Fuel hose

[geoffreywh]

Looking for a good ( best) fuel hose for petrol. I like the look of "Tygon LP1000 " I've just removed "Gates fuel line" from a Sapphire , It's gone all sticky inside , hardened and cracked. Any suggestions? I have to get Tygon from the US But I don't mind that. Just want the best, non-hardening, flexible, guaranteed fuel non-permeable, any suggestions?.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

I reckon the Jabiru just uses auto fuel line like you buy from Supercheap etc. I have never heard of any problems using the black "rubber" fuel hose sold at auto places. I think Gates is one brand they sell.

 

I'm a bit surprised that your fuel hose went bad with petrol... how old was the hose and what was the exact fuel?

 

 

[Blueadventures]

Looking for a good ( best) fuel hose for petrol. I like the look of "Tygon LP1000 " I've just removed "Gates fuel line" from a Sapphire , It's gone all sticky inside , hardened and cracked. Any suggestions? I have to get Tygon from the US But I don't mind that. Just want the best, non-hardening, flexible, guaranteed fuel non-permeable, any suggestions?.

Mark kyle mentioned about a type of fuel injection hose that he uses and finds good and does not get the fuel odor through the walls. Have a look in his recent posts about savanah fuel tank setups. Cheers mike

 

 

[Downunder]

I'm looking at using Gates "Barricade" hose. As my hoses run in the cabin, I want "low permeation" hose as the smell from the current hoses can get quite bad with the pulp I'm using if the aircraft has been sitting a while.

 

I know a couple of aircraft with it and have not heard complaints.

 

Barricade Carburetion Fuel Line Hose

 

Perhaps the Saphire hose was an older product or just simply old?

 

 

[geoffreywh]

It was old, probably 6 years? the fuel was 2 stroke. The whole aircraft stinks of ancient fuel. You could throw a handful of dog poo in there to get rid of the smell!...Gates stamped onto the old tube. BUT I've seen a lot older fuel tube than that stay perfectly good. I want some of that! Although the Manual says to change it every 2 years (Hey , It's not mine!). Thanks everybody. I'll get that Tygon stuff from the US...I just looked, the Gates Barricade looks good But very very thick wall....and low kink resistant?....

 

 

[Jaba-who]

Jabiru use three different fuel lines. The cabin ( firewall rearward) is clear plastic which doesn't seem to allow anything perfuse through it. There is no time life limit on it.

 

The firewall forward hose comes as two types - old version is black rubber tubing and newer stuff is bright red plastic looking. Both of them have a two year replacement life.

 

None of them seem to let any smell through although I have read somewhere that there is a slow constant proportional loss of fuel through the wall of the tubing.

 

They are quick at sending stuff ( I ordered a new tacho on Monday and it arrived today)

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Never had a problem with Gates fuel injection hose (changed every 5 years as per Rotax 912 maintenance). Very low permeability, high burst strength and ethanol resistant. Flexibility defiantly deteriorates a little over the 5 years. Still good enough to used as "pre loved" on all those "terra firma" transports, mowers, etc.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

There must have been something in the 2 stroke oil which reacted, gosh there are a lot of pitfalls in this plastics/hoses/chemicals business. My older Jabiru has something in the fuel-tank which would react with ethanol.

 

There is also another trap. A Jabiru was flying up the Stuart Highway when it ran rough. Turning on the electric pump fixed things for awhile but the problem returned and they made a safe landing on the road.

 

The answer was eventually found to be that the newly-replaced fuel line was vibrating its way up the wedge under the fuel tank and pinching itself off.

 

 

[skippydiesel]

There must have been something in the 2 stroke oil which reacted, gosh there are a lot of pitfalls in this plastics/hoses/chemicals business. My older Jabiru has something in the fuel-tank which would react with ethanol.There is also another trap. A Jabiru was flying up the Stuart Highway when it ran rough. Turning on the electric pump fixed things for awhile but the problem returned and they made a safe landing on the road.

 

The answer was eventually found to be that the newly-replaced fuel line was vibrating its way up the wedge under the fuel tank and pinching itself off.

Hi Bruce,

 

Not sure if 2/ is chemically much different, compared with strait ULP - just a slightly different blend of hydrocarbons. I think the type of fuel hose you use has more to do with durability than the fuel type. Gates for instance make fuel hose for several different applications, so don't just purchase the cheapest or the one behind the counter at Repco/Super Cheap. Always check on the codes (words, letter & numbers printed on the hose) and understand what they mean. I have always used the highest rated fuel injection hose - could be overkill but then I am still alive to tell this story.

