Worryingly insecure fuel pipe

[ashaughnessy]

After taking my engine and gearbox out, I've had a good look in the transmission tunnel. I was a bit surprised to notice that the fuel pipe is a) made of plastic and b) not too tightly tied up as it winds its way down the tunnel. I intend to attach it a bit more securely with some p-clips but the thought that it has been flapping around so close to the propshaft is a bit scary. Is it like this on other people's cars?

I don't think it is attached to anything down the whole length of the tunnel except for where it goes through a couple of grommets about a third and two thirds along.

 

Anthony

[Old Septimus]

Some years ago I found myself sitting in a pool of petrol as the prop shaft had chewed throgh the unsupported plastic pipe and as my tunnel is completely enclosed the petrol had run through the rivet holes and into the cockpit! I replaced the pipe with some copper pipe properly located. If you use copper, you need to put a large diameter 360 degree loop into it before it goes into (in my case) the fuel pump on the block to absorb movement vibration etc.

[stevefoster]

The plastic pipe was standard fit for many years. Works well but as with any pipe need securing properly.

My 1997 car had the duff batch of rubber hose that Caterham got hold off and in just under 3 years it was cracking. Some new good quality hose fixed it for a long while...

 

Steve

My racing pics hereid=red>

Hants (North) and Berkshire area club site

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[Peter Carmichael]

Just stripped my fuel tank of a load of perished rubber hose. The plastic fuel pipe on injected cars is the return pipe and is not under any serious pressure although chaffing is obviously a bad thing.

 

Peterid=teal>

253 BHP K-seriesteeth.gif, no gearboxbum.gifid=red>

[Julian Thompson]

Glad someone else has noticed this lot! I nearly had heart failure at the wiring loom and fuel pipes under the tunnel!

 

I spent a full afternoon re-doing it all with nice cabletie bases, p clips and impreg. tape. (Of course it is easier on my non-oily new car with no engine/box too!)

 

you can see the results at:

 

http://www.btinternet.com/~v11ufo/SLR.htm

 

scroll down to the wiring loom bit.

 

 

[Bricol]

And if your cable tie bases were self-adhesive, in a few months with the heat and oil mist down the tunnel, they will all have fallen off . . . .

 

Bri

 

(an optimist really . .)

[Graham Sewell]

I hadn't spotted the problem until an MOT tester pointed out that my fuel pipe had been scraping against the prop and showed me the evidence. A couple of P-clips later and all was well - so why isn't the car spec'd properly in the first place?

 

Low tech luddite - xflow and proud!

[Julian Thompson]

Bri - yup!

 

They are riveted!!!!

 

 

[Paul McKenzie]

I thought it was just me!!

 

My '96 car also had that duff hose. Luckily I noticed it perishing on the section connecting the carbs, which alerted me to take a look at the rest of it in the transmission tunnel - replaced the whole lot two years ago.

Paul