When was the last time you replaced ALL your fuel hoses?, How long has it been?! Options

[VaccaRabite]

Over the past few weeks I've been replacing my fuel hoses.

Well, it started 2 years ago when I put in the new engine, I decided it was a good idea to replace all the engine bay fuel lines, even though the hoses there had "just been replaced".

While doing my brake master earlier this month I chose to pull the gas tank and just do the res hoses on my work bench. Which exposed all my under tank gas lines. Those are still new, right? I replaced those not long ago. 2014? Oh crap those are 10 years old.

And what does "new" gas line look like? Mostly fine, except where it had dry-rotted and was weeping fuel. And this was not cheap hose. This was expensive Continental SAE 30r9 injection hose.

So I replaced it all. Put the tank back in. Backed the car out into the drive way and just let it idle while I looked for leaks. Found a leak under the engine bay. I forgot about the hoses that went from the center tunnel to the engine compartment hard lines. And while wiggling my tunnel hard line I had opened up a dry rot crack. So I got more 30r9 fuel line and replaced those lines. Now I'm leak free.

I bet a LOT OF YOU have fuel lines older then a decade. If you aren't sure, then its time. Replace your fuel lines! Fire is BAD.

Zach

[Freezin 914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

A great reminder! Thank you….

Hopefully this isn’t like an oil thread….
I see you used continental, is gates up to par??? Most places around me stock gates.

[technicalninja]

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Nother thing to keep in mind...

Modern fuel has ethanol.

15-20 years back they were putting MTBE in it.

40 years back they were adding lead.

This mish-mash of vastly different additives effects rubber in different ways.

It ALSO effects plastic as well.

I'm changing all of my lines INCLUDING the plastic puppies in the tunnel because of this.

If you're still fuel injected it's MORE important IMO as higher pressure "finds" leaks sooner rather than later.

[SirAndy]

When was the last time you replaced ALL your fuel hoses?, How long has it been?!

2006

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[mb911]

4 years ago for me

[Jack Standz]

Last year in the '74.

Replaced with SS Teflon -6AN lines.

Had Chris at Tangerine Racing weld some -6AN connections on his SS tunnel lines and installed those at the same time. Looking for many years of use.

[bdstone914]

Gates Baracade fuel line is ethanol compatible.
R-14 desinates ethanol compatibility.
I was told by a Gates tech guy that most rubber hoses have 5 year shelf life.

[flipb]

Have not replaced them in 15 years of ownership.

Had the engine out for a rebuild at some point and the shop assured me they were still supple and in good shape. (They're not original)

Maybe it'll be this winter's project.

[rjames]

It may been too often, but I tend to replace them every 5-7 years. Usually because I'm 'already in there' doing other stuff.

Double-check your work, too. When I replaced all of the lines earlier this year during a last check before starting the car I found I hadn't put a hose clamp on the line that connects to the pressure regulator. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[brant]

thought of this myself about 4 years back.
they were 10years at least at the time.
so did them all then.

its a good reminder
10 years seems like a good number to follow

brant

[emerygt350]

When I was 20 I got this 1969 Cadillac 2door DeVille(?) for payment for some welding. Drove it home, and watched the gas run down my driveway. I gave it to the first person to ask me about it about 20 minutes later. Those were steel lines. The car was only 24 years old. I don't think we give our 50 year old plastic and rubber enough credit.

[rjames]

Also... don't use that extra unused fuel line you didn't use the last time you replaced your lines. It has a shelf life. Just because it didn't have fuel running through it doesn't mean it didn't age.

[worn]

It may been too often, but I tend to replace them every 5-7 years. Usually because I'm 'already in there' doing other stuff.

Double-check your work, too. When I replaced all of the lines earlier this year during a last check before starting the car I found I hadn't put a hose clamp on the line that connects to the pressure regulator. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Sounds silly, but is so easy to do. Glad you found it.

[worn]

When I was 20 I got this 1969 Cadillac 2door DeVille(?) for payment for some welding. Drove it home, and watched the gas run down my driveway. I gave it to the first person to ask me about it about 20 minutes later. Those were steel lines. The car was only 24 years old. I don't think we give our 50 year old plastic and rubber enough credit.

My much missed Ford Escort had steel brake lines that rusted until all that remained was the inner copper plating. Fortunately I noticed fluid weeping out.

[VaccaRabite]

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A great reminder! Thank you….

Hopefully this isn’t like an oil thread….
I see you used continental, is gates up to par??? Most places around me stock gates.

