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fuel line?

txedomoon

New member
Is there any difference in fuel line performance? I noticed through my noral on-line parts supplier that they sell black rubber fuel line. A local place (not a BMW dealer/shop) doesn't have black in the size I need - instead it's clear. Is there a difference?
 
NAPA 1/4 inch black rubber fuel hose works well - lasts at least 4 years with gas contaminated with alcohol now being sold

I have had no luck whatsoever with any of the original looking braided cover fuel lines now being sold by BMW shops and suppliers - look great but split on the ends and weep all over the place in a few weeks to a few months

NAPA hose labeled " FUEL VAPOR >PCV/EEC< 1/4 inch (6.3mm) SAE 30R7 NOT FOR FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS MADE IN U.S.A. BY GATES CS05812 X2 13:20 "

COST LESS THAN $2/FT - YOU NEED ABOUT 3 FEET

Lightly grease the nipples to make it easier to push the hoses on and use no clamps of any kind
 
NAPA 1/4 inch black rubber fuel hose works well - lasts at least 4 years with gas contaminated with alcohol now being sold

I have had no luck whatsoever with any of the original looking braided cover fuel lines now being sold by BMW shops and suppliers - look great but split on the ends and weep all over the place in a few weeks to a few months
I respectfully dis-agree. A few weeks or months,? not in my experience. I get the same "4 years" from those type of hoses. Use what you want to use, but I find it to be good material.
 
Is there any difference in fuel line performance? I noticed through my noral on-line parts supplier that they sell black rubber fuel line. A local place (not a BMW dealer/shop) doesn't have black in the size I need - instead it's clear. Is there a difference?

Huge difference. In reference to my previous post, the Triumph guys I know use the clear stuff for "correctness". It hardens and holds form and become less supple much sooner than black, braided sheath hose. Some of these Brit riders use the black/braided hose on bikes that they campaign and the clear stuff for show.
 
Fleetfarm has the quarter inch ethanol compliant. Could never figure why OE had cloth around it.
How many times has it been reported that the fuel line fell off the spigot? I always clamp'em. safety first, looks goes to the back of the function line.
 
Fleetfarm has the quarter inch ethanol compliant. Could never figure why OE had cloth around it.
How many times has it been reported that the fuel line fell off the spigot? I always clamp'em. safety first, looks goes to the back of the function line.

Are zip ties effective as well in lieu of clamps?
 
*update*

Are zip ties effective as well in lieu of clamps?

Thanks for the input! (And am glad to see so many re:'s from the Land of 10K Lakes.)
Decided not to use the clear, went to Fleet Farm and bought black line there instead.
I had to go to Fleet Farm for some garden things anyway. 2 Birds / 1 Stone.

And decided to try zip ties to secure them. A Goldwing riding friend of mine says
it worked for him, so... :whistle
 
I used a piece of shrink tubing at the connections. Seemed to put just enough extra tension on the lines, although in the 36 years I've been riding BMW's I never had the braided line come loose. O yea, make sure you shrink the tubing before you install the line. Just my 2 cents.
 
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Is there any difference in fuel line performance?

Just adding my 2 cents worth of experience.

NEVER use new old fuel line! Let me explain. I had some official BMW fuel line from some years ago - still new and in the same box it was shipped in. I thought this spring to use it. So...I put it on my bike. Went out for a ride about a week later - it was still cold out so I remember very distinctly. I didn't get about about 4-5 miles from home, and I had carb problems - both sides at the same time. Stopped, emptied out the bowls and they were bot full of dirt. Turned around - barely made it home.

Lesson: always buy new and then install.

Other: I had one tell me one time that in order for my old /2 to run right, I had to use official BMW fuel line. I bought some, changed over - didn't run a bit better!

I have never had a problem with the push on connections ever leaking as long as I made sure the fuel lines were always new and fresh - every couple of years. As for the braiding coming undone - happens almost immediately - starts fraying at the ends. No solution except I have some old BMW buddies who simply use a little epoxy (JB Weld) just to touch up the ends where fraying occurs and that stops that! I would also think super glue (moisture activated) would work perfectly for that as well.

I am going to try the NAPA suggestion above next time. I also am intrigued by the suggestion of shrink wrap.

However I don't understand the comment to shrink it BEFORE one puts the fuel line on the spigots. Why not after? Put line on, slide up shrink tubing, and then use a hair dryer to heat (being sure to make sure no gas is present).
 
O yea, make sure you shrink the tubing before you install the line.

"O yea, make sure you shrink the tubing before you install the line. "

Why?
 
"I am going to try the NAPA suggestion above next time. I also am intrigued by the suggestion of shrink wrap"

If you use the NAPA or similar gravity pressure type rubber hose you will find it has much more wall thickness than the " official" looking braided fabric covered hose - you will need no clamps or shrink wrap of any kind and you can pull the hose on and off the nipples with a twist and pull at same time many times without becoming loose. Just smear a little grease on the nipple when you push it back on.

The comment above about old hose may explain my previous difficulty with the "official style hose" my first bad experience was about 12 years ago when a good and reputable mechanic installed hose on one of my bikes when I was too lazy to service the carbs myself. The hose was pissing on my good boots in about a month and I could pull it off the tank/petcock nipple with two fingers - it was the braided type with the nice looking end caps and no clamps.

Another bad experience was 3 yr ago when I had another good and reputable high volume mechanic do a top overhaul on one of my /2 machines - it came back to me with new looking braided hoses which did not last 3 weeks before pissing on my foot.

When I look in my junk box at a large pile of takeoff hoses from salvaging bikes for parts I see that all of the ends of the braided type hose of unknown and sometimes very long length of use are showing splits. The ends of the remnants of NAPPA type gravity use fuel hose may be deformed or hardened somewhat but never split - they are much thicker wall

The clear type hoses used on old brit machines get yellow hard as glass with age - it is nice I guess to be able to see the fuel flowing in the hose but it can be a safety problem to get the hoses off - risk of cutting yourself while working forcefully with a knife of some sort in awkward positions

The clear type hoses with what looks like a fabric imbedded are thicker walled and get quite stiff but not usually so hard as the thinner clear hoses

The supposedly better bluish clear type hoses do not seem to get as hard as the totally clear(turn yellow) brit hoses

Last comment is watch out for what type of nipple you have coming from your petcock. Make sure it is metal if you do any serious touring. The plastic nipples get brittle and can be broken while forcing a hose on or off. You do not want this to happen on a trip when you thought all you had to do was take the tank off and stick out your thumb for a ride if you ran out of gas or had to take the tank off for some other reason. The ease of this on and off process is another reason I like the NAPPA type rubber gas hose
 
I am with 44006 about the cloth covered stuff, the ends degrade and leak in no time, plus the ethanol seems to attack the rubber and leave black goo in the carbs.
Here most of our gas comes from California, and I am pretty sure the formulations are rather unique.
I have been using some gray stuff (Tridon?) which gets a little hard on the ends after a couple years, but no more black gunk in the carbs.
 
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