 

Ethanol in fuel will react with fuel systems not rated to use it. This is the whole system we are talking about, from the tank filler to the carby needle valve rubber. As a lay person I think of it as the ethanol "eating" the rubber, fibreglass plastic components. Rotax now supply their 912/4 range as ethanol acceptable - this does not include the aircraft manufactures tank , auxiliary pumps or delivery hoses, unless specified as ethanol resistant.

 

I suggest you still might not want to use ethanol blend fuel for other than compatibility reasons.

 

Jab hose pinching off in flight - poor installation practice. This can happen to even the best hose.

 

 

[aro]

I have been told that fuel injection hose should not be used on carb systems, the lining doesn't have enough stretch for some barbed fittings (needs specific fuel injection fittings) and can be damaged during fitting.

 

No idea how likely that is bit I used the Gates Barricade hose for carb systems last time I changed it.

 

 

[Yenn]

I always look for the wording "US Coastguard approved" or something to that effect on the Gates hosees I use. I had U beaut cloudy blue clear plastic on my Thruster years ago, bought it as fuel hose from a business in Orange. Within two months I had a hose burst at the carbie, had to shut down the engine as fuel was spraying everywhere. Landed out and used the gearbox breather hose instead to get me to an airstrip. Steer clear of plastic. Anything firewall forward should have firesleeve covering it.

 

 

[Jaba-who]

I always look for the wording "US Coastguard approved" or something to that effect on the Gates hosees I use. I had U beaut cloudy blue clear plastic on my Thruster years ago, bought it as fuel hose from a business in Orange. Within two months I had a hose burst at the carbie, had to shut down the engine as fuel was spraying everywhere. Landed out and used the gearbox breather hose instead to get me to an airstrip. Steer clear of plastic. Anything firewall forward should have firesleeve covering it.

I think that's a generalization that can't be supported by evidence.

 

I've had plastic fuel line in the cabin for 11 years and never a single leak. Jabiru have had plastic in-cabin fuel lines since they started selling aircraft and there has not been a problem that I have heard of or has been mentioned anywhere in forums or by word of mouth among the many owners I converse with. They not only have never changed away from it in their aircraft , they don't even have a time life to change it out. (Unlike firewall forward which has a 2 year change out time.) They have gone from rubber hose to plastic hose on the other side of the firewall but has not changed anything on their maintenance for it.. So perhaps it was a dodgy single batch or something that you had.

 

But I do agree that firewall forward hose should have fire sleeve on it.

 

 

[jetboy]

I had Gates hose which hardened and cracked on my 701 - runs avgas fuel

 

after a search I got Dayco brand fuel hose made in USA - from a local BNT (Brakes and Transmission) supplier - just bought a full spool rather than by the metre

 

this brand seems to be OK interesting to note the european hoses that came with the assembled wings are still in good condition from 2004

 

 

[skippydiesel]

I despair -

 

• FIRST - Flexible hose & all other fuel delivery/metering components must be compatible with the fuel being used nothing else will do!
   
   
  

 

 

 

 

• SECOND - All rubbery component that come into contact with fuel are subject to deterioration and must be replaced at intervals specified by the engine, aircraft or component manufacture nothing else will do !
   
   
  

 

 

Your welfare and that of passengers and innocents on the ground, depends on you wholeheartedly adopting the above.

 

Nuff said ! I will make no further contributions to this conversation.

 

 

[Soleair]

The Tygon tubing on my 2 stroke powered MiniMax is faultless after 12 months. I just googled for an Aussie supplier - can't remember who I bought it off. But here's a couple:

 

Medium Size Tygon Heavy Duty Fuel Line | Kingtech Turbines Australia

 

TYGON™ Fuel Line 3/16" ID x 5/16" OD x 50 ft. roll

 

 

[geoffreywh]

1/4" id neccessary, Nice try though. Still no cigar. I think Desperate Skippy Diesel ought to pull his head in. Gates EFI hose is compatable with Petrol, only not over a long period. Apparently I did say six years didn't I . The aircraft has stood still for so long.....

 

 

[Nman]

G'day Geoff

 

If you use the second link that Soleair provided: search the site for Tygon

 

They have 1/4" ID listed.

 

Cheers Norm

 

 

[geoffreywh]

Fantastic. although $20 per meter is over twice the US cost. The convienience may be worth it. Thanks..G

 

 

[coltri]

Looking for a good ( best) fuel hose for petrol. I like the look of "Tygon LP1000 " I've just removed "Gates fuel line" from a Sapphire , It's gone all sticky inside , hardened and cracked. Any suggestions? I have to get Tygon from the US But I don't mind that. Just want the best, non-hardening, flexible, guaranteed fuel non-permeable, any suggestions?.

I bought the yellow Tygon fuel hose from Amazon, it has been sitting in a jar of unleaded for a long while & remains unaffected. I plan on using it in a Cheetah that I am building.

Colin T