Fuel pipe problems

[Tafford]

I started my 4.2 the other day for the first time for a month or so (needs MOTing but I've not had time) and the flexible fuel pressure pipe between the bulkhead and the fuel rail decided to give up the ghost and spray petrol everywhere - good thing it happened stationary on the drive and not on the road....

Anyway, I took it off and it was perished. New ones don't seem to be available, so I took it to the local Pirtek people and got them to make a new one up, which was not easy due to the strange connector to the steel pipe through the bulkhead. Fitted it, started up and the pipe blew almost immediately. Both ends are OK, it blew in the middle. The pipe is marked as having a burst pressure of about 1600psi. Can't believe that an 12v electric pump pushes out this much and anyway I presume the pressure regulator would limit the pressure to somewhat less than this, and if not wouldn't the fuse for the pump blow?

This leads me to think that either the pressure regulator is stuck or it was just a dodgy hose?

Does anyone know what pressure the system runs at? Also has anyone had a regulator stick? Any other ideas before I go back to Pirtek, get another hose and maybe blow that as well. I have visions of another similar hose seeming OK and then blowing while I'm driving cue lots of flames and no car!

[Dave 500]

Has to be a dodgy hose

[TT Tim]

Crap hose, take it back and give them grief, I'll wager that it wasn't cheap either!

There's not that much pressure there, even with my 300 lph pump!

Tim

[GreenV8S]

Possibly the hose was damaged by bending before/during fitting, but more likely it was simply faulty. I suggest you take it back and ask them to replace it. You should also be aware that the other fuel hoses on the car are probably a similar age and if this one has gone it would be sensible to change the whole lot.

[greenm]

Yea crap hose, although pressure is pretty good when mine went it was like a ghostly mist in the engine bay through a few very small pin holes luckily I had also just started it and smelt the petrol. Would not have been fun at full chat and hot engine? Re-did all my main lines from bulkhead through the cooler and to the fuel rack. With professional advice went for a i think its tephnol core with s/s flexible outer meant to cope with 160 C and wont wear like the rubber found mine had been very gently touching in a few spots and just rubbed through the rubber in a few erea's. Remember you dont have to start up to test just make sure ignition and pump are on and check all hoses for weeps or leaks.

[GreenV8S]

Perhaps you have solid fuel lines down the chassis, but they could be rubber hose - you will also have hose at the connections to the tank, pump and filter. These are all vulnerable to heat, vibration and age. (On mine, one of the worst ones was right out of sight over the diff, which had gone completely solid and literally snapped in my hands. It gets *very* hot in the tunnel.)

[DonnyMac]

GreenV8S said:

You should also be aware that the other fuel hoses on the car are probably a similar age and if this one has gone it would be sensible to change the whole lot.

Please take note!

I had an engine bay hose go and had them replaced – it didn’t cross my mind that all the fuel hoses were the same age and had another leak within 6 weeks elsewhere.

Rather than do it piecemeal, make sure all fuel hoses are replaced at the same time.

[Erich Stahler]

Make sure the hose they supply you is suitable for unleaded petrol, most of what they have in stock is for Hydraulic oil.

Regarding pump pressure, I assumed they run at around 100psi, would it be more than that?

[Tafford]

Thanks for all the suggestions - Pirtek remade the pipe with heavier duty pipe and all is now OK, so you were all right when suggesting it was the pipe that was at fault. They think they may have twisted / delaminated the other pipe when trying to push the bulkhead connector in. I'll look at the rest of the fuel pipes in due course - I'm intending to do a chassis off refurb soon so I'll sort them all then.