Fuel Pipes

[Guest Wallace]

I have just got to the point of fitting the fuel pipes in my 2B (at last!)what has every one else used for the pipes, i have a 1.6 with a webber 2V carb. The pipes off the sierra are send pipe = 6mm and the return = 4mm, is this what everyone else has brought and used? have you used flexi pipe at each end? It was great to see some well built 2B's at stoneliegh it gave me some insperation! Thanks all!

[Joel]

I've used cotton overbraid rubber hose, which I've P-Cliped down the tunnel to the engine. You can get it from places like Demon Tweeks, Europa Spares, Burton etc, or from one of the shows. Depending where you get it from, it varies in price from around £2 to £5 per meter, and I think used 3 meters of each, or it may have been 4. Some people have done away with the return line, but you'd have to ask them about that.

[Guest Taffy Rob]

Surely a 1.6 2v won't require the return?

On mine the return was fitted to to vapour seperator and that was it, so couldn't you fit this under the boot floor, or even leave it off and fit a simple overflow pipe instead (as I have done)?

I used flexible hose throughout, I did have the donor pipe in temporarily but it was too much hassle!

Rob

[Guest Feek]

Any similar nuggets of wisdom for the fuel injection system pipes'n'plumbing?

 

I'm starting to think about exactly how I will plumb the various bits in, and pointers to pipe types, layout, problems, solutions, very much appreciated.

 

I was thinking of copper fuel lines through the tunnel, with the various flexi sizes to and from filters, pumps, connectors and regulators. Would love stainless braided throughout, but suspect that might blow the budget...

 

Cheers,

[Jon Bradbury]

I tried to get a suitable copper hose locally but failed - no one had any. I ended up with a plastic fuel hose similar to what was on the donor. It is very easy to use, lay and clip into place, but it has no identification markings that I can see that would indicate its suitability - so I wonder if it will fail the SVA. Works, though. I think its 4mm in diameter and I use it for both the flow and return.

[Guest Julian B]

Hi

 

I used the cotton over braided rubber tube which if you are using the EFI engine you should remember that there is a fuel return line back to the tank, so you will to purchase enough to go front to back twice. On the subject of clipping pipes etc i would leave the tunnel side panel off until you have all brake pipes, electrics, fuel lines and the hand brake sorted out. If you decide to place the hand brake on the tunnel top you may need to move some of the clipped pipes/wires to accommodate the two mounting bolts .

 

Hope that helps

[Guest Feek]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

I've run the brake pipe along the driver's tunnel side (on the inside ), so that I "only" need to take the passenger tunnel sides off for access.

 

For fuel lines, I had the bright(?) idea of using some "L" or "U" section aluminium or steel on the floor, within the tunnel. Fuel lines clipped inside the channel - keeps everything tidy, and means that 1) access is by removing one side only, and 2) the fuel lines are partly encased to protect them more.

 

This might be overkill!

 

Cheers,

[Jon Bradbury]

Well, Feek, if your fuel lines are going to be damaged it'll be by the propshaft, which (if you're doing any speed at all) is going to be the least of your worries. My nightmare scenario is the propshaft getting bent or twisted, coming off the joint at the gearbox end and flapping about inside the tunnel whilst being driven by the car's momentum. We are talking serious injuries here, if it punctures the suddenly-very-thin-looking tunnel sidewall.

 

Not very likely but I am sure it has happened in the past.

[Guest jwaterman]

I used the plastic flexi pipes off of a Vauxhall Astra. They are both exactly the same size as the plastic pipes on the ford sender unit. I also used the pipe clips of of the astra. This make the fitting very easy. The main feed needs to be the bigger size. If you use the 4mm return pipe as the main feed uoi will suffer from fuel stavation. To join the astra plastic pipes to the fuel pump and tank etc use rubber fuel hose and jubilee clips. (before anyone says this does seal and it does not collapse the plastic pipe!! as this is done on all astras) As for Mr Sva man i had no problems with this. I do not use the return pipe as have a 32/36 dgas. but fitted just incase change to something different.

Cost of pipe and clips £2 BARGIN saves the hassel of bending copper pipe and using large P clips for the rubber hose.

 

Hope this helps

John

[Guest timswait]

On the subject of whether you need a return: I've got a 1.6 2v in my car. On the Sierra there was a return. When I put the engine into the hood I left the return on and it ran terribly. This was largely due to a knackered fuel pump being unable to push fuel around the return. Taking the return off made it run fine for 6 months til the fuel pump finally expired. When I put a new fuel pump on I re fitted the return as I thought it might force too much fuel into the carb without it. I've had one or two more splutters so I took it off and touch wood it's now running OK. I think basically if the other components in the system are good then you're probably best with the return, if they're less than perfect you're probably best without it. Not using it doesn't do any real harm, but it could push up fuel consumption, but I haven't noticed much.

[Longboarder]

My local central heating engineers were happy to sell 6mm and 8mm copper pipe.

 

Nigel