Threading Plastic Fuel Lines Through The Tunnel, Would this work? Options

[JawjaPorsche]

I still have my plastic tunnel fuel lines. I am planning to replace them.

There has been a discussion going on in the classifies about newer more improved plastic fuel lines than we had in our teeners originally.

My question is this. If I got the new plastic fuel lines and made sure they were about one foot longer than needed. Why? Would it be possible to get something like a wood dowel and glue and stick them together and pull the old line out while someone is gently pushing the new one in! If it worked, just cut over the unneeded line.

Would this work or is it just wishful thinking?

Here is discussion on classifies:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=203468

[timothy_nd28]

Okay, I get that you can obtain newer plastic fuel line. But, how do you terminate the plastic lines? The originals had aluminum barbed tubing that was somehow pressed into the plastic line. How would you replicated this without it leaking or blowing apart?

[dangrouche]

I did an install of stainless lines obtained from JEGS years ago. It was coiled SS tubing. the technique I used as cited from the board was threading solid core wire (obtained from strippping out Romex house wiring). I threaded the copper wire into the old plastic tubing, until it reached the gas tank, tethered it there at the front gas compartment. I then pulled out the entire old fuel line. I then "threaded" the SS tubing forward onto the copper wire and unfurled the coiled SS tubing as it fed foward. The copper wire served as a tracer path for the new SS tubing. I bent and cut the tubing in place. This was all done with the engine in place!! and alone. It was a lot of work. Then one of our club vendors (Chris Foley) started selling pre-bent lines thereafter. If I had to do it again, I would not. I would have bought Foley's pre bent kit. You can use the copper wire technique if you really want to thread plastic line together. If you have gone as far as putting in plastic line, you may want to consider a full tubing replacement. Food for thought. good luck (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Tom_T]

I still have my plastic tunnel fuel lines. I am planning to replace them.

There has been a discussion going on in the classifies about newer more improved plastic fuel lines than we had in our teeners originally.

My question is this. If I got the new plastic fuel lines and made sure they were about one foot longer than needed. Why? Would it be possible to get something like a wood dowel and glue and stick them together and pull the old line out while someone is gently pushing the new one in! If it worked, just cut over the unneeded line.

Would this work or is it just wishful thinking?

Here is discussion on classifies:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=203468

You're like me, & will keep your 914 forever, so IMHO go to the permanently durable SS lines, per our discussion at that link above & others on here.

The fact that the original plastic lines used aluminum inserts at the ends tells you that even VW-Porsche felt the metal was necessary - at least at the connection nipples. They went with plastic for cost savings on a $3-5000 "entry level" P-car.

They did a similar thing with the plastic coolant lines on the 03-06 Cayennes, until those caused so much problems that they changed to aluminum in the 08 series 2, & offered a retrofit for the series 1 SUVs. Our 914s never got a chance for "series 2," but my bet that price increases & the start of early tunnel line deterioration in hot/dry SW USA climates in the late 70s & 80s, would've had them switch - had a series 2 914 been continued.

Today our 914 are collectible classics & will only gain in value, so why not do it right with SS one time now, in the way Porsche should've done it originally?

As for the pull, that copper wire idea is probably the way to go, because you're screwed if the dowel pulls out part way along, whereas the wire probably won't break. Dan's idea/method is pure genius! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

[Spoke]

I replaced the plastic lines on my car with Racer Chris's SS lines. The engine was out and I don't recall any real issues running them in the tunnel.