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Fuel hoses?

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MadRiver

MadRiver

Jedi Knight
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Does anyone know of a source for the flexible rubber hoses used in various locations on the 250 and 6 fuel lines? I would love to get it by the foot, given that the hose lengths above and below my fuel filter are longer than normal. Is this something a parts store will have?

Thanks as always! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
Fuel line/vac. hose/heater hose etc. is sometimes sold in the bubble packs, and sometimes by the foot behind the counter at auto parts places. You'll just want to know what size you need. May be readable on what is on there. It's not a bad idea to check/replace them. I had one of the pieces under the car start to leak on me last year. The best way to do this job is to drain the gasoline into a container first (first choose a time when you don't have much gas in of course). Trying to quickly take out the old piece and put a new piece in without emptying the tank is scary and I wouldn't advise it, for what I trust are obvious reasons. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif You can likely get away with that for the pieces up higher, in the engine bay, using something to catch what leaks. Pete
 
Or you can tighten some vice-grips on the piece of rubber tubing that you just put in nearest the gas tank and then you can take your time to replace all the other bits without any dripping. Just remember to remove the vice-grips.
 
You can buy it by the foot at a real auto parts store. By that I mean something other than Auto Zone or Advance Auto. If your hoses are starting to crack you may want to cut a piece of dowel to plug the hose nearest the tank. Insert the dowel and put on a hose clamp.
 
[ QUOTE ]
...If your hoses are starting to crack you may want to cut a piece of dowel to plug the hose nearest the tank. Insert the dowel and put on a hose clamp.

[/ QUOTE ]Depending on the size of the hose in question, golf tees are perfect for stopping flow. (In my case, being a nongolfer, that's the ONLY thing they're good for! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )
 
Thanks guys! I used sharpened pencils when I changed my fuel pump -- the point allowed me to wedge them in and close off the flow of fuel -- with a little dripping, of course. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

It was during this operation that I became concerned about the rubber lines -- I also wanted to change my fuel filter, but I didn't have any tubing long enough.

As an fyi, I also recently changed my air filters. The filters clearly hadn't been changed in years, perhaps a decade. I've been meaning to do this since buying the car in in August, but I always put it off, assuming the PO must have taken care of something like that (I know, I know). It might just be an illusion, but I think the car idles at a lower speed since I changed the air filters. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Harbor Freight sells a clamping pliers specifically designed for closing off fuel or brake lines. So handy I always have an extra in the boot. Unless you're changing the flex line right at the tank, these will shut off fuel while you work. They even hold against full brake line pressure.

As for fuel line by the foot... I have found there are slight differences in the I.D. of fuel line sold as 'quarter inch'. Perhaps some of the stuff in metric. It matters on 4-cylinder cars where the original hard lines at the carbs has no flare or lip -- just a straight tube. The slightly larger tubing requires a modern clamp which TRs would not have originally had at those connections.

As for fuel line clamps in general... I much prefer the ones made for fuel injection (solid metal clamp) instead of the 'cheese grater' band clamp that will slice into your hoses (and your hand). Also look nicer IMO.
 
Be very careful when you buy rubber fuel line. I only by Gates
(even though they sold out some time back). Any cheap brand will crack and rot in short order. Not good. This is one area you don't want to save a few pennies on. I inspect all my rubber fuel lines every year. Even with Gates, I sometimes replace short pieces because they crack.


Bill
 
Sounds like you have enough info to make a decision. Regardless of the fuel line brand you buy, fuel system cleaners that promise they clean out the tank, lines and carburetors shortens the life of the rubber hoses (also the o rings in the bottom of the carburetors). There are a few short pieces of rubber hose connecting the fuel lines with the tank; that is a real good place to check out for possible replacement.
 
Ditto that, Don. My last TR6 had a freshly rebuilt engine and everything that was connected to it, save that last little piece of rubber fuel line from the tank to the steel fuel line. It had terminal arteriosclerosis; drove us crazy trying to figure out why the engine wouldn't run very long, like a city block. Changed the hose and vroooooom.


Bill
 
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