Rusted fuel lines - Help!

nickb · Post by **nickb** » Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:42 pm

Hi all, having spent the evening looking at my rusty fuel lines, thinking I have a plan based on what I read in other posts I am now stuck.

Car is a 5th gen, pic below for interest, car is in a garage at Brands Hatch for a track day....

....and this is the state of lines, the metal is more like a sponge with fuel seeping out....

I read on another post that there was some success using a Crossland F30215 fuel filter which comes with plastic clips and pipes that (when chopped off the filter) should connect into the quick release connectors that connect our hard lines to the fuel pump hoses. This gives good metal from which to connect fuel hose to the first point there is good metal on the hard lines. Each end secured with fuel line clips.

This is the filter...

Problem is I cant get the connector to release, the plastic is no longer flexible, the metal has rusted and expand out and after 1 hour of scraping out rust with a tiny screw driver, poking, pulling, swearing I just cant get it to separate. I can rotate the metal pipe now but it will not separate. I already chopped the pipe to give me better angle to pull. Pic of current situation....

Has anyone had this problem releasing these connectors and got around it?
Has anyone found a suitable replacement for these connectors?
Any experience or ideas out there to help me out?

Thanks all

vtijon · Post by **vtijon** » Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:13 pm

I couldn't release the connectors on mine so I cut the connectors out completely on the flexible pipe and metal pipe.
I repaired using fuel hose and fuel clips which pushed over both the flexible and the metal pipe.
The metal pipe has plastic coating on it further forward which I had to strip back ( carefully ) in order to find rust free pipe.

Edam · Post by **Edam** » Thu Feb 25, 2021 4:19 pm

as above exactly what I ended up doing chopping both sides and using hose and clips wasn't a huge fan of the idea but it's worked so far.

Post by **Vtecmec** » Thu Feb 25, 2021 4:40 pm

For the high pressure side, I used braided hose and compression AN fittings to connect to the existing metal fuel lines.

Like this:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/compress ... lsrc=aw.ds

For the low pressure return I used normal hoses and circlips.

Been good for a decade now.

stinkypaul · Post by **stinkypaul** » Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:04 am

@nickb did you get this sorted?
I think it must have been my thread you saw.
I have some fuel clip pliers that I got from Amazon; they helped a bit. Other than that it was wd40 and persistence that got the connectors out.
I wanted to preserve the original pipes but it sounds like other people have managed fine with cutting both ends.

nickb · Post by **nickb** » Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:44 pm

Thanks chaps for the input. @stinkypaul i could not separate the rusty old pipe from the connector so i just cut off the connector and clamped hose on at both ends. I had time pressure to get something done in the 10 day MOT retest window, this was enough and so far its holding out fine. That said its a track car and the last thing i want to risk is a leak onto nice hot brakes somewhere round Brands....so i have some properly rated braided hoses and connectors coming with plan to fit compression fittings on the hard-line and have a single braided hose right back to the pump. Once done and assuming it all connects up ok ill document the parts in this thread and post some pics.

nickb · Post by **nickb** » Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:32 pm

All fixed

This was the temp fix to get it through the MOT in the 10 day retest window while I worked out something more permanent. Halfords fuel hose (which as it turns out does not have the correct rating for the ethanol content) clamped onto the hose coming down from the pump and clamped again on to the hard lines where I cut them. Was working fine but I wanted more substantial connections.

This is what I bought as the permanent fix. OEM style quick release connections direct onto the fuel pump pipes -> AN fitting -> Braided fuel hose -> compression fitting via adapter.

Here it is all connected up, pump end....

hard line end...

To finish it off some tape around the tiny bit of exposed hard line at the new fittings to protect it from future rust and some foam from the original hose to stop the new hose rubbing on the edge of the fuel tank.

Parts list.
https://www.advocultmotorsport.co.uk/pr ... spp-female (with AN6 adapter)
https://www.advocultmotorsport.co.uk/pr ... ct-adaptor
https://www.advocultmotorsport.co.uk/pr ... -assembled (AN6 - 1 with straight connectors at both ends. 1 with straight connector at one end and 90 degree connector at the other)

Maybe the temp fix would have been fine and certainly a lot cheaper but I feel much happier with this repair.

Hopefully this helps someone.

Post by **Vtecmec** » Wed Mar 10, 2021 11:14 am

Looks neat. Nice fix.

Post by **vanzep** » Thu Mar 11, 2021 5:12 pm

Great write up