Fuel pipe failing

[Cello]

Just a caution..
I was looking around the engine bay today (I do occasionally!) and saw this. It's the fuel pipe by the fuel filter. The pipe is labelled "Suitable for Unleaded Petrol 2011". As you can see it's not failed - the internal bit is OK but it's beginning to show worrying signs after 14 years. So fellow staggers do have a look at your fuel lines every now and then. I was responsible for fitting it so no one else to blame!

[Lingen]

Cello.
A sensible warning, but I think you are expecting a bit too much after 14 years in a hot engine bay. No rubber can really be expected to last that long. I would check the other rubber sections of the pipe to the tank, and those on top of the tank as well.
Mike.

[V8burble]

I change mine every two years and insulate with heat shield recommend Codan J30 R9 ethanol spec

[DJT]

This is a worrying element of the 'MOT Exempt' ruling. Fuel hose should be considered a service consumable and changed every few years. With today's fuel in mind, I fitted this a couple of years ago (also available in 6mm - 1/4") and it still looks like new:

https://www.carbuilder.com/products/ethanol-proof-fuel-hose-8mm?_pos=1&_fid=82999e92f&_ss=c

DON'T buy eBay cr*p!

[flying farmer]

I have just fitted some Cohline fuel injection hose to my Stag today.

I have used some before and it seems to last a lot better than a lot of stuff, I try to buy stuff from reputable suppliers, but the rate of deterioration is awful on some stuff.

The lot I removed today has been on about 3 years and the outer layer had multiple cracks. That was an improvement on the stuff I bought from Halfords that needed replacing on an annual basis.

There is a big price difference, £25/ metre against about £5/m for the cheap stuff, and I need about 3/4m to link up all the fuel rails and pressure regulator. Having once experienced an under bonnet fire due to the hose bursting on a reconditioned fuel injector, I am very careful about keeping an eye on things.

What does surprise me is that I use the same size fuel hose for some of the coolant plumbing and it doesn't deteriorate in the same way despite being exposed to hot water rather than cool petrol. I can only assume that the inner layer is slightly permeable and this allows the contents of the fuel to attack the outer layer.

[Philip Wardle]

I looked at the SAE J30 specification and concluded that for carburettor fuel systems the SAE J30R14 specification offers the same benefits, including low permability, as SAE J30R09 but at lower cost, so bought some SAE J30R14. I managed to find some Gates Barricade, this appears to be the source favoured by some. This brand is nice to use and looks good, it has been on the car for three months - time will tell how it performs.

[nigele]

I fitted Gates 3225 hose back in 2019, and there are still no signs of any cracking. I had previously used several unbranded R6/R9/high pressure types which barely lasted a year.

I’ve also had good results with the Gates Barricade hose on my MGB, the only issue is that I have with this hose is that I have had several leaks at joints so have had to do up the clips very tight. I think it’s because this hose has a hard coating on the inside of the liner so it’s harder to get a good seal. It might be difficult to get this type of hose to seal on the nylon fuel pipes on the Stag as the clips needed to be very tight. Not so much of a problem on the MG with metal fuel pipes.

Nigel

[Philip Wardle]

Hi Nigel, yes that's fair comment re the Gates Barricade hose. I also found that the clips need to very tight - actually for any brand of hose I found it helps to push one of these ferrules into the plastic fuel pipe, I then insert the pipe into the hose so that the clip aligns with the ferrule. The ferrule allows you to clamp very tight without the plastic pipe collapsing. The ferrules are available on Ebay, e.g. "6mm Tube OD Brass Compression Sleeve Insert Brass Ferrule Fitting".

Screenshot 2025-08-10 at 21.19.50.png

[richardthestag]

any fuel hose, maximum of 10 years and even that is on borrowed time. They are stamped up with month and year for very good reason, if they are not then change them asap

Don't forget the short hose section at the bottom of the bulkhead where the fuel line that runs under the car joins to the line that runs up the bulkhead to the filter

[Luigi]

This is a worrying element of the 'MOT Exempt' ruling. Fuel hose should be considered a service consumable and changed every few years. With today's fuel in mind, I fitted this a couple of years ago (also available in 6mm - 1/4") and it still looks like new:

https://www.carbuilder.com/products/ethanol-proof-fuel-hose-8mm?_pos=1&_fid=82999e92f&_ss=c

DON'T buy eBay cr*p!

Hi Dave,
can you use this pipe all the way from the tank? Need to renew all mine on the car
luigi

[Goldstar]

any fuel hose, maximum of 10 years and even that is on borrowed time. They are stamped up with month and year for very good reason, if they are not then change them asap

Don't forget the short hose section at the bottom of the bulkhead where the fuel line that runs under the car joins to the line that runs up the bulkhead to the filter

There’s a similar piece at the rear where the pipe does a 90 under the lh side of the boot floor

[Goldstar]

Hi Dave,
can you use this pipe all the way from the tank? Need to renew all mine on the car
luigi

Under the car is the hard nylon pipe Luigi.

[Luigi]

Thanks Goldstar
so hard nylon pipe from tank to filter in engine bay, then this rubber line to carbs?

luigi

[DJT]

Hard nylon pipe ends against the front bulkhead, near the fuse box. Then 8mm rubber to the filter, 8mm rubber from filter to T-piece in front of carbs, then 6mm rubber from T-piece to both carbs. There is also a short length of 8mm joining the nylon pipe under the car near the differential.

[Luigi]

Thanks Dave,
that helps to plan my pipe line, are they all joined by circlips ? Is there a scetch of this anywhere?
luigi