12 replies to this topic

[Stevie W]

Good afternoon All,

 

Had a bit of a scary morning this morning!

 

After spending yesterday morning fitting my new fuel tank and plumbing it in to my Facet fuel pump, this morning I went for the grand start-up.

Luckily my partner was keeping a close eye on proceedings under the bonnet as I switched the ignition on. She suddenly yelled "switch it off" when she saw petrol peeing from the float bowl hoses.

 

The hoses were leaking like sieves. I removed these and took the metal braiding off the hoses and to my horror, they were completely perished. I'd replaced every other fuel hose on the car apart from these 2 although they weren't very old. All I can think of is that they're older style fuel pipe and the ethanol in current unleaded fuel had caused them to perish badly. If the exhaust manifold had been hot then I shudder to think what might have happened!

 

So as a warning to all you Mini owners if you're running older hoses check your they are made to DIN 73379-1 specification which makes them resistant to ethanol. Without wanting to sound alarmist, perished fuel hoses under the bonnet could lead to a fire.

 

Cheers, Steve.    

[dyshipfakta]

A thing to add to this is to beware buying cheap hoses. They must be properly rated for modern fuels or the above happens. But a good cautionary tale will be doing mine shortly.

[gazza82]

Rubber hoses perished even before ethanol was being added. Heat and age ...

[sledgehammer]

Anyone else remember the red coated hoses on the metro's 

 

the coating was good , but the hose perished underneath 

 

the hose would balloon out & pop all over the exhaust manifold

 

+1 on ethanol - its carp & corrosive 

[nicklouse]

How old were they? More than a couple of years old then they would really have needed it anyway.

[Steve220]

I had my pressure hose from the pump to the fuel pump crack and fill the boot with fuel. As part of the recondition, all my fuel hoses are being replaced with Mocal fuel hose. It's always worth checking current conditions as the Minnie engine bay is bloody cramped. As we are all well aware of!

[Stevie W]

How old were they? More than a couple of years old then they would really have needed it anyway.

Hi Nick,

 

Can't remember exactly but around a year old and done hardly any mileage.

[crn1969]

Excellent advice.on a similar note I am renewing all hoses and pipes to and from fuel pump and carb on 1989 mini 998.my question is this,can I use flexible pipe (whichever is current standard as you previously mentioned)as one piece from fuel pump to carb? When I removed engine from the car last year it had a shaped length of metal tube with flexible fuel pipe to make the connections.wondered if there was any reason why not do it it in one piece avoid more joins? Any thoughts.

[sledgehammer]

can I use flexible pipe (whichever is current standard as you previously mentioned)as one piece from fuel pump to carb?

I.wondered if there was any reason why not do it it in one piece avoid more joins? Any thoughts.

 

If you  can route it away from the exhaust manifold / down pipe and any moving parts [fan , belt , pulley], it should be fine

 

needs to be well secured so not to chafe / get hot
 

I moved the pump outlet so it is away from the exhaust as well - makes it safer

Edited by sledgehammer, 06 April 2016 - 08:27 PM.

[gazza82]

Personally I'd stick with new cupro-nickel pipe with short flexi at each end. Less to perish (again)

[guywilko]

Dead right. Pipe much more resilient than hose.


Just reconditioned my cooper. All fuel hoses were new 10y ago. Filled tank, started pump and fuel p1ssed out of the hoses like a shower head.

Replace all your hoses with ethanol resistant ones

[Tamworthbay]

There is a warning in this months practical,classics but it's not a new problem. For some reason rubber quality is an issue, there have been all sorts of reasons put forward from cheap imports to changes in regulations on the use of plasticisers. I had a similar experience to the OP on an old camper van except that the fuel line ran over the engine and poured fuel over the engine. Thankfully I had a plumbed in fire extinguisher due to a known predilection for toasting themselves and it saved it without any damage. The fuel hose was less than six months old and bought from a very well known camper van supplier.

[Broomer]

I had to replace 10month old fuel pipe recently. Covered a total of 1500 mile and it was completely perished.

Wouldn't say it was cheaper either. Had all the sae markings etc.