Replacing fuel line with body etc and ancillaries in place

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Any advice on replacing the fuel line on a S4 Elan with the body still in place, plus all ancillaries? I've considered passing a wire down the existing plastic pipe as a guide wire and then pulling the old plastic pipe out leaving the guide wire in situ to act as a guide for the new metal pipe line through. I'm considering using Strimmer cord, very very strong, stiff but flexible, slippery to aid passage and can be very long, cheap and available everywhere.
I'm unsure if the existing line is clipped in place in the chassis tunnel. Also any suggestions on securing the new line in place would be much appreciated. I've noted the comments re metal vs plastic pipe, but I tend to prefer and trust metal. If I leave the plastic in situ then it may be possible to revert to a more original solution.


HELP please and many thanks in anticipation.

[AHM]

It is possible, but you will need some unique swear words

Don't forget the 2 pipe clips. The difficult one can be done through the access grommet hole.

Having done the plastic pipe, I can't imagine how you would do a metal pipe.

[billwill]

OK, Copying over the messages from the thread in the wrong section.

Although I have just gone for a metal fuel line myself, running down the INSIDE of the cabin under the right hand door sill.
elan-f14/getting-ogu-roadworthy-again-t26101-90.html

On the internet research that I did AFTER I'd bought the pipe and rubber ends, I'm not really sure that this was the best solution.

Modern fuels are containing more & more Ethanol bio-fuel and apparently this attacks rubber. The industry doesn't seem to care much because (as far as I can tell) most modern fuel lines are nylon. So it's possible that Lotus got it right in the first instance using a plastic pipe.

Nylon pipes are fitted using a fair amount of pressure onto a barbed rigid end fitting.

PS. your topic has been posted in the wrong section. This section relates to questions & answers about the organization/management of the forum. Your question should be in "Things in Common". Most of the members will not notice it in this section, so it might be best to repost it in the appropriate place.

I think the job you are contemplating will be difficult but not impossible; your idea with the wire shows a lot of lateral thinking.
The existing plastic pipe passes through special grommets in the sheet steel end plates on both ends of the frame tunnel & at the centre of the tunnel it is, as you suggested, supported by a "P" clip that is fastened to the tunnel & practically impossible to reach with the car's body on.

Have you maybe considered routing the new pipe along one of the lower corners of the tunnel & leaving the old, redundant pipe to "rest in peace"?

Cheers & good luck (Let us know how you eventually get on)
John

Like the Plus 2 the Elan also has two metal clips, one on the "horse collar" above the gearbox and the other about half way along the backbone. The clips are omega shaped and the legs fit through the hole in the chassis, held in place by the pipe itself. The clips also have two inner sprung lugs which grip the pipe itself. With the body on, the front clip can just about be reached from below the car and the rear one through the large access grommet in the side of the tunnel but even then it would be very difficult to feed the pipe through.

Fuel pipe front clip.JPG

Fuel pipe clip rear.JPG

I have done it on a S3 by taping one to the other and pulling from the trunk. Lube it up with wire lube.

[kstrutt11]

If I ever need to replace mine I will run a steel or stainless steel line inside the car in the corner between the floor and transmission tunnel . Plastic pipe is slightly porus, if you use this inside you will have problems with fuel smells.

[DeanG]

If I was replacing the fuel line again I think I would run a piece of steel cable within the pipe before I taped the new to the old and pulled. That way I would have a bit of a fall back if something went wrong.