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Why you should think twice about Fabric Fuel Lines


2002Scoob

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I mentioned I’d share this a while back but haven’t gotten around to it. When I re-did my fuel system and went to replace my fuel lines, I wanted to use fabric covered lines for the originality so I sourced german-made hose from a local parts store here in Freiburg.

 

The issue being this style of hose typically isn’t reinforced internally with a woven fabric layer to hold the hose together and resist splitting.

 

It wasn’t long (months) till a bit of heat and pressure caused the line spanning between my forward and rear DCOE to split, sending a pretty terrifying amount of fuel spilling in my engine bay. Sure enough it had split down the length in the center of the line.

 

Out of paranoia I began to pull other sections of the hose, and sure enough it was easy as pie to split all the hose like a banana at the seam...

 

Here’s some of the exact same line that I as left over-

c8798081a82bf5ddc4f89405a174b57b.jpg

 

Just by inserting and prying with a pen I can start a crack and push it along the length of the hose-

a6cf95bffa9f77ce7f6f419995ec73a7.jpg

cb11d4c80200c0351a60416a2ecd954d.jpg

 

So do yourself a favor- Get internally reinforced fuel hoses and save your car from going up in a ball of fire.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Slight disclaimer, might not be all hoses and there’s the possibility I could have gotten a bad batch, but there wasn’t a single inch of over 3 meters that wasn’t affected.

The problem lies in how it’s typically manufactured- as an extrusion. If you understand how an extrusion die works, it’s allot like a pasta maker, you’ve got a round hole that makes the outer diameter of the hose, and then there’s thin connecting webs that suspend a cylinder in the middle to create the inner diameter.

Molten rubber/plastic is forced through the die and past those webs and must re-bond with itself on the other side. And if it doesn’t, it makes a seam that’s prime for splitting which was the case in my hose.

Hoses with a internal fabric weave hold higher PSI because the fabric resists that splitting force.


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Only buy rubber hose for critical applications that has a manufacturer name and standard compliance / application printed on it. Then at least you know what you are buying. Hose needs to be suitable for both the environment and application. 

rtheriaque wrote:

Carbs: They're necessary and barely controlled fuel leaks that sometimes match the air passing through them.

My build blog:http://www.bmw2002faq.com/blog/163-simeons-blog/

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Caveat Scrimptorus!

 

(cheapskates beware!)

 

It's not the jacket that maketh the hose.  

That's just the protective layer.  What's underneath,

as you've found, is what matters.

It's always worth cutting off an inch section and dissecting it-

peel off the jacket, the outer layer, the reinforcement band(s)

the inner layer(s) and the liner.  

Even if the outer jacket's stainless steel, the inside can be pulp.

And that not worky so well, eh?

 

Likewise, unreinforced silicone is very susceptable to splitting,

simply because it has miserable notch resistance...

 

And as Simeon says, always buy name- brand hose from a place you

more- or- less trust, as in, NOT ePay or Amazonian...

 

t

 

  • Like 3

"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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I believe the hose being discussed is brake fluid hose used to deliver brake fluid from the reservoir to the brake and clutch master cylinders.  it is not compatible with automotive fuels and likely will fail due to degradation and then to fuel system  pressure

 

Gale H.

71 2002 daily driver

70 2002 malaga (pc)

83 320i (pc)

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Perhaps in the aftermarket world or later model bmw, blue is used for brake fluid hose.  Hose i ordered from BMW is dark grey with green lettering BMW---------.    Here are pics of hose purchased from bmw dealer along with part number that matches realoem part number for hose for a march 1971 2002

 

The take away here remains this type of hose is not compatible with automotive fuels and should not be used with such fuels.  Use the best hose you can afford for the application.

 

DSC02424.JPG.d6f7229e29e44b09b6d8903a8e185f9c.JPG

 

 

DSC02425.JPG.9481eedc2284441b2e22876929cc2a93.JPG

DSC02426.JPG.8b05205925718f942515a7fd360b5930.JPG

Gale H.

71 2002 daily driver

70 2002 malaga (pc)

83 320i (pc)

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On 12/9/2017 at 9:45 AM, Dudeland said:

This is why I am going outside the car with -6 braided.  Yes, there is a potential downside to this solution, but at least I won't fill my car with gas.

 

I'm going with 3/8" NiCopp tubing (-6AN size) to run under the car, then use the braided line to attach the ends to the tank and carb.

 

It's half the price of the braided stuff and won't deteriorate.

John Baas

1976 BMW 2002

2001 BMW M5

My Blog!

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