Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 17:04:04 -0400
Reply-To: Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: Cohline fuel line failure
In-Reply-To: <01b701c67de1$f08b9170$650fa8c0@DELL>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Let me 2nd part of what Ken said.
I replaced the fuel lines in my '84 with the NAPA high pressure stuff
one December. The following summer I checked it and it was really
brittle. I then replaced that with Ken's (Vanagain's) fuel line kit and
now, 4 years later, it's still pliable with no leaks or weeps. I used
the same hose to replace the short pieces on my injectors, too.
Mike
Kenneth Wilford wrote:
> I have never heard anyone on this list ever recommend the cloth covered hose
> (no matter who it is made by or where it is made) for the high pressure fuel
> injection application. I have never sold it for this application (in case
> you are wondering). We only sell German high pressure hose in our fuel line
> kits. It has the smooth rubber surface on the outside and reinforcing in
> the middle layer. It is usually either made by Continental or CRP in
> Germany. I would strongly recommend against using the NAPA fuel injection
> hose. I installed some on a customer's van several years ago and within a
> few weeks it became as hard as a twig. I went to remove it and it snapped
> because it was so hard.
>
>
> Just FYI,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> http://www.vanagain.com
> http://www.strictlyvwauctions.com
> http://www.eurovan.org
> http://www.vwcabrio.org
> Phone: (856)-327-4936
> Fax: (856)-327-2242
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Robert Harris
> Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 12:40 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Cohline fuel line failure
>
>
> hi y'all,
> It's been ages since I have posted to the list but this bore mention. I
> pulled my '84 Westy out of winter storage last week and just about burned it
> to the ground right on the spot. How? Everything looked ship shape and it
> started right up on the first try, so I wandered off to let the motor warm
> up before attempting to move the bus. Came back a minute later to find
> gasoline spraying under the bus and in the engine compartment. Yikes!!! My
> fuel line had failed in multiple places, and gasoline was spraying
> everywhere under pressure. I immediately shut the motor down that that was
> that. I am so lucky the bus didn't burn!
>
> Now the other scary part. This was the recommended expensive, German-made
> Cohline high pressure hose, installed new only 18 months ago. Cohline is
> the stuff with a braided black fabric sheath on the outside. On inspection,
> I found that the rubber was cracking/hardening throughout. I have not used
> any alternative fuels or fuel additives that might cause the rubber to fail
> prematurely. Maybe I just happened to get a bad batch of hose or something,
> but I don't trust the stuff anymore. It should not have failed in such a
> short time. Has anyone else had problems with this brand?
>
> And a friendly word of advice, for what it's worth... if you have really old
> fuel lines, REPLACE THEM. You can use 5/16" fuel hose from any auto parts
> store. Just be sure to get true fuel-injection rated line, not the cheap
> stuff. The right stuff will cost $4 a foot or so, and have "SAE 30R9"
> stamped on it. Run a single piece all the way back from the fuel filter to
> the engine, bypassing the white plastic junction fitting on the engine bay
> forward firewall if your bus has it. (This plastic barb fitting is
> unnecessary and is also a known potential leak point as it ages and gets
> brittle. You are better off without it.) Short of a wreck, there is no
> surer way to total your bus than to have a fuel fire.
>
> older and wiser,
> Robert
> Ithaca, NY <www.people.cornell.edu/pages/rdh24/vw/index_vw.html>
>
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