’t think you can see it on the engine picture though.

[Jhonno]

Running Gates on mine too.

R9 just doesn't seem to last either now.

[Plan B]

My “R9” hoses rotted through as well. I too was lucky to have spotted it before disaster. I’ll never buy R9 hoses again from Unknown’s on eBay. Gates is a good choice.

[Rufus Roughcut]

Jhonno said:

Rufus Roughcut said:

Can't believe this is only 3 years old Interestingly the section of pipe that passes over the exhaust pipe (Wrapped in heat shield) showed no signs of cracking




We'll see how long this stuff lasts...

I had similar with an R9 hose.. Leaking after 2..

The Cohline pipes have stood the test of time, still flexible and zero signs of cracking.

I believe Gates or Cohline is the way forward, fitting anything else is too risky.

[ukkid35]

Thanks for reminding me about the fuel filter and associated hoses, much appreciated

Luckyone said:

Someone on here recommend some good new heat shielding for the engine bay pipes,

ukkid35 said:

I recommend changing that nasty heatshield while you are at it

"16mm Fire Sleeve Braid Flame Heat Reflective Shield" or "HILFLEX-HRS-16.0"



I'm about to use some on the gearbox reverse switch wiring, as it all melted when it was on the rollers in Chesterfield

[Byker28i]

Cohline Type 2240 rubber fuel hose, ethanol proof
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/ethanol-proof-fuel-h...

Expensive at £20 a metre but cheaper than having the car on fire…

[Robscim]

I like the idea of heat shielding to protect the fuel lines, but that will stop you seeing the condition they are in!!

Better fuel-line management for me!!

It's a bit of a dilemma - my solution is to get them changed regularly from now on!

Rob

[Luckyone]

ukkid35 said:

Thanks for reminding me about the fuel filter and associated hoses, much appreciated

Luckyone said:

Someone on here recommend some good new heat shielding for the engine bay pipes,

ukkid35 said:

I recommend changing that nasty heatshield while you are at it

"16mm Fire Sleeve Braid Flame Heat Reflective Shield" or "HILFLEX-HRS-16.0"



I'm about to use some on the gearbox reverse switch wiring, as it all melted when it was on the rollers in Chesterfield

Yes that’s the stuff I got, think it was you who recommended it? Seems very good.

I’d forgotten I hadn’t changed the bits at the pump to gates pipe. I remember now thinking it was the the R9 so should be ok!

[Kitchski]

Robscim said:

Thankfully you spotted it before you had a disaster!

I seem to remember there was a bad batch of fuel lines a while ago - one of the specialists was replacing the lines they'd fitted. Not sure if this is applicable but maybe worth a google?

That was us (Southways). Doesn't matter where you get the SAE J30R9 stuff from - I've seen it for sale in Halfords; GSF; Euro Car Parts....even TVR Parts were still selling the stuff as recently as a year ago (only known because one of our customers bought some from them, but luckily I managed to stop them fitting it)
We were getting it from a reputable hose supplier, too. A lot of people have been duped, sadly, and cars have been lost.

[Robscim]

Kitchski said:

That was us (Southways). Doesn't matter where you get the SAE J30R9 stuff from - I've seen it for sale in Halfords; GSF; Euro Car Parts....even TVR Parts were still selling the stuff as recently as a year ago (only known because one of our customers bought some from them, but luckily I managed to stop them fitting it)
We were getting it from a reputable hose supplier, too. A lot of people have been duped, sadly, and cars have been lost.

Hats off to you guys for doing the decent thing though - sadly not all (now long gone!!) TVR "experts" were that honourable!

Hopefully the new hose will stand the test of time better - I now have some new, shiny fuel hose!!!

And just another reminder to everyone to check their fuel lines - I thought mine were fine and still got caught out.

Still, the Cerbera has just been to Le Mans and back last weekend - another great run in a fabulous car!! Any excuse!!!

Cheers

Rob

[Byker28i]

was there something on?

[Robscim]

Byker28i said:

was there something on?

Sadly not!!! Having not had anyone down to the house we have (between LM and Tours) since last October, we were dispatched as chief grass cutters and house cleaners for the long weekend!!! Note to self: If you park outside the gate in the long grass, expect smoke to start appearing around the car!!!

However, we did have a good run down, noted how quiet the whole area was, how many bars were still closed, and appreciated the weather for being excellent! Even the air con performed well!

But having done 22 consecutive Le Mans meetings, it seemed very strange!

Roll on September - I imagine we shall go down, even if we skip the race part!!!

Rob

[Jhonno]

Majority of my lines are now PTFE.

[Luckyone]

Kitchski said:

That was us (Southways). Doesn't matter where you get the SAE J30R9 stuff from - I've seen it for sale in Halfords; GSF; Euro Car Parts....even TVR Parts were still selling the stuff as recently as a year ago (only known because one of our customers bought some from them, but luckily I managed to stop them fitting it)
We were getting it from a reputable hose supplier, too. A lot of people have been duped, sadly, and cars have been lost.

Good if not sad to know, thanks for updating my old thread.

Funny timing I was just about to update it myself, I don’t really like the stupid username I came up with many years ago but figured it’s at least memorable so it wasn’t worth changing.
Think it’s probably quite apt too seeing as we actually still have a Cerb, I came out to the garage to find yet another puddle of petrol under it, must be the 4th if not 5th time!

It’s the big thick pipe from the tank to the pump this time. It’s the only bit I haven’t replaced since completing the body off rebuild 5 or so years ago now. I was looking at it when replacing the pipes from the start of this thread hoping I wouldn’t have to go taking the tank out to replace it!

In some ways this is at least the safest leak as you smell it entering the garage, but at the same time it could have dumped the whole tank onto the floor if I hadn’t found it. The high pressure lines are much more dangerous really as you can easily get in & drive off not smelling anything, I was lucky with those I was just moving it between different storage areas at home & could smell the petrol after getting out.

The big feed pipe is different, much larger diameter, so wasn’t one of the R9 pipes. Its a DIN marked pipe & I think it was actually a rodent attack rather than bad pipe:



That looks like teethmarks between the two 7s on the pipe.

I guess whatever the TVR parts people sell will be ok to replace it?

It’s the second time a petrol puddle had been caused by a rodent, it was the return pipe in much the same place (where it hangs down a bit on the other side before going back into the body) last time. I didn’t mind that so much as it was the old R9 pipe so it needed changing anyway. This is much more annoying!

The kids have finally got their way & got a couple of kittens, they will be coming out to the garage with me as soon as they’re old enough to leave the house!