TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:08 am

think again.

did some more work on mine today, the three that run from the firewall fitting to the fuel rails.
I already did the injector stub hoses.

Inside the sheathing was all wet on a couple of the lines. Scary.
Glad I got it done. But I am wiped out from leaning over the engine and messing with that stuff.

what you can't see under the protective sheathing,

the area around the bleeder screw, all wet with fuel . . .

this is the hose that runs from the firewall fitting under the intake plenum to the bleeder screw junction fitting. It gets pretty ugly under there. I ran the new hose over the top, $0.10 style.

after,

note the line runs on top of the plenum, where you can see it.
Also not the missing bolts on the crankcase breather. Somebody gave up trying to replace them with the fuel lines in the previous location.
that's the next project.

Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:08 am

Thanks for the post. Very timely. My new fuel lines just arrived yesterday afternoon. My existing ones LOOK FINE! So I'm pretty sure I need to replace them.

My new upper ball joints also arrived, and yesterday I sourced the bits and pieces to relocate my OP sender into the engine compartment. My remote oil cooler setup eliminated the engine tin that the sender used to mount to. The zip-tie'ed sender to the oil lines is making me nervous.

Should be a fun weekend.

:)

Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:20 am

Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:14 am

That's how mine looked (in your before pictures).
It was definitely time.
Felt good doing this work. :D

Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:36 am

This is probably a good time to ask a question that has always (well...since I bought a V'gon) plagued me:

Like changing the oil or packing the CV joints, is there a "recommended" replacement date/mileage for the fuel lines, i.e. "they look fine but it's time to change 'em anyway"?

I did mine about a year ago so I'm OK for "a while" but when is that "a while" over?

Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:46 am

MootPoint wrote: I did mine about a year ago so I'm OK for "a while" but when is that "a while" over?

Well, here is a data point. I just replaced my lines after 6 years with the Van-Cafe kit (this thread lit a fire under my ass, so to speak). The lines that i pulled out were also V-C and easily looked like they had more life in them (confidence booster!).

So i'd venture to say that 6 years with the Van-Cafe kit is totally safe, and possibly up to 10. For the $50 and a couple hours it takes to replace the lines, though, i may just stick to a 5-ish year replacement interval, so 2014 is my next one :wink: .

Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:21 am

240Gordy wrote:

hmmm those cooolant line looks like they are hanging in what with all the direction force on the plastic T :)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=340304&start=20

Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:22 am

where does this start? do you replace the lines behind the firewall (i.e. just in the engine compartment)?

or do you need to crawl underneath and replace lines from the fuel tank to the firewall?

I'm not clear on what is rubber & what is metal on the fuel lines...

Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:28 am

Replace all fuel hoses(rubber) from tanks to motor back to tank, period. Then you are done and can relax.

Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:31 am

When I recently replaced my lines, I was initially confused by the plastic lines that run the majority of the motor to tank distance. The rubber lines tie into these. Do the plastic lines ever need replacing as a matter of regular maintenance?

Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:35 am

randywebb wrote: where does this start? do you replace the lines behind the firewall (i.e. just in the engine compartment)?

or do you need to crawl underneath and replace lines from the fuel tank to the firewall?

I'm not clear on what is rubber & what is metal on the fuel lines...

In my opinion one of the most dangerous hose is the one from the fuel pump back towards the engine. When a fire starts in the engine compartment, it will work forward along this hose (and the return hose) and catch the gas tank on fire. Then all is lost. On my 91 I have replaced both the supply and return hoses with steel line and have done the supply so far on my 83 1/2 as well. Make the connection between the rubber and the steel as high in the engine compartment as is reasonably possible to lessen the likely hood of gravity feeding the fire.

Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:36 am

it is all rubber from the pump back as far as I know. I did crawl under and have a look at the area around the filter and pump and it looks good. It is not so much an harsh environment there. I will do this area soon, I have to pace myself . . .

The fitting on the firewall is plastic and gets brittle with age. If you are not ready to replace it be very careful getting the old line off.

If you look at the photo You will see I have not done the return side yet. Plan to do that soon as well.

