Scumbags cut my fuel line! How do I fix it?
Jon Thackray
so I found petrol all over the road this morning. It's a Vauxhall
Astra N-reg, and the fuel line is a blue plastic pipe under the
rear righthand door, cut with a knife probably.
Any ideas if I can fix it myself? My usual garage is busy until
next Friday. Can I get something from Halfords to patch up the
plastic tube -- what sort of pressure is there? It's just a
standard 1.4 engine, not injection. Thoughts?
Cheers,
Jon.
--
// Jon Thackray ._o
// Cambridge / //\.
// UK \>> |
// \\ http://jon.thackray.org/
Scott Morris
> Some scumbag cut my fuel line last night (parked outside my house)
> so I found petrol all over the road this morning. It's a Vauxhall
> Astra N-reg, and the fuel line is a blue plastic pipe under the
> rear righthand door, cut with a knife probably.
Strewth. Whatever next. Presumably this is the new alternative to taking
the cap off and syphoning.
> Any ideas if I can fix it myself? My usual garage is busy until
> next Friday. Can I get something from Halfords to patch up the
> plastic tube -- what sort of pressure is there? It's just a
> standard 1.4 engine, not injection. Thoughts?
If it's not injection (I didn't think people were still producing carb'd
engines to N-plate) then the only pressure on the joint is the weight of
the fuel. Some sort of double ended pipe connector should do. I'd go for
one with a good chunky barb and enough collar that you can get a couple
of jubilee clips 'before' the barb.
And I wouldn't fill the tank very full: 'they' might come back & you
don't want too much pressure on the join :-)
--
Scott - "If I knew what year it was, I wouldn't be asking."
Graham
wrote:
>Any ideas if I can fix it myself? My usual garage is busy until
>next Friday. Can I get something from Halfords to patch up the
>plastic tube -- what sort of pressure is there? It's just a
>standard 1.4 engine, not injection. Thoughts?
It will be single point injection at this year. There will be 2 or 3
pipes. fuel feed + fuel return + probably a tank breather going to a
canister under the bonnet. The second 2 should have no pressure, the
first (fuel feed), if its single point, will have a working pressure
of around 1bar (15 psi)
hth
Regards,
Graham
http://www.tuneparts.co.uk *New Site*
http://www.hglmotors.co.uk
The uk.rec.cars.maintenance FAQ
http://www.motors.freeuk.com/faq/index.htm
Pete Lucas
>
> Some scumbag cut my fuel line last night (parked outside my house)
> so I found petrol all over the road this morning. It's a Vauxhall
> Astra N-reg, and the fuel line is a blue plastic pipe under the
> rear righthand door, cut with a knife probably.
>
> next Friday. Can I get something from Halfords to patch up the
> plastic tube -- what sort of pressure is there? It's just a
> standard 1.4 engine, not injection. Thoughts?
You should be able to get a length of rubber fuel-line from
somewhere like Halfords,a nd a couple of jubilee-clips. I'd
suspect that your car *does* have injection, [N-reg?] so
there's a strong chance that there will be an in-tank
"pusher" fuel-pump - in which case you need to make sure
the pipe you use is rated for fuel-injection-system
pressures (usually several Bar/something up to 60PSI) and
that the hose-clips you use are adequate - maybe consider
using 2 clips per side to be on the safe side?
//PJML//
Matt
Pete Lucas wrote in message <39097D72...@ua.nsw.ac.uk>...
>Jon Thackray wrote:
>
>You should be able to get a length of rubber fuel-line from
>somewhere like Halfords,a nd a couple of jubilee-clips.
My local car and part shop recommended not to fit jubilee-clips but to use
special fuel line fastners instead which are essentially the same thing.
Apparently the small jubilee clips of the size used to fit fuel lines won't
be perfectly round when tightened and thus could lead to leaks.
Matt
Guy King
from "Matt" <m...@mydom.com> contains these words:
> My local car and part shop recommended not to fit jubilee-clips but to use
> special fuel line fastners instead which are essentially the same thing.
> Apparently the small jubilee clips of the size used to fit fuel lines won't
> be perfectly round when tightened and thus could lead to leaks.
What a very conscientious parts shop you have.
--
Skipweasel........one who relieves strangers of what they didn't want.
Matt
>
>What a very conscientious parts shop you have.
>
They were great, even lent me some calipers to measure the diameter of the
fuel line so that I got the right size clips.
Now you don't get that service in halfords :)
Matt
J.L.E
Matt <m...@mydom.com> wrote in message
news:x4xO4.2143$Px3....@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
>
> Pete Lucas wrote in message <39097D72...@ua.nsw.ac.uk>...
> >Jon Thackray wrote:
>
> >
> >You should be able to get a length of rubber fuel-line from
> >somewhere like Halfords,a nd a couple of jubilee-clips.
>
> special fuel line fastners instead which are essentially the same thing.
> Apparently the small jubilee clips of the size used to fit fuel lines
won't
> be perfectly round when tightened and thus could lead to leaks.
>
Yes. I'll second that, from experience...... :~(
--
--
Please note my new e-mail address. scarts@_MAPSON_lineone.net
Please remove the SPAM BLOCKER before replying by e_mail
Location.........West Sussex. United Kingdom.
Guy King
from "Matt" <m...@mydom.com> contains these words:
> Now you don't get that service in halfords :)
Which is why those of us with any sense patronise a local shop...just
to keep it going.
I could get tyres cheaper than I do, but I couldn't get the service.
David Sims
King) wrote:
> The message <e3FO4.2533$Px3....@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com>
> from "Matt" <m...@mydom.com> contains these words:
>
>
> > Now you don't get that service in halfords :)
>
> Which is why those of us with any sense patronise a local shop...just
> to keep it going.
>
Seconded, there is a Unipart garage near me. They are so helpful, order bits
for my Stag, you can talk to the mechanic and they even lent me a socket
once.
Jethro
You can get these brass compression fittings which slip round the
plastic pipe and are tightened into a housing. I've used these to
repair chafed/cut fuel lines. They will cope with quite high pressures
too. Try a gas fitters suppliers.
HTH
Jethro
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.