Cracked fuel line help (1 Viewer)

[thenative1]

Good evening all-knowing Mud Mind!

So it's Summer in the Northeast and the kids are finally (!) out of school and that means I get to spend more time cruising/fussing with my beloved FJ45 Troopy. This afternoon while doing errands, I returned to the parking lot to see a rapid drip beneath the truck. I determined it was fuel and once I got home (a short drive from my errands), I found the line in the picture below had cracked and was leaking fuel. A couple of things: (1) I do not know what this part is. I imagine it's embarrassingly simple but can someone please tell me and (2) it seems as though it should be (?) a relatively easy fix. Namely: unclamp the line, replace it, reclamp. Is it possible it's that simple? For those of you far more experienced than me, please LMK if it's more complex than that (finger crossed it's not).

That's it for now. As always, thank you for your collective wisdom!

 

[Camotubebender]

You can get some 5/16" fuel hose at any auto parts store- you should probably replace that fuel filter at the same time.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Yes new hose should do it. Looks to me there is a shielding hose over top the actual gas hose. I did that for the inside plastic line on my direct read oil pressure line - not a good plan to have hot oil squirting on you if the plastic line breaks. On my 72FJ40 I run an electric fuel pump with a manual selector valve between the main and aux tank. Has a third port so I can draw from the trailer tank if I get it built. I also run a aviation fuel separator - the oem was one year iirc, only for the pump and filter due to fittings ( I threw those away back about 85 when they went bad).

I am waiting on a 25' roll of 5/16 fuel hose. Have 25 new stainless steel hose clamps. My has been down for over 10 years so lots of stuff to do

 

[vfrer]

Make sure you get hose rated for ethanol or you will be doing this all over again.

 

[Shark56]

Make sure you get hose rated for ethanol or you will be doing this all over again.

Yep, and by the looks of the aged lines you might want to go ahead and replace all the soft lines for fuel. That old rubber and ethanol dont work well together. Most new fuel line is ethanol safe but make sure.

 

[45Dougal]

That fuel hose looks chafed to me - it's not been rubbing against the steering box adjustment screw has it?
Looks like your heater pipes might benefit from a change too (top right of first image).
Maybe environmental deterioration of the rubber from salt, or heat maybe if its ozzy truck??
The last thing you want is the coolant system emptying into your footwell.

 

[thenative1]

Thanks all! Excellent advice. A quick trip to the local NAPA and fuel line and filter replaced and back on the road! Will certainly start reviewing the other soft lines (fuel, coolant) and replace them as proactive maintenance. A great Summer project. As a follow up, any particular wisdom for plugging lines when disconnected to prevent fuel/coolant/etc. from pouring out while doing the upgrade/repair?

 

[Blue77FJ40]

You might as well replace all of your soft lines. When I was rehabbing my 40 after an extended down time, I had to pull the tank and clean out the solidified gas, remove some minor interior rust, and then I POR-15’d the interior. In removing the attached fuel lines, I noticed they were in bad shape. So I bought a length of quality 5/16 ID hose, cut pieces to match the old pieces. Being a ‘77, many pieces had rotted almost completely. Just saying.

Hah, as I was thumbing this, you came to the same conclusion.

 

[45Dougal]

Thanks all! Excellent advice. A quick trip to the local NAPA and fuel line and filter replaced and back on the road! Will certainly start reviewing the other soft lines (fuel, coolant) and replace them as proactive maintenance. A great Summer project. As a follow up, any particular wisdom for plugging lines when disconnected to prevent fuel/coolant/etc. from pouring out while doing the upgrade/repair?

Keep gravity on your side if possible, so raising them up or parking on a slope sometimes helps.
You can clamp some soft pipes with a G clamp or similar, but you might cause more damage.
Avoid opening both ends at the same time - the air goes in and the water/fuel runs out.

 

[thenative1]

That fuel hose looks chafed to me - it's not been rubbing against the steering box adjustment screw has it?
Looks like your heater pipes might benefit from a change too (top right of first image).
Maybe environmental deterioration of the rubber from salt, or heat maybe if its ozzy truck??
The last thing you want is the coolant system emptying into your footwell.

Thanks @45Dougal! Off the top of your head do you happen to know the size of the coolant lines? Looks like that will be my next NAPA purchase.

 

[45Dougal]

Sorry - I don't have a heater in my South african truck - wasnt seemed necessary