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Potential Horror averted.

PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:17 pm
by bob_rich
Last year bought myself a 1974 +2S130 looked sound but none runner due to MOT lapsing and PO ( who had owned it for around 18 years) had it on SORN. I needed work to get it through MOT but got it going drove for around 1000 miles to get the feel of it. I have now started on a major rebuild which is well under way. During the strip down when the body was off I removed the fuel pipe, and that was the surprise. It consisted of 3 separate parts ( see picture) joined only by low quality push on garden type hose ( clear stuff with visible string reinforcement) with no pipe clips of any source. It did have a petrol smell which I had thought was the usual elan +2 tank vent issue but now I wonder! one of the PO before the one I bought it off had done a rebuild around 22 years ago and from the info and bills I have it looks like it has been that way since that time!

will b putting in proper fuel lines on rebuild!

hope it does worry any readers but a look under the chassis might be prudent

cheers

Bob

Re: Potential Horror averted.

PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:46 pm
by Spyder fan
Bob,
Eau de +2 is how I describe the petrol smell that seems to be standard on our cars. Even modern rubber fuel hose seems to allow the smell of the petrol to leech through meaning that even with a non vented system like I have for my injected zetec +2 there is still a petrol smell in the car unless you leave the car stored in a garage with the windows and boot lid open. the problem seems to be that the plumbing in rubber hose is actually inside the car whereas modern vehicles have the plumbing connections outside the vehicle. I don't think that your innovative PO's (or maybe Hethel's) modifications to the fuel line would cause a significant smell inside the car, petrol vapour is heavy and as the fuel line is underneath and mostly outside the car it wouldn't be noticeable inside the car.

I remember from an old TV program which included an episode on restoring an Amphicar that there is Marine grade rubber fuel line available that eliminates any seepage of fuel vapour, its very important on vessels that have a sealed hull in that the last thing you want is petrol vapour building up in a confined space, just do a search on petrol and combined vaccuum reservoirs/ front crossmembers on our cars and you will see the warnings regarding doing any work that involves sparks / welding / naked flames etc.

Perhaps one of the other members on this forum who is into boats can advise on whether marine grade fuel hose would be a good upgrade?

Regards