New Fuel Line?

I'm replacing things like brake and fuel system components on a 72 standard
that isn't in too bad of shape, but has been sitting in a barn for 25 years.
I just want nice new critical parts.

I can't find anyone selling the fuel line that goes from the front of the
car, back through the tunnel toward the engine.

Anyone know of any vendors for such a thing? I suppose I could just use
brake line....

Lee wrote:
> I'm replacing things like brake and fuel system components on a 72 standard
> that isn't in too bad of shape, but has been sitting in a barn for 25 years.
> I just want nice new critical parts.
>
> I can't find anyone selling the fuel line that goes from the front of the
> car, back through the tunnel toward the engine.
>
> Anyone know of any vendors for such a thing? I suppose I could just use
> brake line....

I am not positive on this, but isn't that line welded (or at least
fastened) to the inside of the tunnel?

Remco

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 13:33:23 +0000, Lee wrote:

> I'm replacing things like brake and fuel system components on a 72 standard
> that isn't in too bad of shape, but has been sitting in a barn for 25 years.
> I just want nice new critical parts.
>
> I can't find anyone selling the fuel line that goes from the front of the
> car, back through the tunnel toward the engine.
>
> Anyone know of any vendors for such a thing? I suppose I could just use
> brake line....

I had the same issue.

I cut the old line in several places and wiggled and pulled until I had
it all out.

I then bought some 6.5mm ID plastic petrol pipe.

Its a thick wall pipe and with a bit of effort I routed it throgh the hole
in the rear fork, throught the tunnel and out the hole in the frame head.

I made sure it wasn't fouling anything, and cable tied it in place where I
could reach.

I bought 4 metres of pipe but thats at least one too many.

Would be interested to hear expert comment on this.

Tony

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 13:33:23 GMT "Lee" > wrote:

>I can't find anyone selling the fuel line that goes from the front of the
>car, back through the tunnel toward the engine.

No one carries it because it almost never goes bad. Is there a reason
that you want to replace yours? Did the gas tank sit full of water for
25 years until that pipe rusted thru?

>I suppose I could just use
>brake line....

Yes

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

Thanks for the input.

I don't have it torn down enough to see if it's attached inside the tunnel.

The tank sat about half full of gas, but I don't have reason to think the
line is rusted thru. If it isn't susceptible to go bad, then I may as well
put it back together and wait for it to go bad rather than go thru a bunch
of hassle.

Or, since I have the interior all out, I could just run a new steel line
alongside the new brake line I'm putting in; that too, is being replaced
just because it seems like for a few bucks and a couple of hours, I can have
all new (and clean) parts in the system.


"Jim Adney" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 13:33:23 GMT "Lee" > wrote:
>
> >I can't find anyone selling the fuel line that goes from the front of the
> >car, back through the tunnel toward the engine.
>
> No one carries it because it almost never goes bad. Is there a reason
> that you want to replace yours? Did the gas tank sit full of water for
> 25 years until that pipe rusted thru?
>
> >I suppose I could just use
> >brake line....
>
> Yes
>
> -
> -----------------------------------------------
> Jim Adney
> Madison, WI 53711 USA
> -----------------------------------------------

6mm steel line is available from Wolfsburg West, although the last time I
needed some it wasn't listed in the online catalog. They did have it,
though. The line passes through several brackets inside the tunnel, which
means that 1/4" won't work if you plan on putting it back where it belongs.

The parts of the line that are most vulnerable to rust are near the ends,
where they run though the rubber grommets at each end of the tunnel.
Moisture gets trapped under the rubber. If you're doing a body-off
restoration, and there is any doubt in your mind as to the integrity of the
line, it is much easier to get at now rather than later. If you do replace
the line, it is a good idea to paint the ends to slow down future rust.

Al Adams

Bob Hoover makes reference in his writings to a friend using stainless
steel. I tried to find 6mm stainless when I replaced the line in my '68
without success. I've heard copper mentioned as a poor choice, I think due
to metal fatigue/breakage issues.

Al Adams

"Michael Cecil" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 20:47:53 -0400, "Al Adams" >
> wrote:
>
>>6mm steel line is available from Wolfsburg West, although the last time I
>>needed some it wasn't listed in the online catalog. They did have it,
>>though. The line passes through several brackets inside the tunnel, which
>>means that 1/4" won't work if you plan on putting it back where it
>>belongs.
>>
>>The parts of the line that are most vulnerable to rust are near the ends,
>>where they run though the rubber grommets at each end of the tunnel.
>>Moisture gets trapped under the rubber. If you're doing a body-off
>>restoration, and there is any doubt in your mind as to the integrity of
>>the
>>line, it is much easier to get at now rather than later. If you do replace
>>the line, it is a good idea to paint the ends to slow down future rust.
>>
>>Al Adams
>
> Is there a reason not to use some kind of line that will not rust? The
> fuel line isn't under pressure after all, well not much. I'd just make
> sure to use some kind of stress reliefs where the line passes places that
> could cause wear and tear regardless of what I used to replace it.
> --
> Michael Cecil
> http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/
> http://home.comcast.net/~safehex/

"Al Adams" > wrote in message
...
>
> I've heard copper mentioned as a poor choice, I think due
> to metal fatigue/breakage issues.
>
>

............That's precisely why no automobile manufacturer uses copper fuel
line.

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 23:13:36 GMT "Lee" > wrote:

>The tank sat about half full of gas, but I don't have reason to think the
>line is rusted thru. If it isn't susceptible to go bad, then I may as well
>put it back together and wait for it to go bad rather than go thru a bunch
>of hassle.

I'd leave it alone. You're likely to never have any problem with it.

>Or, since I have the interior all out, I could just run a new steel line
>alongside the new brake line I'm putting in; that too, is being replaced
>just because it seems like for a few bucks and a couple of hours, I can have
>all new (and clean) parts in the system.

The long center brake lines often rust out, mainly because it runs
just under where your wet muddy right foot goes. That's a good thing
to replace.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

As someone who thought that leaving the original line alone (when doing a
body-off restoration) was a good idea, I'm here to tell you that having to
do it later, after things were back together, was a major PIA. As I
mentioned in a previous post, the metal corrodes under the rubber grommets,
and snapped when I accidentally bumped the end where it exits the tunnel.

If you're considering running a new line through the passenger compartment,
rather than through the tunnel, one of the Bentley manuals (can't remember
which one) lists a preceedure for running the line on the passenger side of
the tunnel rather than the driver side.

Al Adams

"Jim Adney" > wrote in message
news
> On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 23:13:36 GMT "Lee" > wrote:
>
>>The tank sat about half full of gas, but I don't have reason to think the
>>line is rusted thru. If it isn't susceptible to go bad, then I may as
>>well
>>put it back together and wait for it to go bad rather than go thru a bunch
>>of hassle.
>
> I'd leave it alone. You're likely to never have any problem with it.
>
>>Or, since I have the interior all out, I could just run a new steel line
>>alongside the new brake line I'm putting in; that too, is being replaced
>>just because it seems like for a few bucks and a couple of hours, I can
>>have
>>all new (and clean) parts in the system.
>
> The long center brake lines often rust out, mainly because it runs
> just under where your wet muddy right foot goes. That's a good thing
> to replace.
>
> -
> -----------------------------------------------
> Jim Adney
> Madison, WI 53711 USA
> -----------------------------------------------