as I’m going to replace the breather pipes to the front and rear carbs anyhow I might just as well replace the original (+45-year-old!) fuel hoses as well. The originals have kept up well and don’t show any external signs of failure. If I replace them I won’t use cheap rubber failing after a few years again.
So, what is the common experience? While I don’t need high pressure hoses, I expect hoses to last over decades. I seem to remember someone recommended Würth hoses with low permeation. They are available in 5.5/11.5 mm, 7.3/13.5 mm, 9.3/15.3 mm (internal diameter/external diameter). Which ones do I need from tank to carburettor? Any other recommendations?
For years I’ve been living with broken clips (no longer) fixing the fuel line to the floor pan. It is four double clips fixing both the thicker fuel line and the thinner brake line. Is this part C.37627 (hard to judge as mine are all missing)?
I have no idea about the carbed setup, so I can’t really help with dimensions, but in my SIII the tank to fuel pump is 11.5mm, pump to engine 8mm and some 6mm.
I replaced all my hoses with Gates Barricade low permeation.
Can’t tell how well hey age as I did that quite recently, but they seam of very good quality, no smells and no swelling with ethanol E10 fuel.
Hard to find and very expensive in Europe though, the best deal I found was from Rock Auto in the US even with the extra postage.
I found Edel clips to be very useful in fixing lines to the body. Ushaped with a hole to affix and lined in rubber. Not sure what a similar brand might be in Europe.
Did I understand that the entire fuel line under your car is rubber ?
I used EFI rated hose on my carb’d car…
Just leary of spilled fuel My former profession conditioned me.
the long line from the rear to the carbs is a metal line. It runs parallel with a brake line and both are fixed to the floorpan with four plastic clips. For whatever reason these clips have broken - all on the side of the larger fixation for the fuel line.
Couldn’t agree more with your aversion against fuel spillage! Many years ago I had to wait at a service station. The owner’s wife came out and waved at me before heading to a parked car. My attention got attracted when I heard the starter turn over the engine merrily, but without effect. So I turned round, following the sound - only then I saw her in a car, trying to start to no avail, but a huge puddle forming underneath the car. You wouldn’t believe how much fuel a pump in a fuel injected car is able to get on the concrete in no time, once the hose is open! Now I waved at her, but a lot more excited. Married to a car mechanic she understood immediately, pulled out the ignition key and left the car quiet, but very quickly.
That’s exactly why I would like to have peace of mind for the next decades I’m steward of the car. With the limited need (maybe 2 yards altogether) and with the benefit of longevity it doesn’t really matter whether you pay 5 bucks per yard or 50.
Hello Jochen,
I used Gates Barricade when I replaced all my flexible fuel lines and on the V12 there is a lot!. Got rid of all my nasty fuel smells in the boot at a stroke.
Feed to the carbs is 3/8" bore and return is 5/16"
My son sent it over from Australia as I couldn’t find the 3/8" size in UK but MOSS stock the 5/16"
I think the Gates is rated at R17 which is the highest spec and they are good for E10 of course.
Best regards,
Mike Badger (1973 DDS S1)
C44781 are S3 fuel line clips, pop riveted (so they can fall off) to the floor, looks like the others were screwed on so you might be able to tell?
In this application I would just pick one type. Nobody ever sees it and it is better than no clips for sure.
Yep, I’m almost certain C.44781 are the correct ones - just nobody seems to carry them any longer
Thanks David!
Anjum,
stainless looks nice and will hold up well against corrosion. It’s just that it is literally so much harder to shape it against body contours and the like. The original just isn’t some straight pipe. So it’ll be just a serious job … Good luck anyhow
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
10
I have some recollection – dunno from what car – of some clips that look kinda like those C.37627, made of plastic, all snapping in half and a fuel line hanging loose under the car.
The other fasteners C.37627 are mentioned for the brake pipes. As both are “dual clips” one is inclined to ask what the “other” receptacle is used for respectively …
My main problem is, however, that both are not even mentioned by our regular suppliers.
Thanks for your info, Mike - very much appreciated! I just took measures and they seem to correspond: the fuel hoses at the carbs are 6.8 mm, the fuel hose taking on the metal line is 8.8 mm. Will check out what I can get.
I have two somewhere. You‘d have to recoat them as the paint is falling off. I‘m sure more will turn up.
Also not so hard to reproduce with a bit of hammering or a vise, aluminium or copper and some suitable screwdrivers and wood?
I meant the clips formed out of stainless steel and screws, not the pipe. I will look for cupro-nickel or similar pipe to the brake pipes in the right diameter.
As David said not too difficult to form. the clips.
For the rubber pipes I will look for braided hoses., but I’m a long way from there yet.
glad we talked about it:-) Now we’re sure it is the plastic C.37627 we need. Indeed, David, they used the same clips for two adjacent years at least. As so many of them are broken even though they sit in the dark and there is no serious mechanical load, the construction is maybe less than ideal (hmmm … maybe I’m too harsh about a penny part having lasted for decades and susceptible to replacement within minutes …).
Now the million-dollar-question is where do we get them from? 3D printer? Different part number and in use on Ford Mondeos until 2013?
Best
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
17
I’m confused. Why would you even bother? The steel clip is obviously a much better part, and you could easily fab them if you can’t buy them.
Well, fabrication is possible, but a bit awkward as the diameter of the brake line and the fuel line is markedly different. Hence the standard (even stainless) dual clips won’t fit. Just popping on tailor-made plastic clips would be original and so much easier.
I remember that original stuff, with the strange rough surface on the outside. I might have saved some of it just as a curiosity.
My carbed '74 XJ12 now has Gates fuel hoses. Around here everybody sells Gates and it comes in Imperial inch sizes. For delivery to Europe, Rock Auto might be your best source.
For the support clips, the plastic originals weren’t intended to last 50 years, so I replace with insulated steel P-clips as used for electrical wiring in buildings from Home Depot et al.