Ben has an excellent write-up and photos on his site. Also have a look at Tencentlife's beter wasserboxer ad for ideas on routing your new lines.

And yup, the plastic junction for the coolant hoses is holding up okay, It just kind of hangs there. The hoses hold it in a sort of equilibrium.

Then there is all those messy wires too clean up, and the oil pressure problem . . .

Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:40 am

[quote="Wildthings"] randywebb wrote: When a fire starts in the engine compartment, it will work forward along this hose (and the return hose) and catch the gas tank on fire.

I wonder if there is a way to retro-fit a non-return system and have some sort of cut-off on the supply line, or if simply having good quality hoses in good condition is enough risk management?

Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:06 pm

Wildthings wrote: randywebb wrote: where does this start? do you replace the lines behind the firewall (i.e. just in the engine compartment)?

or do you need to crawl underneath and replace lines from the fuel tank to the firewall?

I'm not clear on what is rubber & what is metal on the fuel lines...

In my opinion one of the most dangerous hose is the one from the fuel pump back towards the engine. When a fire starts in the engine compartment, it will work forward along this hose (and the return hose) and catch the gas tank on fire. Then all is lost. On my 91 I have replaced both the supply and return hoses with steel line and have done the supply so far on my 83 1/2 as well. Make the connection between the rubber and the steel as high in the engine compartment as is reasonably possible to lessen the likely hood of gravity feeding the fire.

I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POSTING BY WILDTHINGS. THAT IS ONE LINE THAT SOME FORGET TO REPLACE.
THANKX FOR THE HEADSUP WILDTHINGS.............
YES I KNOW IM SHOUTING

Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:14 pm

I have seen a fire in a conventional car. It started in the engine compartment, it was just smoke when we first saw it (on the highway beside Loch Lamond in Scotland, just a spring day onlevel smooth road, who knows eh?)

Unless the fire department was there with mega-foam or whatever that car was a goner either way. there is so much flammable stuff in a car, if you can't get a fire extingusher on it right away get the heck away.

Some people didn't want to wait for the fire to burn down or the fire department to arrive, they drove by the burning car within feet of the flames.
Crazy.

Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:30 pm

I just went and did a visual inspection of mine. They look good and clean and pliable. Some are original and some have just been replaced. (Van is a '91)
It was just gone through by a very reputable vanagon mech and he replaced lots of stuff. I was mainly looking for mechanics tracks in the engine compartment to see what was actually replaced.

Anyways, I couldn't find the "firewall fitting" that I've seen pics of and are prone to failure. I'm thinking mine may have been replaced. The fuel line goes through a rubber grommet in the sheet metal. Am I missing something?

Edit: Nevermind, found it under there.

Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:42 pm

Not to hijack your thread but back when i sold machine tools there was a fire system we put on any machine that was using oil as a coolant.
The system was a fire bottle with a valve that had a plastic tube you put were you thought the fire may start. When the fire hit the tube it broke and released the fire bottle, putting out the fire. It was a Halon system so there was no crud in the machines.

Any one using or has seen a similar system?? Its been years since iv delt with one.

In doing my suby conversion I looked at a lot of older Subaru's and didnt see any problem with there fuel lines. Is there a better fuel line that can be used on the vanagons???

jcl

Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:44 pm

buildyourown wrote: I just went and did a visual inspection of mine. They look good and clean and pliable. Some are original and some have just been replaced. (Van is a '91)
Yikes. If your van's a '91 and "some are original" then "some" of your lines are nearly 20 y/o. Refer back to Woggs1's photo for inspiration to replace them all.

Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:47 pm

MootPoint wrote:
Yikes. If your van's a '91 and "some are original" then "some" of your lines are nearly 20 y/o. Refer back to Woggs1's photo for inspiration to replace them all.

I'm on it. This isn't a daily driver. I was just checking general condition.
I bought the van from my father-in-law and he had his mech go through and replace all sorts of things before we got it.

Thu Jun 04, 2009 1:03 pm

Exactly what MootPoint said!!!!!!!