TR4a Fuel pipe fitting

[qkingston]

Purchased the Automec fuel feed kit and trying to work out how to compare with the old pipes I took off, and it doesn't really seem to match, anyone got any good photos of the pipe runs? Also is there some sort of clip on/near the diff where the pipe comes down from the tank and bends through the chassis legs?

Appreciated

David

[rogerowen]

I'll be renewing the fuel line on my 4A this week, I could take some pics for you. But mines a solid axle type - so might not be quite the same as the IRS.

[qkingston]

Thanks Roger, I think probably it would, it's the rear part I'm trying to puzzle out. It's one of the photos I didn't take when I dismantled the car!!! Grr

[keith1948]

Hello David

I removed the old pipe and rubber connectors and replaced it with a single length of copper/bronze pipe. I wasn't happy with the rubber connectors under the car out of sight with the risk of them being affected by ethanol in the petrol. From memory there was one rubber connector alongside the diff and another near the front of the car. There are a couple of metal clips welded onto the inside of the nearside box section of chassis but that is all. The pipe comes down from the tank and there is a slight s-shape bend between the tank and chassis to the first rubber connector which is next to the diff area of the box chassis member. The pipe then runs along the inside of the box section (side facing the prop shaft) through the holes in the inner brackets. There is the second connector just before the pipe goes up to the fuel pump. I fitted a fuel shut off valve just before the fuel pump. This is just below the level of the fuel tank so I can drain the fuel tank via this valve if needed. I just made sure that there was an s-shape bend in the pipe below the fuel tank to allow for any expansion/contraction of the length of pipe under the car. which was similar to the original  This arrangement removed 4 connections (2 for each bit of rubber hose) under the car that could leak. Now the only connections are at the tank and at the shut-off valve in the engine bay. I seem to remember that the tank connection used an olive but I may be wrong on that.

Keith

 

[stuart]

15 hours ago, keith1948 said:

Hello David

I removed the old pipe and rubber connectors and replaced it with a single length of copper/bronze pipe. I wasn't happy with the rubber connectors under the car out of sight with the risk of them being affected by ethanol in the petrol. From memory there was one rubber connector alongside the diff and another near the front of the car. There are a couple of metal clips welded onto the inside of the nearside box section of chassis but that is all. The pipe comes down from the tank and there is a slight s-shape bend between the tank and chassis to the first rubber connector which is next to the diff area of the box chassis member. The pipe then runs along the inside of the box section (side facing the prop shaft) through the holes in the inner brackets. There is the second connector just before the pipe goes up to the fuel pump. I fitted a fuel shut off valve just before the fuel pump. This is just below the level of the fuel tank so I can drain the fuel tank via this valve if needed. I just made sure that there was an s-shape bend in the pipe below the fuel tank to allow for any expansion/contraction of the length of pipe under the car. which was similar to the original  This arrangement removed 4 connections (2 for each bit of rubber hose) under the car that could leak. Now the only connections are at the tank and at the shut-off valve in the engine bay. I seem to remember that the tank connection used an olive but I may be wrong on that.

Keith

 

The two rubber pipes were originally there to facilitate removal of the body and allow the front to rear pipe to stay on the chassis.

Stuart.

[keith1948]

27 minutes ago, stuart said:

The two rubber pipes were originally there to facilitate removal of the body and allow the front to rear pipe to stay on the chassis.

Stuart.

Hi Stuart

I had wondered why the two rubber pipes were there. I had assumed it was something to do with the way the car was put together on the production line. Still possible to remove the body with the straight through pipe - just disconnect at the tank end and also at the shut off valve in the engine bay. The pipe is only fastened to the chassis on mine between those points.

Keith

[qkingston]

Thanks Gents, very helpful. I looked at a couple of cars at TRBitz (thank you), specicifically at where the pipe goes at the rear of the propshaft tunnel. The metal clip welded to the upper NS of the tunnel routes the fuel pipe up and then over the diff, question is, does it then go under the rear diff mounting bridge or over it then a sharp up-turn into the fuel tank. By measurement, I reckon the pipe access hole through the body immediately under the tank is just aft of the rear bridge (but I stand to be corrected on this). The Automec fuel pipe kit is a bit of a rip-off as they effectively give you double the amount of pipe you need so that you can choose whether to run one complete length front to back (with a short section to the pump) or have 3 sections joined by rubber pipe joiners, why not just ask which you want and reduce the charge accordingly?

David