Repairing a fuel line (temporary fix sought)

[JonRB]

Is there any way of repairing a punctured flexible fuel line sufficient for the car to be safely driven a short distance (30-odd miles)?

Gaffer tape is no good as the petrol dissolves the adhesive, so presumably some kind of specialist tape?

[nel]

Gaffer tape a nice big wad of well chewed chewing gum tightly compressed over the leak - if it's just a smallish hole then it should get you home.

[JonRB]

My dad suggested Self Amalgamating Tape, but I don't know if it is resistant to petrol.

I'm getting mixed information from a google search, although the "Atomic Tape" brand tape claims to be suitable for fuel line repair.

Anyone know for sure?

[docevi1]

why not cut the pipe and put a small copper joiner in?

[dern]

If it's before the pump then I'd repair it with any of these things (including duck tape in order to get home) but if it's after the pump and therefore pressurised I wouldn't attempt a repair and would call the rac.

Mark

[grahambell]

Are you talking flexible plastic fuel pipe here, or flexible rubber?

If plastic, then get some rubber fuel line of correct bore to suit O/D of pipe from motor factor, plus some clips, cut pipe in two, stick short length of rubber hose over cut ends and tighten clips.

If rubber, then as docevi1 says, cut pipe, stick short piece of suitable diameter copper/kunifer pipe in, again with clips to secure.

Unless pipe is on outlet side of fuel injection pump, in which case pressure might be too high to risk.

[PJLarge]

I'd use the copper pipe method with plenty of overlap and a couple of jubilee clips either end. Gaffer tape etc is a bodge and could cost you dear. Fuel pressure between the pump and the rail can be anything between 30 and 100 psi depending on what car and fuelling methods so it's not really something you want to be taking chances with.

Phil.

[JonRB]

This is the flexible blue rubber fuel return line on a VW Corrado. It is damaged at a point a couple of feet away from the point that it returns to the fuel tank.

The line is quite narrow in diameter, maybe around 5 or 6 mm.

Cut and join certainly seems like a viable solution if I can find a copper pipe of suitable diameter and small enough clips, although I'd be concerned that the diameter of the fuel line is so small that putting a pipe inside it might restrict fuel flow too much.

[stevieturbo]

Copper pipe and clips should be easy to get hold of.

The return line is low pressure. So even if the copper pipe was a snug fit, it might do without clips.

You could use hardline plastic tubing too.

[JonRB]

I popped in to my local car shop which happens to be run by a chap who prepares race cars in addition to running the shop (apparantly) and he was very concerned that on a fuel pipe with only a 5mm inside diameter that any pipe put inside it to effect a repair would cause too much of a blockage.

In the end I decided to effect a temporary repair by using one layer of fabric repair tape, one layer of self-amalgamating tape (closely wound and overlapping the fabric tape at either end by a good amount to seal) and then two layers of PVC electrical insulation tape for strength.
I haven't unclamped the fuel line yet so haven't tested it, but I would imagine this will be sufficient to keep the line continent long enough to drive the 30-odd miles to the garage who are going to replace the fuel line and check the car over.

[jmorgan]

I have had self amalg dissolve with petrol quite quickly. Trying to make a temp fuel can cap seal at the time.

[JonRB]

Well, I guess I was lucky. I drove to the garage this evening and checked the line when I got there. Dry as a bone.