This time around I used Evil Energy brand. Their hoses marked SAE 30r9 are rated to 300PSI.

Continental and Gates are both solid choices - just really expensive. I looked at buying Gates hose and the FLAPS wanted to sell it to me by the inch.

I figure as long as the hose is marked with the SEA it should be good to go. 30r9 is the right stuff for fuel injection using ethanol fuel.

Interestingly, evil energy also marks their 30r7 hose (low pressure for carb applications under 50psi) at 300 psi. Which for me would mean that its not 30r7. But, who knows. Its very well reviewed, and seems like a very high quality hose when I installed it.

Zach

[VaccaRabite]

I'm changing all of my lines INCLUDING the plastic puppies in the tunnel because of this.

Anyone who leaves the plastic lines in the tunnel are literally playing with fire IMO. All cars that have them still need to be replaced with stainless or Nicklecopper hardlines.

Zach

[bdstone914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

A great reminder! Thank you….

Hopefully this isn’t like an oil thread….
I see you used continental, is gates up to par??? Most places around me stock gates.

This time around I used Evil Energy brand. Their hoses marked SAE 30r9 are rated to 300PSI.

Continental and Gates are both solid choices - just really expensive. I looked at buying Gates hose and the FLAPS wanted to sell it to me by the inch.

I figure as long as the hose is marked with the SEA it should be good to go. 30r9 is the right stuff for fuel injection using ethanol fuel.

Interestingly, evil energy also marks their 30r7 hose (low pressure for carb applications under 50psi) at 300 psi. Which for me would mean that its not 30r7. But, who knows. Its very well reviewed, and seems like a very high quality hose when I installed it.

Zach

That is not correct. It is 30R14 hose that is ethanol and methanol compatible.

[aharder]

I did mine about 6 years ago when I installed the stainless steel lines.
Plans to re-route repalce all of the engine bay lines this winter. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[VaccaRabite]

That is not correct. It is 30R14 hose that is ethanol and methanol compatible.

Hey Bruce, I'd rather this not devolve into a pissing match.
But the 30r9 spec does include Ethanol resistance from every vendor that I have looked at.

[Parameter] Working Pressure: 300psi; Burst Pressure: 1200psi; Temperature Range: -40°F to 275°F (intermittent use at 302°F).
[Material] Made of FKM(fluorine rubber) inner, ECO(Epichlorohydrin rubber) cover and aramid fiber.
[Standard] The fuel injector hose meets and exceeds the SAE 30R9, designed for fuel injection systems.
[Medium] The efi fuel hose compatible with ethanol,diesel,biodiesel, E10, E15, E85 and gasohol fuels.

SAE 30r9 hoses are not designed to be submerged in fuel.

SAE 30r14 hoses have a lower working pressure (highly dependent on the manufacturer). But this is notable that many 30r14 hoses have a max of 50PSI. While that is sufficient for the 914, I prefer to have a bit more cushion as my fuel pressure is 43psi on my engine.

Gate Barricade (a 30r14 hose) has a working pressure of 225psi, and is a VERY high quality (and expensive) hose.

30r14 is also not intended to be submerged in fuel.

The primary differences I have seen between 30r9 and 30r14 is that 30r9 has a generally higher working and burst strength. 30r14 has a resistance to Methanol and a slightly higher working temperature. But we don't burn Methanol. Well, most of us don't. Also Gates says that if their hose is being used for Methanol it should be 100% methanol, not a blend.

Both 30r9 and Gates 30r14 are suitable for ethanol fuels - just make sure the 30r14 hose has the working strength if your 914 is fuel injected.

OEMs are seem to be going to Nylon, which is a totally different thing, which I know relatively little about. Though I'm sure @Superhawk could give a class on it.

Zach

[rjames]

I'm changing all of my lines INCLUDING the plastic puppies in the tunnel because of this.

Anyone who leaves the plastic lines in the tunnel are literally playing with fire IMO. All cars that have them still need to be replaced with stainless or Nicklecopper hardlines.

Zach

I agree, with the caveat that if you've got the later style lines it's probably not necessary. I pulled mine out a few months ago and replaced with stainless, but wish I hadn't. They were in excellent shape and not brittle at all. Removing them also meant that I had to add additional rubber lines that now go from the stainless lines exiting the rear firewall to the stainless lines in the engine bay, where previously the plastic flexible lines carried all the way through into the engine bay.