Fuel pipe removal - help!

[grogee]

How the ____ do you get the fuel pipes out of the top of the tank (presumably the pump assembly)?

I've tried squeezing the collars and pulling upwards but I'm at the point where if I pull any harder I'm going to snap something.

Is there a good trick to release them (and don't say warm them with a blowtorch!!!)

Also: I pulled off the metal C-clip that retains the electrical connector and it disappeared to God knows where. Is there a suitable replacement anyone can think of?

 

[mmc757]

I've used a piece of steel wire to temporarily replace those spring clips before. Just until a correct replacement could be found.

 

[grogee]

Thanks. There's one on ebay for £10!!! Thieving scoundrels. I will try and fashion something from wire. Just need to find a template, I think the throttle body clip is similar.

 

[red]

I've never done it, but which bit are you pulling up after squeezing the tabs? I've read in two places, here and elsewhere that you squeeze the tabs with some downward pressure then lift the pipe out.

I managed to get them off in the end. As you said squeeze the tabs pushing the collars down and pulling the cables out. Very fiddly!

The collar with the 2 'buttons' serves 2 purposes - its a dust cover and it is used to depress the central sleeve with the metal teeth which grip the pipe. This sleeve is in a taper so pulling the pipe only makes the teeth engage tighter -thats how it holds under pressure.
If the pipe is forcibly pulled out without releasing these teeth it will most likely get scored or damaged and will then not form a seal when re-inserted.
The trick I was shown at the weekend is that you press the 2 tabs in to release the dust cover - it comes up by about a 2 mm. Now the tricky bit - you have to press in the 2 buttons again whilst also pressing the collar downwards - this pushes the central sleeve down in its taper, releasing the teeth and allowing the pipe to be gently pulled out without damage.
It took me several attempts and helps if someone else can pull the pipe whilst you press the collar but I found that after 5 or so attempts the pipe just lifts out!
Hope this is helpfull to anyone else who is struggling or has damaged the pipe by just yanking it off!

Also a video which kind of shows it here

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsjTmHmAvaM[/youtube]

 

[grogee]

Thanks very much for posting. I'll give it a try tomorrow.

 

[st220kyle]

You need to saturate the fittings in WD-40 should come off piss easy then

 

[grogee]

Well fortunately that's exactly what I did when I got fed up with it this afternoon. I thought it can't hurt so I'll soak it anyway.

 

[grogee]

Well the pipes are out but I broke both the red and the white 'round clip with tabs'. In the end once these were off I found an 8mm open ended spanner fit snugly around the pipe and allowed me to press down on the red collar.

Question is - can I get away without them when refitting? I don't think they retain the pipe, but I think they do keep dust away. Maybe I can fashion something else to keep the dust out with tape or heatshrink or something.

Meanwhile tank is out and is pretty rusty, I will get the worst off and repaint with red oxide then black glossy stuff.

 

[grogee]

Kind of tempted to throw in a new pump while I'm at this stage as I don't fancy pulling the exhaust off to get at it again.