Sanity check, on the tunnel fuel lines Options

[mmichalik]

I went to start changing out my fuel lines with a stainless steel set. When I pulled the tank out, the rubber lines basically feel apart.
I just took the rubber line off of the tunnel line when I noticed that the tunnel line was not plastic. It's what appears to be cadmium plated steel (my magnet stuck to it).
Just as a sanity check, all 914's, particularly a 1974. came with plastic lines down the tunnel, correct? I believe the answer is yes.
If that's the case, I can assume that the tunnel lines have been replaced in the past. They appear to be rust free and clean, should I continue with the Stainless replacement or just leave them there?

[jim_hoyland]

How difficult is it to pull the plastic lines out ?
I’m getting ready to do this and want to know about any hard parts to the change over

[wonkipop]

How difficult is it to pull the plastic lines out ?
I’m getting ready to do this and want to know about any hard parts to the change over

not hard. just takes time.
i built my own mild steel fuel lines - rhd drive so things get in the way at the top end near the pedal cluster to use standard ss kits. in my case it took the most time to make those lines themselves with all the right bends and trial and error fitting. the rest of it was a piece of cake by comparison.

i pulled mine out from the front. the old plastic lines were very securely attached to the lengths of steel tube at the upper end. i snipped the hard plastic ends off as close as possible to where they emerge from the tunnel firewall into the engine bay.

the hardest thing was getting the firewall grommet back in at the top end near fuel tank.
like all rubber it had gone hard with age. you need strong fingers, lots of crc and patience. i removed the grommet to assist me get the top ends of the lines i made through the holes as well as get old lines out, there was no other way to do it. not sure what others have found to be the case. i pushed the new lines through the grommet while it was out and then had to push that grommet back in. not easy. part of the problem was probably due to rhd conversion and changes to firewall for it - means the grommet is in a tight spot in my car, lhd cars should have a bit more room for your fingers and also the ss kit probably is so accurate you can feed the lines through the grommet with the grommet installed.

a handy thing would be a repro grommet that you can massage in more easily.
don't think anyone makes one?

when i pulled the plastic lines i found they were still in remarkably good condition through the tunnel until they got within about maybe 6 inches or so of rear firewall.
at that location and for the rest of the way through underside of engine bay they were hard/brittle and thats where they can fail.

i assume they were originally plastic in the interests of crash safety. which is also why i chose to do my lines in mild steel tubing. basically brake line tubing more or less.

[ClayPerrine]

i built my own mild steel fuel lines - rhd drive so things get in the way at the top end near the pedal cluster to use standard ss kits. in my case it took the most time to make those lines themselves with all the right bends and trial and error fitting. the rest of it was a piece of cake by comparison.

That's because you aussie wankers followed the pommies and drive on the wrong side of the road (and upside down too). We were smart enough to kick them out before cars were invented. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

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