Pretty serious fuel leak - HELP!

[glasgow]

Related issue on the same topic.... How best to preserve the fuel hoses and gasket? Silicone lubricant may be good on the pump gasket seal - but is this ok for the hoses or it would attract grit and salt? Any other suggestions please?

 

Ahmed

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

The attack is from the fuel ... so nothing you can do. Check annually and perhaps replace every five years.

[Big Bad Baz]

Quoting Stationary M25 Traveller: 

The attack is from the fuel ... so nothing you can do. Check annually and perhaps replace every five years.

 

That which doesn't kill us only makes us stronger.

 

That which fuels us only rots our fuel hoses...

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Are you now dry underneath again 😳 ?

[Big Bad Baz]

Quoting Stationary M25 Traveller: 

Are you now dry underneath again 😳 ?

 

Not yet. Getting a taxi to work in a bit with my jack, axle stands and various tools.

[ECR]

Did you see this ?

Lifted from Pistonheads I think. Acknowledgements to the original author etc ....

 

Fuel Hose

 

Results of research

 

* Petrol has changed significantly over past few years - it now contains more alcohol-based substances, which are very corrosive to normal rubber.

* Hoses in the USA are marked with an SAE code, e.g. SAE J30R9, according to its ability to resist modern fuels. As much of the hose bought in the UK is made (or sold) in the USA then these markings may appear here.

* There are 4 significant groups of SAE codes:

Unmarked hose - will probably be for the original petrol formula, without modern additives (but see later comments).

30R6 - This is the standard for the petrol formula of 5 - 10 years ago, for fuel injection. The bore may or may not be lined with Nitrile.

30R7 - This is the standard for the petrol formula of 2 or 3 years ago, for fuel injection. The bore is lined with Nitrile.

30R9 / 30R10 - This is the current standard. The bore is lined with Fluoroelastomer/Nitrile. 30R9 has Fluoroelastomer/Nitrile on the inside, while 30R10 has it inside and out, which allows it to be used immersed in petrol (e.g. in a fuel tank).

* There is also a marine grade for use in boats - ISO 7480 A1 - that is roughly equivalent to 30R7-and-a-bit, with added fire resistance.

* One of the causes of fuel pipe failure described in the USA literature is stale modern fuel, not so much the fuel itself. These fuels become extra-corrosive when they get old.

* The USA seem to use a higher percentage of alcohol in their regular fuel - but we're not far behind in Europe.

 

What got me angry...

 

* Gates in the USA only make and sell fuel pipe of grade 30R9 or better (they even have brand-new super-grades). Gates in the UK distribute unmarked hose to motor factors that, if you are lucky, is only 30R6. Why don't we get the same? Are they dumping their surplus stock on the UK?

* The Gates sales rep for the UK and Europe didn't know that the USA grades were far higher than his offerings - he didn't even know the trade names for the USA products (shown in every USA Gates catalogue).

* 30R9 is freely available on the USA ebay, at sensible prices, made by big-name manufacturers such as Gates and Goodyear. It is never (or maybe rarely) available on the UK ebay. Only the excessive postage stopped me from buying it there.

* One on-line supplier (Think Auto) advertised that their hose is 30R9, but when it turned up it was unmarked. I recognised that it was stuff that I'd used previously and told them so. To their credit they apologised, refunded my money AND paid for the return postage.

* There is a general ignorance about this whole issue - when I asked for a specific grade of hose many suppliers didn't comprehend, while others were almost abusive ("Our stuff is good enough...!).

* The one who did supply the correct hose, Hose World, advertised it as 30R10 on their website, the bloke on the phone didn't think it was any special grade when I asked, and when it turned up it was 30R9, which is what I was after in the first place!

* If you search on any USA car forum about fuel pipe you will see that most people are fully aware of this issue, and the need to use modern hose. There seems to be a general ignorance in the UK.

 

Last thoughts and recommendations

 

It was almost certainly stale fuel that rotted my fuel pipe(s).

 

1. Don't buy general-purpose hose from a motor factor, unless it has at least 30R9 printed on it. Even stuff off the Gates stand isn't good enough.

2. If you are getting it via the internet or mail order, don't be fobbed off by excuses. Only the proper stuff is safe for long-term use.

3. If you are going to leave your car unused for a month or so, consider draining the petrol, especially if you are unsure of your fuel pipe grade.

4. If you really can't get 30R9, consider getting ISO 7480 - this is easily available from marine suppliers in the UK (but see point 3). All proper fuel pipe in this grade has to be marked, to meet regulations.

 

 

[johnv]

he's not allowed to read that 😬

[Big Bad Baz]

Done, sorted, fixed, job jobbed.

 

A bit of a pig of a job, mainly because I kept dropping that all-important washer (had to take off the rear wheel to find it at one point).

 

I'm not sure of the rating of the new hose, but it's going to last a damn sight longer than the old one:

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/Sciroccology/Converted%20RAW/DSC_6429_1249_zps6d4f8e4c.jpg

[Barry]

Going to Stoneleigh then, Baz?

[Big Bad Baz]

What's that then?

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Ooh ... that's not pretty !

 

Stoneleigh is almost local for you ... National Agricultural Showground at Stoneleigh.

 

Huge kit car show this Sat, Sun and Mon.

 

I'll be there Sunday.

[Big Bad Baz]

Ah, right. A woman has told me I'm busy tomorrow and, sadly, I'm in work on Monday.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Are you a man or a mouse ? 😬

[Big Bad Baz]

Quoting Stationary M25 Traveller: 

Are you a man or a mouse ? 😬

 

Squeak squeak.