Diesel fuel pipes ?

What are owners using to replace damaged fuel pipes on their diesels ?
I've found the original nylon type pipe that Land Rover used is almost impossible to work with.
Apparently you're supposed to heat up the end of the pipe before pushing it onto the union.
But when I try it (hot air gun) I just end up not hot enough, or melted pipe.
I know that the L R pipe is tough, but I don't have much confidence in it's sealing qualities.
I can remember pricing up genuine Land Rover fuel pipes a while ago - not cheap.
How about neoprene rubber pipes instead ?

Neoprene, rubber or silicon pipe should be fine, it's low pressure. I've not had to replace any pipe but i'd probably go for a rubber type.

Try boiling water, not hot air.

Wildefalcon said:

Try boiling water, not hot air.

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Never seemed to work for me, 100°C never seemed to produce the necessary softening of the pipe.
Maybe I should have tried boiling oil ?
A little medieval but possibly a good bit hotter

I replaced the pipes on the tdi with rubber (or similar) no problem. Hard plastic pipe just seems a faff

My 101fc (which is now a diesel) is plumbed with clear nylon pipe. Like the 300tdi era builds, only clear, so you can see any air issues.

It took a while as there's so many size variants etc but none of it is "push on" but all done with compression fittings and little brass inserts (so the pipe does not crush under the compression olive)

Again it took a while but I'm pleased enough with it.

Anaconda said:

Hard plastic pipe just seems a faff

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And if you want to buy genuine Land Rover replacement pipes they cost an absolute arm and a leg, for what is just a length of pipe with two unions

julianf said:

My 101fc (which is now a diesel) is plumbed with clear nylon pipe. Like the 300tdi era builds, only clear, so you can see any air issues.

It took a while as there's so many size variants etc but none of it is "push on" but all done with compression fittings and little brass inserts (so the pipe does not crush under the compression olive)

Again it took a while but I'm pleased enough with it.

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Sounds like a good system, I'll look into it myself.
Clear pipes would solve a lot of little diesel mysteries

The nylon pipe is great stuff, lasts for decades on air and fuel systems.
Real tough gear, I use modified mole grips to crush the pipe so I can isolate areas to work on compressed air systems.
I use it all the time at work, and never use heat as it shags it.
A good grip, some spit on the barb and get pushing, takes practice not to kink the pipe, I have shown loads of people how to do this over the years, every one of them was amazed it was so easy, as they had all been using heat/special tools etc.

I was repiping a volvo trucks air bags this way the other day, literally a few seconds work for each fitting.

I have replaced hundreds of pipes, possibly thousands of fittings, as DAF had a big fitting recall a decade or so ago.

Whilst the pipe might have the same outside diameter there are different wall thicknesses available, and the thicker the wall the smaller the inside dia which makes it harder to fit onto the barbs, but there is a tarde off, as the thinner wall is easier to kink.

Old W reg volvo, 2 million plus on the clock, so not new and easy to work on.
Old fitting with new pipe


Old fitting with the original pipe which I had to cut to get the bracket off.

Looks like I must be using the wrong technique then, either the damn thing just won't go on, or the pipe splits on me.
And I rate myself as having pretty strong fingers too.

Any photos of the mole grips? Would be appreciated.

grewth said:

Looks like I must be using the wrong technique then, either the damn thing just won't go on, or the pipe splits on me.
And I rate myself as having pretty strong fingers too.

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If it is splitting then the pipe has had its day, this is why we were doing the recall years ago as where the pipe stretches slightly to get it over the barb it was developing hairline splits.
It is just nylon air brake pipe, available at any commercial motor factors and of course ebay etc.

Wildefalcon said:

Any photos of the mole grips? Would be appreciated.

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They are at work 20 miles away, they are just the small long nose variety with jaw teeth ground off leaving a rounded profile so it does not damage the pipe.

lynall said:

If it is splitting then the pipe has had its day

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Yeah, that's probably the case.
Some of my fuel lines probably date back to 1970 when my vehicle was built.

grewth said:

Yeah, that's probably the case.
Some of my fuel lines probably date back to 1970 when my vehicle was built.

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If you are local to me I might have some in the garage.

lynall said:

If you are local to me I might have some in the garage.

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Not if you live in the same place you did about twenty years ago