Dear Board Denizens;

My fuel line developed a leak today. The leak is about 4 inches before the fuel injection manifold. Now I've never looked for fuel line before. Is this stuff standard - can I buy it in the local auto parts store? Or is it special order? I'm also VERY thankful I didn't have an engine fire as the thing was really squirting!

I don't want to be a royal pain in the ass (aw, hell, why should I change now?), and I don't want to contradict good advice from good BB'ers like George or John -- but it is NOT RUBBER HOSE. True rubber will soften and fall apart in gasoline or oil.

You want Neoprene hose.

Just a small, nit-picking, anal-retentive, detail-oriented point intended to keep you from installing the wrong (and extremely dangerous) hose by mistake.

If you go to an auto parts store and ask for "fuel hose" you'll certainly get the right stuff. If you go to the back woods General Store and Grandma helps you, she might sell you genuine rubber hose.

And as both John and George pointed out, FI fuel hose is reinforced to withstand the higher fuel pressure.
--
Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Like Walrus said - not terribly hi-tech fuel line as it is only ~30 psi, but not straight un-reinforced rubber either. Commonly available.

My own not-too-exciting (thankfully) 1800E fuel line story: I was sitting at a stop light in my '71. The light turned green and I accelerated. A few feet and then LOTS of spinning wheel slip. Odd - as the road was dry and clean. I loked in the mirror and saw a large wet spot. Then the smell of gasoline hit me. I pulled over and shut the engine off, opened the hood. Gasoline EVERYWHERE - probably a gallon or two sprayed over then entire engine. In my case the line leading to the cold start valve had popped. Could easily have been a Volvo flambe'.

If you're talking about the rubber hose, yes you can get it at a parts
store but be sure and tell them it is a fuel injection system because
the pressure is a lot higher than with carbs. (nominally 28 psi on yours)
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Thanks...Ithink I'll buy a new extinguisher to.

RP

If you have not already done this, I suggest you get maybe 6 or more feet
of hose, a bunch of clamps, a Dremel moto-tool and a bunch of #409 cutoff
disks. Replace every hose that looks even slightly cracked including those
to the injectors. The ferrule can be cut off with the #409 cutoff disks and
you can replace the hose pretty easy. Length is fairly critical on those.
Also check the hoses around your fuel pump.

It is nothing short of amazing how much gasoline you can leak through a
small hole or crack at 28 psi. Susan sprung a leak on her 240 and I think
it is even higher pressure yet, maybe 45 psi.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Oklahoma