Fuel pipes - what a nightmare

[ItsAnArse]

Hello all,

My Puma has been parked for ages and I've come back to it now, battery on, no fuel pump prime. Fuse blown, all else fine. Anyway, dropped the tank FINALLY after every single fixture broke. All of them. All four bolts broke the stupid click and rectangular nut system, all the plastic clips broke, all the jubilee clips busted. Anyway, I'll get the pump changed. Tank needs cleaning up, rust converter, sand, prep, paint etc.

What should I do for fuel line? This daft plastic stuff is just crap. As you can see in the picture I've cut some thing off the white thing as I couldn't get it out the tank under the car. That tube went into some box bolted to the underside of the car. Presume carbon filter/breather type deal? I'll fashion a bit of pipe for that no problem. Then we have the fuel feed and return. Those stupid 90 degree stupid ridiculous plastic bits of single use crap. I would much rather get shut and just use proper hose with jubilees.

Can you tell I'm pee'd off!!!! There's nothing going for this car at all, it's a right pain in the arse to do anything and they just rot like hell. But the way it drives makes up for it (I do love it, honest). Think I'm going to cut a hole out under the back seat, not dropping that again!!! I want it to go back in there with proper bloody hardware and proper bloody fuel pipes.

Thoughts, input of any kind very much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[grogee]

I've done something similar by inserting copper pipe of the correct diameter into the plastic fuel line then using that as a coupling point for conventional rubber pipe, together with suitable spring clips or jubilee clips.

Have a good look at your tank and decide if you might not be better off with a new one (pattern), about £80 I think. I went to all the trouble of cleaning and painting only to discover a pinhole leak caused by rusting through on nearside of tank where it's exposed to road spray.

 

[Cubatoo]

I wouldn't be brave enough to do any of that but I can tell you really love your Puma

 

[benbunny]

I had similar happen when welding in a roll cage and stupidly melted part of the line.

I fixed mine by putting normal fuel hoses over the hard plastic fuel lines a good 4 - 6 inches depth and using several decent jubilees per side.
Obviously for your red connector you'd need a new one from a scrappy to give you a decent length.

(I may still have one cut off somewhere if you need it?)

Mines been that way for a couple of years now with no issues.

Ben.

 

[John Woodward]

I replaced my fuel pump during the winter and the the quick release clips on the fuel filter didn't quick release, so I cut the pipe back, leaving the corrugated part of the connector that was actually in the pipe, then fitted E10 pipe over the plastic pipe and filter pipe, using stainless steel fuel pipe clips. I was reluctant to use copper pipe as I was concerned about possible damage being caused by Ethanol. As I was removing the tank, I left the pipes connected to the pump/sender unit, as Id had enough hassle with the fuel filter so called quick release clips and managed to replace just the fuel pump.
I was concerned that it may not be a secure enough connection, but having done over 700 miles since Monday, it all appears Ok

 

[Hugh Jass]

Thanks for the picture. Is there a right way and a wrong way for the fuel pipes to go? I am using a donor car and the old one goes to one side of the fuel filter and the donor one the other?

 

[ItsAnArse]

Thanks all for the replies, will consider them. Much appreciated.

 

[ItsAnArse]

Thanks for the picture. Is there a right way and a wrong way for the fuel pipes to go? I am using a donor car and the old one goes to one side of the fuel filter and the donor one the other?

That looks like a different pipe entirely, AFAIK they changed the fuel tanks at some point around 2000. Could this be why your pipes differ?

 

[ItsAnArse]

I've done something similar by inserting copper pipe of the correct diameter into the plastic fuel line then using that as a coupling point for conventional rubber pipe, together with suitable spring clips or jubilee clips.

Have a good look at your tank and decide if you might not be better off with a new one (pattern), about £80 I think. I went to all the trouble of cleaning and painting only to discover a pinhole leak caused by rusting through on nearside of tank where it's exposed to road spray.

Quick browse on eBay shows me £130 for a fuel tank I didn't think they made anymore. I'll be trying with this at least as it's only showing signs of corrosion on the top.

Once it goes back on, I'll be using all new hardware and pipe work that WILL be easy to get off as long as I don't leave fuel in there!

 

[ItsAnArse]

If I decide to run new fuel pipe the fuel length of the car (needs further thought), any recommendations?

 

[John Woodward]

The fuel pipes are different on early and later Puma's, the fuel filter is fitted the opposite way round.

 

[benbunny]

If I decide to run new fuel pipe the fuel length of the car (needs further thought), any recommendations?

As it's hard lines under the body, and just flexible each end I only repaired the damaged part. You'll end up having to cater for the 'easy' remove connectors at the engine end as well.

 

[ItsAnArse]

As it's hard lines under the body, and just flexible each end I only repaired the damaged part. You'll end up having to cater for the 'easy' remove connectors at the engine end as well.

Oh really! I haven’t seen past the plastic bits. That’s good news, I guess I can just put rubber hose on from that to the tank then?

 

[benbunny]

Oh really! I haven’t seen past the plastic bits. That’s good news, I guess I can just put rubber hose on from that to the tank then?

that's pretty much what I did.

 

[Waterboard]

Easy to remove connectors??
I smiled hard when I read that, I mean really…?
It’s one of those jobs that you know it will misbehave… a real SOB