Check your fuel lines

[SpyderMike]

I was prepping my car to head to the smog station after a 3 years off and on again backdate project:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/819396-so-how-backdate-project-starts.html

Started it up and pulled back to find a nice trail of drips. Put my finger in it and smelled fuel. Checked up at the splash shield and it was the high pressure line from the fuel pump. It had failed me before in 2008 and I had it repaired at a known local Porsche shop.

What I found is that , although they used cheap clamps, that wasn't where the leak originated. The hose material itself was disintegrating. This was Continental COHLINE 2134 .0600 fuel injection fuel line. It lasted less than 9 years while the car sat most of the time. Yikes.







I think I will patch it again so that I can drive it, smog it, align it, and wait on new fuel lines. Coincidently, I was just emailing back and forth yesterday and today with Len about new fuel lines...

Be safe out there!

[2jmotorsports]

Man that is nuts. You think fuel ethanol content had anything to do with it?

[SalParadise]

I've noticed as of late, that many lines I have replaced on my cars and on motorcycles - high quality like Continental - have been cracking like this as well. Wonder if it's all made in China lines or bootleg lines - or just cheap quality - but mine have lasted less than 9 years. More like 5.

[Lyle O]

For the record, COHLINE is an independent company, not related to Continental. It could be possible that Conti is buying and rebranding COHLINE hose, though. COHLINE production for these hoses is primarily in Eastern Europe (Romania and Czech Republic). There have been issues with COHLINE quality before and, personally, I would avoid them. If your hose was actually a Conti, I would be more surprised at this failure, but it happens. Ethanol is an issue, but typically at 10% or less this shouldn't be a big deal. If your gas has 15% E, that's another matter...

[brighton911]

Those don't look like the fuel injection type clamps I bought for my car, are you sure those rated for FI?

[ChrisBennet]

What's cheap about those clamps? They look similar to the Norma brand which I thought were pretty decent. TORRO® | NORMA Group

[KNS]

It makes you wonder about where to source quaility fuel injection line.

Several years ago I replaced some fuel line on my 2004 BMW daily driver. I was replacing the fuel filter and even though the associated fuel line wasn’t leaking I figured it was pretty old by that point. I purchased ethanol safe fuel line from the local parts store.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and that replaced fuel line was leaking, deteriorating from the inside out. However, all the other original fuel line on the car with 218,000 miles on it is still leak free. I’m starting to think that dealer only fuel line might be the safer option.

[Lake Guy]

Well you have me wondering what I have now. Last year I bought a replacement from our host and put in on the shelf. I have been waiting intil I got the engine out - which I have now done. I’ll see what brand I bought.

I have a buddy who runs a Heavy Duty and Marine shop and he’s always pulling fuel and hydraulic hose out of boxes and cutting to length and crimping ends on to suit. He uses Parker products which are very good. I thought that was over kill but if the line I bought is Cohline then maybe I should consider it. My car definitely sits more than drives and I won’t want to do this line twice in 10 years.

Are there better lines available for our cars? Other brands that are specifically made.

[brighton911]

ChrisBennet I didn't say they were cheap. However, I do think gear type clamps are not used for fuel injection purposes. Google seems to agree but please correct me if I am off base.

[BoxsterGT]

Even the well known hose brands we have always considered as tops do not stand up to todays fuel.

I can say from experience, the only hose that should be used on any vehicle driven today with the crap fuel we are forced to buy is one that is E-85 rated.

AND, who knows actually how long these will last as well. The Aircraft industry sets a very short lifetime for all rubber products, especially fuel hose.

Just a fact of life.

Len

[KNS]

The Norma clamps are the exact clamps used from the factory on my BMW fuel lines.

[DRACO A5OG]

For cars with the evap boxes, check the evap lines those if pretty original or older will leak. Ask me how I know :-)

[3rd_gear_Ted]

Precision Motorwerks of Fullerton fabbed me all new metric AN-6 fuel lines with the required metric fittings.
JEGS has the 044 style fuel pumps for $165.00, keep a spare in your frunk

[BoxsterGT]

Look for a post here on a replacement factory fuel line for a 3.2 motor.

It must have been on the dealer shelf for years and failed within 6 mos if I remember correctly.

Periodic inspections are essential if we want to assure long life.

Len

[SpyderMike]

They clamps were cutting into the hose at the small screws thread cutouts in the band due to over-tightening. This was not the source of the leak...the leak was the deteriorating hose

On further inspection the clamps I took off are marked "GEMi - Germany" on the clamps.

Found this on the innertube:
"Gemi is a brand of a Swedish company called ABA, ...They merged with a German company to form the NORMA Group and now only use the Gemi name in the Chinese market. "

[brighton911]

KNS Kurt, thanks for input on Norma clamps, that's the beauty of our forum.

[KNS]

Plenty of Norma clamps found on our old 911s as well.

[SpyderMike]

I went to the local PepBoys and found CADNA Armour Mark 50087 5/16" (7.9mm) fuel injection hose. This is supposed to meet SAE J30 R9 for ethanol fuel use. It is rated to 6.9 bar (100 psi working pressure). I am going to give it a try. That 0.4mm larger inner diameter doesn't seem to matter too much as it still fits real snug over the fitting.

[Oneredspyder]

I had to replace all the fuel lines on my other car, Healey 3000, after less than 8 years. I use the highest quality I can find. I had a small leak in one, and upon examining others found they were all going south, so I did the entire car. The Carrara is next.
If you have a car more than 10 years it is standard maintenance, I think. Check your flex brake lines also.
86 Carrara
66 Healey

[evan9eleven]

Heh... my lines are almost 37 years old, so they're getting replaced. Kinda overdue!

So glad I've got a full new set on the way from Len (BoxsterGT here on the forum.) I definitely recommend emailing him, he'll get you fixed up!