Do I really need to spend $65 for a couple feet of OEM fuel line?

I ruptured a section of fuel line today pulling it off the petcock. Figured it had seen better days and I'd just replace it along with the other 2 lengths of 21 year old fuel line. It's going to run me around $65 plus shipping (Partzilla) which seems like a pretty outrageous price for a couple feet of line. Two of the lines have bends in them but still . . .
Anyone have any luck substituting some quality aftermarket fuel line, or am I just being a cheap bastid here?

 

I am going to go out on a limb here but most likely you can use other fuel line hose from the auto or bike store but it looks like all the fuel lines shown on Partzilla are molded. They are that way to fit the bike exactly where they need to go without kinking the lines and rubbing on other parts. Any items labeled as bulk hose I would buy from the auto or bike store. I think spending money on the molded hoses is a good idea.

 

Fuel line comes in many forms. Aboot the only common characteristic is the resistance to hydrocarbon fuels. 90 degree bends are possible withoot kinking. There are also alternatives oot there like Tygon.

If ya got the pesos then by all means buy the OEM lines, or:

Save those old lines and use them as templates to construct new lines from a few pesos worth of fuel line from any auto parts source including what is local.

 

Your local hobby shop should have a variety of Tygon fuel line for a couple bucks a foot. It is stiff enough to take pretty tight bends without kinking. You can also use a heat gun and bend it then quench in cold water and it will hold the shape so you can route it "perfectly". It will relax over time but still hold enough of the shape to look like you meant to do it that way. They should also have the corresponding sizes of 90's, t's, y's, and high quality in-line filters. Make sure you get the fuel ones and not the nitro. Great Hobbies is a Canadian chain that carries their full line and complimentary accessories (for my fellow Canuckleheads).

I prefer Tygon because it is transparent, super pliable when new, flexible enough to remove for maintenance, cheap enough to just cut off and replace when you're bored.

 

Thanks for your gentlemen(?). Sounds like the Tygon fuel line will suit my needs just fine. The idea of $65 for a couple feet of molded fuel line was just really rubbing me the wrong way. Been spending a good chunk of dough lately getting things in order for spring between routine maintenance and upgrades, - Samco Sport silicone coolant hoses with the wider stainless hose clamps silicone hoses apparently require, EBC pads, Stainless brake lines, filters, plugs, miscellaneous rubber doodads throughout that are rotting or have become brittle over the years, etc., etc. I understand this is not an inexpensive hobby, but I gotta draw the line at some point . . .

 

Thinwall Tygon can be contorted with a little heat for those really kinky bends. Packing the inside of the tubing with shot or even graded sand will help to maintain the ID. Old trick when bending copper tubing using sand. Tygon is tough stuff. Any pipe or tubing bender will help hold the shape wheh heat is applied.

Some of the thickwall stuff is a bitch.

The thickwall stuff aboot 2" long with an OD of 1.5" makes a good billy..

 

Thanks Billy!!

 

Got back from Great Hobbies and their selection of Tygon has been reduced to hobby size only.

Ended up stopping at Benson's Autoparts and got 4 feet of 1/4" and 4' of 1/2" black flexible hose, 3 fuel filters, 16 screw clamps, and a Y fitting for $35 Canadian Pesos.

The old lines are crumbling off, new stuff is still plyable at -10C

 

I have never even heard of tygon tubing, does anyone have specifics as to what they used? Sure would be nice to see more than just my fuel filter getting clogged. Seeing how dirty the line is post filter sure would be nice.
https://www.kurveygirl.com/shop/index.php?cPath=106&osCsid=b4miknoufvr9ghb203928g0003

 

Looks like the link has some stock for sale. For the real poop, Google "Tygon". Tygon is a material that can be formed and extruded in many shapes, sizes and resistance to all kinds of liquids and gasses. Same deal using Google "Images".

 

Since you furriners up there in the Great Freezing North have come round to the logical use of pesos, Check oot maybe a lab supply for tubing and connectors.. Auto parts stores sometimes have pricing structures that defies common sense.

I needed an Oring recently, went to my local NAPA store. The Oring was nothing special. They wanted something like three pesos for it. American pesos that is.. I passed, went down the street to the Mega auto parts store named after some Irish dude and the same Oring was about half a peso.

 

I got all these viton o-rings of all types of colours from my career of working on jet stuff. I have used them in a fancy sink stopper in my pedestal sink, but no luck using them in any of my motorcycles. I was gona get an official honda o-ring for something recently, however the order got bolloxed up and I ended up canseling the order. They are generally metric o-rings vs American-Oh...

 

All kinds and sizes of Orings for all kinds of uses. See: National Oring..

Check this one oot.. 40' diameter.


http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media...rogressive,q_80,w_800/1299988855972341065.jpg

 

'86 '87 VFR700/750 Fuel Lines

For my '86/87 750 lines I use Motion Pro grey 5/16" Tygon line for the carb set. And a combination of 3/8" and 5/16" Thermoid line for the tank/filter/fuel pump/carb lines. The reason for the two sizes for the tank to carb lines is that the fuel tank fitting is smaller than the rest. So I also need a reducer (3/8 to 5/16). Everything, including the filter and spring clamps come from Amazon. The Tygon and Thermoid are necessary for their elasticity. I can also supply these as a kit.

JOE
V4Dreams.com

 

Thanks for the info!

 

How hard is it to buy a rubber hose?

 

Easier than it is to vacuum a carpet apparently

 

I vote with grabcon. The factory could have also used lower cost, off-the-shelf, fuel lines too but went another way for a reason (the reasons are durability, flow and appearance).

 

Yeah, I'm likely just gonna fork out the dough and go OEM. Lately I've been too lazy/unmotivated to do much else. I think the initial sticker shock has subsided . . .

 

lmao

Well in his defense with that amount of cat hair you would have to change the dirt bag every few feet you vacuum.