Rubber fuel lines

Just installed some in my silver golf.  Got the correct clips and hose so hopefully it all goes well… the rubber pipes are so much easier to route.  Seen this question loads of times as to wether it works well or not…. basically I'll let you know.

If you have done this before then please post your findings here to help others.

hi spud,

let me know how it goes, cos ive just noticed one of my hard lines has sprung a leak

cheers,

james.

I had one of my metal lines perish about a year ago n just chopped that bit off n replaced with the rubber hose. I'm actually about to get the whole lot replaced today actually.
Never had a problem with the bit I replaced last year so can only go by that

Will be fine spudney

Tho had you come to me i could have done you some stainless steel fuel pipes.

It should be absolutely fine, our Mk1 polo has flexible plastic lines, afaik Mk2 golfs had the plastic lines and my old tintop had the braided line kit which is really just rubber lines with overbraid, all are very similar to using rubber hoses.

Hope it all goes swimmingly (though hopefully not in fuel!)  

LOL… hope I don't swim in the old fuel either lol.  Thanks for the replies.  Funk I had the set you kindly donated to me mate but they're a get to put in due to how they go through the body at the bottom of the drivers wheel arm.  How do you install the metal fuel lines through that part mate?  They're a nightmare lol.  Installed rubber lines up to the clip near the battery… got the ends flared that go up towards the filter.  Basicaly just push those into the rubber, clip them up then button up the other end to the filter…. hope it all goes alright…..

Fitting metal fuel pipes - hours of fiddling about, covered in fuel and cuts
Fitting rubber fuel lines - 20 minutes and get someone to flare some metal pipe for connections… sooo much easier  

Are rubber lines being used on an injection engine? I thought that the whole point of metal lines was because of the pressure, having said that, plastic lines cope so why not

yeah being used on my gti….hopefully no issues but i'll update here to help others…. either it pops or it doesn't… :dontknow: … obviously I'm hoping it doesn't  

There are composite rubber pipes on the market but you must be specific when ordering as some are rated for injection and others are not.

Also rubber hoses on the underside of a car are more vulnerable to damage if unprotected (eg speedbumps etc) than metal but on our cars they are in an indent and dont protrude below the floor pan so this is highly unlikely however they will require more clips to prevent sag.

When considering injection fuel pipes remember the pump provides a very high pressure so all metal hoses should be ribbed or flared when connecting to rubber hoses and proper fuel clips should be used and not jubilee clips that do not clamp evenly.

I used 8mm nylon air line, from a industrial hose specialist local to me it cost about £12 for 30M…… Yes CHEAP, and capable of carrying more than the required 6bar for my KR.

I consulted the manufacturer regarding its use with petrol…. No probs he said….. Once sweated on (see below) its OEM and a fraction of the cost of braided and safer than rubber, Its available in various colours and once sleeved see second pic (for added protection) will serve you fine. I did this in the engine bay to protect from heat.




This type of hose is used on many modern VW today, I know my mk3 tdi has nylon lines.

I'm liking that idea, take it that it is just heated up a bit to sleeve it over the metal end and then a fuel pipe clip put around it. Thinking tha this will be much easier to route up through the engine bay.

Buy proper airline cutters to cut the end of the tube square and without kinking.

Dip the end in boiling water, this will cause the tube to expand slightly and become more pliable.

The ends of the metal pipe are ribbed, look closely you'll see,  spray a touch of wd40 on the metal bit and offer the nylon up an push on.

Leave it cool.

Done. No need for clips.

clips will damage the nylon. And if it's Good enough for Vw on the kr engine and all the newer engines,  it's good enough for mine.

Trust me, there not budging. (the process is called sweating)

just replaced my ageing,noisey fuel pump,but now my fuel lines have sprung leaks all over,whats the easiest way of replacing them without a lift or pit and whats the best and cheapest, to replace with, metal or the braided lines....

You can use copper/Kunifer as its easier to bend however when bending it be careful on tight bends and use na former such as a a large socket and when joining to rubber flare the end on injection pump pipes (not so critical on mechanical pump pipes) and use proper fuel hose clips.

My metal pipes are not ribbed, they are just a metal pipe that has a union with a flare and this is then screwed into the hoses that come off the filter. Are the ribbed ones that are shown of perhaps a newer car? Is it possible to get a tool of some sorts that can rib the existing pipe or do you think that a flare would be enough.

Also, how do you go about connecting it to the accumulator at the other end?

The ribbed sections shown in my photos are all KR engine specific.

But if your after some ribbed sections for your (MK1 ?Pipework) then a good hose specialist should be able to supply you with an appropriate adaptor.

KdyAl said

Also, how do you go about connecting it to the accumulator at the other end?

My accumulator had a ribbed nipple on the end, which the nylon hose just pushed on to…. i'll see if I can find a pic…

Do you know if the KR setup is connectable with the filter on my 1.6 EG setup? If so I need to try and source KR pipes. This option is still attractive to me as I could get suitable plastic hose relatively cheaply compared to the price of braided hoses. I ake it yours are still holding up fine?