The classic fuel hose leak - advice requested

Afternoon all, some newbie questions here but any help/advice appreciated. I had the classic fuel leak from a dodgy hose (pump to filter) in engine bay.

Just fueled up after taking bay out for first time in ages and pulled over to check the engine running in the bay to see a small fountain of petrol. Once over the mild (as expected) heart attack shut down safely and got the van home (5mins) with a dodgy repair (not recommended).

As always the points from the forums are check, check and check your hoses. Damned braided hoses 2 years old from last owner and thought they were in good shape, obviously not.....

Now checking the hoses out I'm planning on replacing tank-pump, pump-filter and filter-carb hoses, had a look under today and noticed a few things (as well as another leaking hose) I could do with advice on replacing them overall (scoured the forums to find very little on actually replacing hoses - guess its a newbie job which I am) and the points below:

One- Any other hoses I should priority check?

Two- does this look like the pump (noting there's a leaking hose above) has a leak on it? Hard to see but opinions on next steps welcome. (two pictures below)



Three- is this hard pipe link normal? Never seen it before on any forums etc. Looks like there's a leak from that hose or connection as well.
Also Three- is it normal for the hose to run so close to the starter motor??? Not too comfortable with that so wondered if anyone has any suggestions on rerunning it?


Four - hard pipe from bottom of tank looks good unless anyone has any points?


Five- (Don't ask it, don't ask it, don't ask it....) Any advice on best hoses to go for?!

Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

(Also)
Engine bay, close up of original fuel leak location (I had the leak on the pump to filter leg, excuse the tape it was a get me home from the road side emergency repair for half a mile and not recommended), grommet is intact through fire wall although collocated with an unknown cable?

 

https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/avoid-a-fire-everyone-should-read-this.38433/

 

This is a very long thread but has all sorts of info on sizes etc
https://thelatebay.com/index.php?th...e-should-read-this.38433/page-22#post-1564292

If you are about to buy new fuel hose - You want 100% bio fuel hose, NOT R9 rated

5.5mm i.d 100% bio hose:
£16.19 p.m Advanaced fluid solutions http://www.advancedfluidsolutions.co.uk/100-bio-fuel-hoses-petrol--diesel-hose-0--100-199-c.asp.
£16.50 per metre http://www.coolairvw.co.uk/ These guys also offer a TLB discount
? per metre at VW aircooled work as they sell in kits. Kevlar reinforced?

7.3mm i.d 100% bio fuel hose:
£17.51 p.m Advanced fluid solutions. The website doesn't state who manufactures it, but when they sell on ebay it says cohline
£20.50 per metre coolair vw
£25 per meter VW Aircooled works. Supply cohline

When I was looking to buy 100% bio hose I told the supplier my set up: Tank to 6mm mechanical fuel pump, to filter king to twin carbs. I was told that I needed to get exact measurements of breather pipes, carbs etc, so they could supply the correct sized pipe. I waited for my engine to come out to get measurements of the two poxy tank breathers 7mm i.d. There was no point in doing this as everyone sells the same two sizes of pipe. So I could have ordered it all before the engine came out. I think everyone sells cohline stuff as well!

Other suppliers
http://jtarubber.co.uk/index.htm. john@jtarubber.co.uk. He sells off cuts on ebay under Seller montyidd, you can message him for alternative lengths etc if they aren't listed. I'm not sure if his stuff is 100% bio fuel hose. I'm pretty sure he is the supplier of the filler pipes that many vw people sell though. See above post for further info on jta rubber

I hope this will save someone some cash.

I have bought far too much fuel hose. I would have been in ignorant bliss if it wasn't for this forum & thread.
On the flips side a mate lost his bug to fire!

 

Hopefully the thread above helps

Someone will hopefully be along to answer your specific questions

 

If you intend replacing it all, clamp the pipe near the tank, cut the other side of the clamp, remove all the old, replace starting at carb end.
When you get to the last connection to the tank, jack up RH rear, remove wheel and reach in to quickly swap the pipes without getting a face full.

 

Basically the old hose needs to go and be forever forgotten.
The fuel line running past the starter motor is not necessarily bad as the starter sparks are inside a metal case with no large holes in it. Also if petrol leaks there, it falls on the ground, not making a little pool on a sheet of metal.

Its far more likely to leak out in the engine bay, like yours, find a dodgy spark plug lead and catch fire.

