Replace Those Fuel Hoses! | FerrariChat

Replace Those Fuel Hoses!

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Dom, Jan 31, 2004.

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  1. Dom

    Dom F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 5, 2002
    8,475
    #1 Dom, Jan 31, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    A few weeks ago, I noticed that when I jacked up my car with a full tank of gas, lots of fuel spilled out of one of the hoses coming from the top of the fuel tank. Finally went about replacing them today with new 5/16 fuel hose. I'm glad I did it. So, just a reminder out there to those of you that haven't checked your fuel hoses in a while- go do it.

    The hose connecting the tanks has been replaced recently (a year ago) as well as the fuel filler hose. Most other hoses look like they are in decent condition, but I will try to take some time to inspect and check out some of my other fuel hoses.

    Dom
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  2. Dom

    Dom F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 5, 2002
    8,475
    #2 Dom, Jan 31, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  3. enjoythemusic

    enjoythemusic F1 World Champ

    Apr 20, 2002
    10,676
    Worldwide
    Full Name:
    Steven
    Dom,

    EXCELLENT POST! Many folks here have 3x8's and their hoses could be DECADES OLD and are a time bomb waiting to explode. Yes some hoses are $$$, but watching your Ferreri burn the the ground or a major oil leak cause the engine to lock up...

    During the recent 60k on the 1985 Euro 308GTS QV they replaced whatever was suspect and then some. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Or should that read a few hundred in hoses is worth a still driveable $45k Ferrari?

    MANY THANKS DOM for the reminder to all.

    Enjoy the Drive,

    Steven R. Rochlin
     
  4. 308GTS

    308GTS Formula 3

    Dec 27, 2001
    2,223
    TN
    I agree completely. When I was rebuilding my carbs my fuel lines that feed the carbs looked new on the outside. I then looked inside them. They were all cracked, everyone of them. Mnay cracks too. So just because a hose looks good on the outside doesn't mean it isn't falling apart inside. I like the sound of that line.
     
  5. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    12,661
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    One of the first things I did, replacing all the hoses of all kinds.
     
  6. kdross

    kdross Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 10, 2002
    887
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Ken
    Does anyone have a list with part numbers for all of the fuel hoses in a 308QV that need to be replaced?

    Ken
     
  7. flashman

    flashman Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 5, 2004
    483
    Star Valley, Arizona
    Full Name:
    William Rappaport
    Steven,

    I absolutely agree with you 100%! I went through the same situation last month. My 81 308GTSi started leaking gas from the hose to the aux tank. The hose looked new, but was rotted from the inside out. I pulled every hose off the car and relpaced them, and I mean every one! The car only has 28K miles and I bought it new. I never have replaced a hose on it because nothing ever failed before. We really do have to check and replace the rubber goods on a regular basis regardless of how they may appear outwardly.

    WilliamR
     
  8. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
    3,887
    Chicago-Phoenix-L.A.
    Full Name:
    Frank
    Man o man,that is so important! How many times have you seen an ad for a Ferrari "For Sale" that have burned? Or,check out www.wreckedexotics.com sometime. Or www.italianauto.com There's an '86 328 in this months Hemmings For Sale,that says;" Red/Black.55,000miles. Fire damage in rear.Sacrifice-Make offer.(Michigan)" What a Bummer. All could be avoided with a few bucks in hoses,AND replace the clamps too!
     
  9. Mike Florio

    Mike Florio Formula Junior

    Jun 19, 2003
    592
    NW Rural Nevada
    Full Name:
    Mike Florio
    The best fuel hoses I have found come from the BMW dealer. They have them specially made, and sell them over the counter in the correct metric sizes by the foot. I'll swear by them, I've even got them installed in my 1971 International Harvester pick-em-up. If you've ever seen a car go up in flames you become a believer. (Never one of mine)

    I also use and recommend Gates Green Stripe hose for the coolant circuit.
     
  10. Dave328

    Dave328 Formula 3

    Nov 24, 2002
    2,133
    Katy
    Full Name:
    Dave
    It's about time to do this on my 328. Has anybody changed all the fuel hoses and kept track of how much of what sizes are needed? It'd be nice to have it all ready to go before pulling them off.

    Dave
     
  11. LSU348

    LSU348 Formula 3

    Dec 19, 2003
    1,047
    Sugar Land
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Dom,

    Were those out of your GT4? That is scary. I just got my 308QV and want to replace all the fuel hoses ASAP. Oil hoses are all new from recent service.

    Will Prob get my hoses from BMW N Houston similar to the other poster's recommendations. Good stuff.

    -Mike


     
  12. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
    10,213
    San Antonio
    Full Name:
    Russ Turner
    Just replaced all my fuel hoses - very inexpensive and well worth the money for safety. Be sure you get the appropriate high pressure rated hose if fuel injected.

    Vintage fuel hose trivia - T Rutlands told me that the yellow spiral wrapped fuel hose on the older single cam V-12s is $5.60 - PER INCH!!
     
  13. LSU348

    LSU348 Formula 3

    Dec 19, 2003
    1,047
    Sugar Land
    Full Name:
    Mike
    That kind of pricing really makes you wonder how much those 100 pt uber concourse cars cost their owners.

    How accessible are the (308) fuel hoses over the tanks? I have not had an eyeball on them yet. I suspect it is going to be a knuckle buster.

     
  14. Dom

    Dom F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 5, 2002
    8,475
    Yep. Straight out of the GT4. I'm glad I finally replaced them. On the GT4, access is not that bad. Remove the wheel, then remove the wheelwell surround (maybe 6 screws), and you have access. Should be similar on the other 308 cars.

