hey everyone

its been a while - but im in need of some help. my fuel line sprung a leak. i notice a big puddle under the passenger side seat. when investigated i could smell gas. then i tried to start is and no luck out of gas.

has this happened to anyone? is it as simple as just replacing the fuel line itstelf or can i just repair the area that is leaking?

is this a straight forward/simple job that i can perform myself or is it for a true mechanic?

please advice, much appreciated...

-jp-

First of all don't try to start it anymore until the leak is fixed. Do you still have the original vinyl fuel lines on the car? They should be replaced with a set of hard stainless lines as sold by places like tangerine racing. Is possible that the lines by the fuel pump (if yours in front of the car) have sprung a leak also.

I'm assuming your leak is under the passenger side of the car...

The last time my car sprung a leak in that location it was a crack in the fuel filter (small white plastic cube shape, 1 hose in, 1 hose out).

The filter is just above the right end of the engine mounting bar.

Click to view attachment

Before that, it was a crack in the rubber "reducer" hose in that same area. Chris at Tangerine makes a steel replacement ("fuel line adapter piece") for that one:

http://www.tangerineracing.com/stainlessfuellines.htm

Hope this helps!

Please report back on what line is the culprit. I know many have replaced the gas lines in the tunnel with SS lines, but I don't recall hearing of any accounts where the tunnel lines were actually cracked and/or the source of a gas leak. The consensus seemed to be the opposite- that they were in good shape when people removed them.

That said, I will be replacing mine before too long.

Most likely the rubber lines of the plastic ones ,mine were pretty rotten and the rest was fine.

I would replace every rubber and plastic line you can. They don’t get better with age. Same with the rubber soft lines for the brakes.

in a bigley way.


Also if you are in Culver City there are a number of 914 brothers near you.

Bob B

Why in the world would you do that?

An expensive repair , but weighed against the price of a new 914, it’s cheap. Replace all the rubber hoses with ethanol safe replacements, and replace the plastic hoses in the tunnel with stainless hard lines. Tangerine has them, but there is another vendor on 914World that also sells them. Do it right and sleep soundly.

Let this be clear. The problems with fuel systems are NOT the factory lines that everyone insists you have to replace them. The stock fuel lines really do work.

Sure, buy the right ones. Tangerine. Done.

my plastic stuff was fine,however my car has been sitting a long time with low mileage, use the best hose you can buy from the lines to the tank and use FI clamps ok.

There's a video on how to replace the fuel lines in my signature. Good luck and be safe!

You said, "i notice a big puddle under the passenger side seat". Did you mean UNDER the car or IN the car?

hey everyone

thanks for the reply's and help I will jack the car up and see if it is the lines or the filter as pointed out - will reply with the results soon. i know i could count on y'all

I Vehemently Disagree!

The plastic fuel line on Betty's 914 cracked where it comes out of the tunnel and turns toward the right side of the car. That sprayed gasoline over the hot engine, and we had an engine fire! We watched her car burn.

The problem is not the lines in the tunnel, it is the part in the engine compartment. They become brittle and hard from age and heat, and they eventually will crack and leak.

Stainless steel lines are cheap compared with a totally burned 914.

crap...

Totally agree. When I removed mine during my restoration one of the lines shattered like thin glass.

hey Bob - finally going to investigate the issue this weekend - good to know there are some peeps in CC if i need assistance. ill know more by Monday.. stay tuned.

-jp-

My money is on the rubber. I had a similar experience in the 912. factory lines from 76 were in great shape. Let it sit over the winter and realized the smell. Saw the drip.

Pretty sure the ethanol did it in. Had to replace all the lines in it, but really figured I should anyhow.

I now only run clear in her.

I had a rare leak in the plastic tunnel lines. I replaced with Tangerine Racing stainless steel lines. Don’t drive your teener until all leaks are repaired.

Seeing the picture from above post is just amazing. Same original cloth lines! Yikes!

I pulled my fuel lines out while my car is apart.. They were still solid and
flexible enough to be twisted and bent.. Looked like no issue....
BUT, I still replaced them with Tangerine's stainless lines, just in case.

Not worth the risk..

Here are my fuel lines as they are now..

Click to view attachment

Great Move!

Robert ( @rotary'14 ) also makes stainless steel lines for both, early & late 914s, and he's local ... right up near Pasadena.

Mention my name and he'll give you a HUGH discount


If only I still had a large shop to work in (sigh)