Replacing all fuel lines?

OK so my car is in the bodyshop at the moment and upon its return I think it'd be best to replace all the supply/return fuel lines underneath the car. This is the state of the accumulator when I took it off the car:



I had to cut the braided hose in the picture as well as I couldn't undo it and frustration led me to grabbing some tin snips and cutting it.

So, I'm a complete novice with the fuel system. The tank is fine and the filler neck and everything up there is in good nick but the rest needs to all be replaced.

What are my options? What would I need? How much is it likely to cost? Is there alternative fuelling solutions to save paying stupid money at Crazy Quiffs? With all the bits I'd need im guessing it'd be close to, if not over £300 and the project is draining my wallet already.

Also, is it possible to make fuel lines at home? What would be required?

I have seen a couple of people just using flexi braided hose all the way underneath and it looks awesome so was swaying that way. Any help with links to products would be much appreciated.

I am planning to replace my fuel lines with new braided hoses, I seem to remember pricing it up at around £20 for a 3m length - which seemed reasonable, I think Smudger has replaced his

That does sound cheap. Where would you get the bits from? Got any links?

6mm ( I think )  braided fuel lines I  used , with the ends set me back about £50 ,  from eBay…. Never let me down so far … 

That's on my 1.8 clipper mind.. 

I don't think you can use braided hose below the car in case it gets damaged and leaks. Why not consider plastic pipes and re-new all the fittings while you're at it.

Plastic ones? Where from? I don't have the first idea what I'd be looking at coz I havent got my car at home to use as a guide.

I've run about 2000 miles with them now n there fine 

I would only fit the proper CQ type fuel lines with all the hydraulic banjo type ends fitted to a gti, tried all sorts of cheaper alternatives when i was a lot younger only to have constant problems, fitted the proper type to my current mk1 gti four years ago & never had any problems or smell of fuel vapour since.
cheers
baz

Plastic pipes can be sourced from the likes of Demon Tweeks etc - basically it's what all the modern cars now use and the great thing is cause they are plastic they bend virtually anywhere you need them to go.

dano999 said

I've run about 2000 miles with them now n there fine 

I'm not saying you can't use them but from a personal safety aspect I wouldn't.

I've found these on Demon Tweeks:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/performance/fuel-hose

Not really sure which but they have high pressure braided, no plastic ones.

Don't know which ones on ebay either:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=plastic+fuel+line&_osacat=131090&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xhigh+pressure+fuel+line&_nkw=high+pressure+fuel+line&_sacat=131090

Any ideas?

if you buy a decent flare tool you could go copper or kunifer. its 8mm you want for a GTI really!

I recon mk2 kjet pipes would fit ok on a mk1, but only if you fit a mk2 engien in with the metering head driver side mind.

crazyquiffs ones are (metal) braided flexi pipes, i dont see why they would be an issue really had em on my cabrio and they were really good. though they bloody should be for the money they cost

If I was going to do it again I'd make my own or go EFI so you dont need the threaded fittings everywhere

Sorry to butt into your thread, but I thought this had some relevance to a question I was going to ask, and also may sway you on the way to go.

On my 82 Gti, which I am just trying to sort, my fuel lines are leaking at where these plastic pipes join to the metal ones, now after reading this topic, I assume these are not standard (I have never touched a gti before, only had a clipper).
These have obviously been replaced in the past and now do not quite seem upto the job. Anyone know where you can replace these joins.
I may even just replace the whole lot, but want to try some more joins first

Kenno said

Sorry to butt into your thread, but I thought this had some relevance to a question I was going to ask, and also may sway you on the way to go.

On my 82 Gti, which I am just trying to sort, my fuel lines are leaking at where these plastic pipes join to the metal ones, now after reading this topic, I assume these are not standard (I have never touched a gti before, only had a clipper).
These have obviously been replaced in the past and now do not quite seem upto the job. Anyone know where you can replace these joins.
I may even just replace the whole lot, but want to try some more joins first

rough as a badger
replace the whole lot with CQ lines is my advice then have many years of trouble free fuel lines

bazmk1 said

Kenno said

Sorry to butt into your thread, but I thought this had some relevance to a question I was going to ask, and also may sway you on the way to go.

On my 82 Gti, which I am just trying to sort, my fuel lines are leaking at where these plastic pipes join to the metal ones, now after reading this topic, I assume these are not standard (I have never touched a gti before, only had a clipper).
These have obviously been replaced in the past and now do not quite seem upto the job. Anyone know where you can replace these joins.
I may even just replace the whole lot, but want to try some more joins first

rough as a badger
replace the whole lot with CQ lines is my advice then have many years of trouble free fuel lines

Yes it is a little rough aint it, was done by previous owner.
Unfortunately I don`t quite have the budget to stretch to crazyquiffs kit at the moment so I am looking for a cheaper alternative if possible for now until I do.

karmannndunc
What have you decided to go with in the end?

Anyone know what sort of connector would be suitable to connect either these plastic pipes already fitted to the car or maybe high pressure braided ones that I may replace them with, to the metal pipe coming down, or should I attempt to remove that pipe fully.

What have others done?

I still haven't decided yet but will in the next motnh or so. Car should be back from bodyshop today or tomorrow so there'll come a point where I need to install the fuel system.

I will probably make my own but what way I will be going, I don't know. I'm either going to make new ones out of copper or buy a load of braided fuel line and do it that way.

Hi sorry to butt in, I was looking to replace all the fuel lines on my 87 1.6 carb cabriolet with braided hoses too, what size tubing do I need? Thanks for any help

8mm is what you're looking at

Mine is showing rear corrosion and by the looks of it £130 from crazy quiff can't be that bad for the kit then there's no messing about,…90 1.8carb clipper

I think VW used to supply these ready formed, they came strapped to a piece of wood or something to keep the shape.

Years ago I made some (as rubjonny has suggested now) with copper, I had a complete coil and there is enough on that to have a second go if you mess one up, I know because I did. The difficult bit is the bend where they go from under the floor up into the engine bay and then behind the engine, I may have borrowed a bending tool from someone, I'm not sure, if the engine is out it would be a whole lot easier.  They do look right if you dress them in properly, the flexy braided one's always seem to wander a bit,  and they're reasonably strong. Any garage should have a flaring tool and would do the ends for you for a couple of quid, you may be able to hire one, it's dead easy to do.

The braided hose that you cut, if the ends are still okay take it to a hydraulic specialist, tell him what it's for and he should be able to crimp on a new piece of pipe for you.