    If you have a fuel injected car, you must use the high pressure hose (i.e., from the BMW dealer as per Mike Florio's post). Mine is a carbed car, so I got the stuff from kragen- 5/16" (stamped 5/16" or 7.9 mm on the hose). I bought 3 feet of hose, hose clamps (8), and a hot wheels car for my daughter for $10.

    Dom
     
  15. ShanB

    ShanB Formula Junior

    Jul 9, 2003
    547
    Tejas/Europe/Desert
    Full Name:
    shanb
    Bravo Dom!
    Thanks for sharing & great job.
     
  16. Peter

    Peter F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 21, 2000
    6,430
    B.C., Canada
    Dom, those are the exact same hoses that blew in my car, shortly after I bought it! Filled too much with gas once and it was pouring out of those hoses! Left a huge puddle on the ground of the gas station! Scared the Hell out of me (back then I had just heard/read of the horror stories of fires with 308's. I just bought the car and didn't want to lose it so soon!).
     
  17. Dale

    Dale F1 Veteran

    Oct 7, 2003
    5,211
    uk
    Full Name:
    Dale Juan
    Hi all, vauxhall (gm)in the uk used that wovern coverd hose on there cars in the uk,we allways changed it on the fuel rail feed and other areas in the engine bay during service its crap hose and it allways got brittle and leaked,we put on goodyear hose,the gates hose is ok but i just dont like gates stuff,its like timing belts DAYCO for me wouldnt touch gates belts,guys you shouldnt get fuel leaks its called preventive maintenance(service)if you DIY service or main dealer this item is just as important as doing the belts shims,its all about CHECKING EVERYTHING
    and fuel hose is just part of it and its not expensive,
    Dale.
     
  18. joeyy

    joeyy Karting

    Nov 11, 2003
    190
    long island
    Full Name:
    joe
    great thread for any f car owner. i did a complete service and engine detail recently and replaced everything.(word of advice!! check for all hoses, if they are hard to get to they probably have never been replaced!!!) i used cloth braided hose from mercedes and have some left .f anyone needs some.e-mail me and i will see what i have left.
     
  19. peajay

    peajay Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2002
    454
    near Paris, France
    Full Name:
    Paul
    Joeyy

    Do you remember what lengths you bought ? I need to do my 328 and would like to buy it in advance so I can replace it as I remove each piece.
    thx
    Paul
     
  20. JeffMN

    JeffMN Rookie

    Jan 18, 2004
    28
  21. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
    3,887
    Chicago-Phoenix-L.A.
    Full Name:
    Frank
    Yup! That must be the same one thats in Hemmings. What a Bummer!!!
     
  22. robertgarven

    robertgarven F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Feb 24, 2002
    5,269
    Ventura, California
    Full Name:
    Robert Garven
    Dom,

    Those hoses you show are from the US fuel tank ventilation/ carbon BS. I have found although correct the cloth covered hoses will not stand up to the CA O2 gas. I am still using them on the airpump and crossover from the valve covers but swithed to a BMW Ca rated fuel hose long ago. tip: If you use alcohol you can take the BMW lettering of the hose makes it look better! Most important are the carb and lower crossover hoses as well ase the large gas cap to tank fuel hose usually forgotten!

    Rob
     
  23. 8valve

    8valve Formula 3

    Sep 3, 2003
    1,029
    Netherlands
    Full Name:
    Mick A.
    About a year and a half ago(I just got the car three months before that), I was at a BBQ party with some friends. In the previous three weeks I had occasionally smelled fuel odors during driving, and also directly after a ride. I had tried to locate the source, but could not find it visually. At the party, some friends wanted to see the engine of my 308, so I opened the rear decklid and fired her up. I could smell the gas again, but three carnuts could not see anything leaking. Until I stopped the engine but left the ignition on(so the fuelpump kept on going). Looking through the gap of the open rearlid and the rear window, I suddenly discovered a small river of fuel running from where the fuel line coming from the pump runs up the front side of the engine to the carbs. It was literally pouring onto the hot exhaust manifold. For a period of three weeks this car should have burnt to the ground every time I took her out.And even at a BBQ it did not ignite....
    I had all the fuel hoses replaced. I wanted to stick to originality by using the canvas braided hose, but was told that however nice it looks, it is hard to detect when it starts to deteriorate. So instead I used a good quality 'regular' rubber hose, except for the bit that is visible and makes a half loop from under the airbox, on the tail-end side of the car.
    Also, just recently I had all the rubber coolant hoses in the car replaced with silicone hose and new ss clamps. The condition of the hoses that came off was absolutely shocking. I feel much more relaxed now driving the car.
     
  24. M.James

    M.James F1 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2003
    2,721
    Worcester, MA
    Full Name:
    Michael.C.James
    This post is hitting me home.....I just purchased my car and drove it across five states (SC, from Dallas TX) this weekend. During fuel ups, I smelled gas but it went away as I drove. After getting home and putting the car in my newly painted garage, I noticed a puddle on the floor that looked like oil. Today, I brought the car back over from a friends house and noticed a dripping from under the car - figuring it to be mild oil seepage, I placed a pan under the car and then noticed the smell....the liquid was now clear, not dark as before. A slow drip was happening from the right rear of the car near the wheel well. About 3-4 tablespoons of dirty gasoline had fallen into the pan in about an hour and 15 mins, then the leak stopped.

    I have a real good idea that the return fuel lines are loose/leaking, but since my wheels were probably installed with a high-torque air wrench, I cannot remove it by-hand right now - I'll try tomorrow, but if no-go I'm taking the car straight to the shop. I may need to have it flatbedded, since the thought of driving the car scares the hell out of me right now......
     

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