All of the bio compatible fuel hoses will be better. But as many of them have rubber outer layers, that rubber still goes hard and starts to crack in the heat in the engine bay. So they still need checking.

 

Thank you yes read this thread yesterday, ill have a look through and get some hose delivered out. Very good points about the breather and ill be all over that tomorrow.

 

Great point on the clamp at the tank outlet, nobody likes a face full of fuel... unless you're into that and i wont judge. Half a tank in there and would be a bugger to drain, hadn't even thought of dropping the RH rear for rapid access. Was just going to do it on chocks but much better idea cheers.

 

My local consumables place sells this stuff by the metre for not much money. 3 years on none has cracked, it appears as good as new.
https://www.gates.com/gb/en/fluid-power/engine-hose/fuel-line-hose.p.4219-000000-000011.html

 

Same as I use. Gates R7 off the reel at the local motor factors. Still rock solid.

 

A good example of cracking. This is a R9 hose after just 2years , but as you can see the inside still looks new


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I have to say it horrifies me the idea of swapping over a pipe on a tank that still has petrol in. I once tried this and the metal tank outlet broke off and several gallons poured out. I was able to catch a fair bit in a big carboy but I was soaked in petrol. This was only shortly before a guy in our village burned to death fixing his camper.
Play safe and drain it properly first. Really.

 

I've replaced my entire fuel system this week.

What prompted it was corrosion on the outlet pipe from the tank.....but I'm pleased I did the lot as some of the breathers were pretty shocking, like on yours there were jubilee clips instead of fuel clips on all the fuel lines, (you have a fuel clip by the tank by the looks of things.) and my rubber elbow by the filler cap was in a bad way.

Fuel clips are much more expensive than jubilees, about £2 each, probably why alot of people settle for the cheaper jubilees.

I had the engine out, which made it much easier to work changing parts, I wouldn't like to have done any of it with the engine in, I'm a type 1 1600 though.

There was much more fuel in the tank than I thought! I ended up giving 15 litres away to a neighbour as I had nowhere to put it! Definitely clamp the lines though to do anything, or use Molegrips (which will crush and ruin the hose...but you're changing it anyway. )

I had a small it of spillage, and even that wasn't much fun.

 

To block off sudden leaks, keep a tapered 5mm bit of wood like a pencil sharpened to a point. Then if you get a leak ram it in the hole. Or use a finger while you compute the next move. Wear goggles to avoid it blinding you.

Halfords sell little packs of fuel hose clamps that are less likely to pinch than the use of wrong sized Jubilee clips.

In fact with the proper hose, there is so little pressure in the system, it doesnt really need hose clamps at all, and all the clamps do is pinch the hose so it leaks.. .

You could still set fire to yourself if you make a spark draining the gallons of fuel into containers - just remember a full tank is 11 of those plastic petrol cans.

Petrol only burns if you set fire to it and it is in the correct mixture with oxygen. So if you avoid sparks, a small petrol spill is just annoying, requiring a short pause to wait for it to evaporate. .

I started draining the tank, ran out of containers with petrol still gushing out , fuel gauge well under empty to start , so I just went ahead with the careful loosening of the rotten old hose, and replacement of a clamped off length onto the tank.
In my case somebody has already snapped off the spigot, leaving just enough for a hose clamp.

I used Goodridge 200 which uses similar materials to the Gates Barricade hose, but has a stainless steel braid on the outside that reduces the effect of local heat.
The braind shreds your fingers and makes it harder to fit over hose fittings, have to pull the sheath back, then pop the inner over the fitting then pull the sheath back and clamp over both.

 

When I changed some fuel hoses I used a drill bit, smooth end, not the drill end to seal the pipe.

 

Before I changed mine I run it down so there was only as small an amount of fuel in it as I dare, by the time I'd got it up on ramps and the remaining fuel run to the front of the tank I only had to drain and catch a litre or so. I would certainly try and avoid changing the tank outlet if theres more than a few litres eft in it.

 

It doesn't matter if the tank is full if you're organised. Obviously if you're going to snap the outlet off you'll be in trouble so look at it, that's just part of bring organised, as is going in through the wheel arch to avoid being "blinded". I've never lost more than a thimble full.

 

Am I right in thinking that the fuel filter should not be in the engine bay but should be between the tank outlet and the pump?

 

You would be correct.

 

Most definitely not after the pump