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These may be totally taboo ideas - may even caused some shock, anger and repulsion at the suggestion,,, but here goes.
The weather has shifted here. Beach days. Hot. It's going to just get better. My 1990 XJS sat for 10 years or more. Or so I'm told. I want to drive it to the beach but don't dare. Not as is. I KNOW before I head out on the open road I MUST replace the 4 lines,,, at least the high pressure lines,,, in the engine bay... I want to be on the road!
They are expensive. Has anyone found an alternative? Is there one? Or do we just have to go with the $70 to $110 replacements from sources? Has anyone manufactured anything?
If you are talking about the flexible line that feeds from the under car steel line that pokes into the engine bay to the fuel rail, and the line that comes from the B bank FPR back to the steel return line, then yes you can replace them by top quality high pressure flexible fuel pipe, cut to length.
The solid swaged screw fittings the OEM flexibles end in can have the swages CAREFULLY cut apart and removed, and the screw-in part with its barbed fitting under the swage reused, with you r new flexible attached to the barb with a proper fuel line clip, they come in sizes, get the right size for the hose you buy:
While you are at it get rid of the A bank FPR while you are at it and run the new flexible straight to the fuel rail, re-using the swaged end that fits onto the rail as described above.
Greg
Last edited by Greg in France; May 3, 2018 at 02:00 PM.
Those hose ends can also be reassembled with new collars, for an OEM look, after you cut the original collars off. They are available online through many parts sites.
I doubt this is exclusive to where I live but I have a shop near me that does hydraulic and AC hoses, well pretty much any hose for trucking mainly and I just bring them the perished hose and they duplicate it 99% of the time for pennies of what the OEM would cost me.
No shop is needed for any of the fuel lines on an xjs since none of them are crimped/swaged. They are all push fit and with suitable pressure rated fuel hose, ferrules and some time and effort will have all your lines as good as new.
He isn't talking about the injector lines. Most of the lines to and from the tank have fittings and change between hard and rubber lines, they are swaged.
Remember - still a newbie of sorts here. Also, I like to be sure.
Please, if you would, using the diagram below as a reference - could you just point out which lines you are referring to,,, when you refer to the different lines and what can be done with which..? Once I understand and start to get things apart - confidence will grow.
Honestly, after rebuilding the fuel rail as my first job on this thing, I don't want to go to any "shops" unless I absolutely have to and only IF the job is way out of my capacity to DIY. I am getting more confident in my abilities BUT am more than willing to humbly ask for guidance.
And,,, "swage" is not a term I am so familiar with (neither is google spell check, lol). Is that referring to the "cups" at the end of each piece that contain and place the hose? The surrounding metal? And, are those ends barbed similarly to those on the rail and injector fittings?
GiF - I think I have you on the fuel line clamps - but the WHERE to clam exactly - not so much.
Sorry to be asking such elementary questions. Just like to be sure.
JJJ
As per your diagram:
The line with Fuel feed label can be replaced in one continuous flexible right up to the fuel rail, cutting out completely the FPR in the diagram between them. If you look at the pipe from the FPR to the fuel rail, you will see it connects to the rail with a screwed fitting. CAREFULLY cut off the metal outer covering of this fitting (the Swage) and you will see under it is a barbed threaded fitting. You connect the flexible to this barb with a clip. Chuck out the bypassed FPR, block off the manifold spigot that will be left open.
The hose from the fuel rail TO the B bank FPR is still available and, in my view, worth buying as it is in a very hot position. It can be repaired using the same techniques to join the swaged end to the metal part, but it IS a high pressure hose so be certain all is good. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XJS-Serie...YAAOxyd8NSaljs
The FPR on the other side (B bank side) of the fuel rail (labelled outlet" in the diagram) MUST stay. But all hoses downstream of this are low pressure hoses, they can be replaced or left if they are OK. To remove the swages, use the same procedure.
Last edited by Greg in France; May 4, 2018 at 12:07 PM.
But - when you say "swage" (the one you're talking about) at the fuel rail feed side,,, do you mean CAREFULLY cut off and remove the "threaded" coupling that would accept the male end of that secondary pipe going from that FIRST feed section to the rail?
OR --- do I preserve the threaded end (the screw in) of that secondary feed pipe and work with what I have left after removing the "swage" under-which is the barb? The "swage" (in this case) being the smooth steel covering that houses the hose where it connects to barbed spigot on the male threaded end (the end I will keep and use)?
I think I got ya,,, but I just want to be sure. I mustah missed vocab in grade school, lol.
Basically - will that barbed end be under the THREADED piece or that SMOOTH piece that holds and houses the hose?
------------------------------------ AND
I can get rid of the section with all the bends and use flexible hose back to the fuel tank?
So I just bought the line that ya linked me too! good idea
But - when you say "swage" (the one you're talking about) at the fuel rail feed side,,, do you mean CAREFULLY cut off and remove the "threaded" coupling that would accept the male end of that secondary pipe going from that FIRST feed section to the rail? NO NO NO
OR --- do I preserve the threaded end (the screw in) of that secondary feed pipe and work with what I have left after removing the "swage" under-which is the barb? The "swage" (in this case) being the smooth steel covering that houses the hose where it connects to barbed spigot on the male threaded end (the end I will keep and use)? YES YES YES
Basically - will that barbed end be under the THREADED piece or that SMOOTH piece that holds and houses the hose? Under the smooth piece, once that is carefully cut off, the barbed threaded piece is ready to screw back onto the rail and then have the flexible attached to the barb and be clipped .
I can get rid of the section with all the bends and use flexible hose back to the fuel tank? NO no no! The new flexible line must be attached to the hard steel line where it appears into the engine bay, in the same place that the line labelled "fuel feed" currently attaches to it. Remove the A bank air box and you will see where it joins, just using a factory clip.
GiF! Thank you, once again, You are very welcome, I am full of admiration for your efforts in very difficult (ie non-garage) circumstances!
Oh wait... For my last question above,,, the last sentence.
What I was asking about getting rid of was that last section on the return side (I should have used a picture with part numbers - one sec)... I meant the JA-EAC7938 - piece. Will I still be needing that? Or will or should I try to use parts of it?
He isn't talking about the injector lines. Most of the lines to and from the tank have fittings and change between hard and rubber lines, they are swaged.
I am not talking of injector lines.
There are NO swaged/crimped fuel lines on the XJS (at least up to 1989). They are ALL push on reusable ferrule barb combos.
I have renewed all fuel lines on several cars with no more than correctly rated fuel hose and $20.00 worth of ferrules.
The pics are typical of all the fittings from front to back.
All the R6 hose I've even seen or purchased, personally, is soft-ish and doesn't seem like it would be very durable....but I'm sure quality levels vary even within xxx-standard. I use it only on older cars with carbs and non-severe underhood environments.
FWIW I've never come across any swaged fuel lines in the engine bay of a V12, at least not on the 70s-80s-early 90s cars. Fuel feed, fuel return, and the injectors are all press-on hoses.
Cut the old hose off. New ferrule. Press new hose on. Done. It's that simple, really.
Now, on the XJS it seems to me that the underbody hose-to-pipe joints are swaged...but I can't swear to that. Too many years since I last had a look.
"Crimped" might be a better choice of words in general conversation, IMO
Thanks Doug. I was thinking along the same lines. R9 is more expensive and tougher to find. I can find 1/4 inch which = like 6.35mm. But is toooo small. Is the 5/16 a mandatory in your experience?
And, was hoping for a confirm on the FPR....Does it look like the right fit?
Engine Bay Fuel Lines...Alternatives?
