Jon Crofts Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I noticed a smell of fuel yesterday after returning from a blat. On closer inspection the fuel hose that connects to the copper fuel pipe appearing from the tunnel atop the gearbox to the fuel rail (RBTBs) is perished. The Caterham part here pipe states it as being 11 inches long, whereas the perished part is c18 inches long. It passes under the RBTBs & appears again next to the nose cone where it connects to the fuel rail. I can ring Monday & ask the parts desk I guess, but am I looking at the wrong part, can't find anything similar on CC store online. Edited by - jon crofts on 15 Jan 2012 14:44:08 Edited by - jon crofts on 23 Jul 2012 12:29:43 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 May be a good idea to take the problem hose off and to your local car spares shop, Pirtek or hydraulic hose supplier. They will be able to make something up on the spot and possibly cheaper ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Crofts Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Yup at £54.60 + p&p I think I'll do just that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grubbster Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Halfords sell rubber fuel hose and clips in kits for about 7 quid, very easy to cut the hose off your existing fittings and make one of whatever length you need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I used halfords, just make sure you get the correct bore and ensure it is for fuel injection usage. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Crofts Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 What a solid gold pain in the 🙆🏻 Caterham Cars no longer supply the hose, they can't get anyone to make it up. Good job my friendly local pneumatics & hydraulics factors did it on the spot for £9, CC price when they did supply it was £74 + vat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Top result Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Crofts Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Bugger. The fitting has failed again, this time at the fuel rail end, looks like the pipe has just sheared off inside the fitting, not good. I'm assuming CC still don't stock the part & I'll have to make the pipe up again. Does anyone know what this fitting is here? The actual fitting at the end of the pipe that connects to the fuel rail? I've searched Rover parts & forums to no avail so far. Any pointers most welcome as I want to make up a completely new hose rather than keep remaking a part that keeps failing 😔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keybaud Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I found a very interesting sticky thread about fuel pipes on the locost forum: http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/9/viewthread.php?tid=153126 In summary, many fuel pipes sold in Britain aren't fit for use with modern fuels, as the sellers don't know what the current standards are that their hoses should comply with. Edited by - keybaud on 12 May 2012 17:44:12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnv Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 got to be worth a trip to think auto, take the old one and they'll make you one on the spot on a weekday morning - I can take it in if you can get it to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millsn Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Has anyone had harlines made up rather than flexi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I believe that modern ethanol fuel, in other words 95 octane petrol, has a corrosive effect on copper. There have been a number of postings on other classic and pre-war car forums talking about a pink sludge forming in carb float chambers as a result of fuel being left in copper pipes and coming into protracted contact with brass floats and jets. I realise that few of our cars have float chambers so maybe the sludging isn't going to be such a major problem but we need to be aware of the corrosive quality of modern fuel. At present, if I remember correctly ethanol is only used in Regular (95 octane) in a proportion not exceeding 10%. Premium fuel doesn't contain ethanol so isn't a problem. Maybe it's time to look at replacing copper fuel pipes with another metal. After all companies like Burlen Fuel Services (SU & Zenith specialists) in Salisbury are remanufacturing floats and jets in other materials for just this reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Crofts Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 So having had the pipe fail twice with the same batch of fuel I thought it was all behind me. Not so, fired up yesterday & lo & behold fuel pi$$ing out of the fuel rail at the union this time. Stripped down the union & at first I thought the o-ring had been nipped when replacing, hey ho my own stupid fault, but no, the o-ring has started to disintegrate & melt. I am pretty strict re fuel, Shell only, cant remember if I went somewhere different & have put a tank of fuel through that's caused these problems. Fingers crossed that's it, all the replaceable parts are now replaced, what next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Quoting Jon Crofts: what next? Drive the bloody thing!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Crofts Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 If I wasn't such an International man of mystery I would, next stop Sao Paolo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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