Off the lights the other day, giving it a bit of wellie, all of a sudden a huge wheelspin, backfire, clutch slip and smell of burning rubber and plastic. Didn't feel very good after that - Thought the car was on fire so I pulled over and gingerly lifted up the bonnet. There was a hissing noise from near the fuel filter, so I got the torch and had a look. Turns out the fuel vacuum line running from the engine to the small black box behind the filter (don't know what it is) had ruptured in two places! Any ideas? I have no idea what happened there! :confused:

All the vacuum lines get very brittle/stiff (along with everything else) when you think how old it is and the amount of times its got hot and cooled down again.

 

I would just replace and carry on as normal!!

All the vacuum lines get very brittle/stiff (along with everything else) when you think how old it is and the amount of times its got hot and cooled down again.

 

I would just replace and carry on as normal!!

 

thing is, it was a new hose - I only upgraded (or downgraded!) it about two months ago. It's got me worried though - don't want that to happen again!

did you use high pressure fuel hose??

I hope not - its the vac line for the FPR :D Must have caused an air leak...

I hope not - its the vac line for the FPR :D Must have caused an air leak...

 

I don't know - it came with the braided fuel lines. What's the FPR?

Fuel Pressure Regualtor.

I hope not - its the vac line for the FPR :D Must have caused an air leak...

 

DOH, was wondering why the engine bay wasn't in flames! Mental note, must read posts properly :xxx:

FPR=fuel pressure regulator. Maintains the pressure in the fuel rail 45psi above the intake pressure in order for the ecu to fuel correctly. The vac line you are talking about goes to the FPRV solenoid - not really needed in the uk - I got rid of mine and plumbed the intake directly to the fpr... As have some others...

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

FPR=fuel pressure regulator. Maintains the pressure in the fuel rail 45psi above the intake pressure in order for the ecu to fuel correctly. The vac line you are talking about goes to the FPRV solenoid - not really needed in the uk - I got rid of mine and plumbed the intake directly to the fpr... As have some others...

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

 

 

Right. So why would it rupture? Could it be something to do with the pressure being too low in the fuel rail? (the braided hosing cannot be tightened so that it's tight at each end - it can move around quite easily even though it's tightened as far as it will go).

Is your battery strapped in properly?

Is your battery strapped in properly?

 

Yes I think so...why?

I guess cos booting it hard could throw the battery backwards and pinch the vac lines down there causing them to rupture.

No reason at all for this pipe to rupture, stock or even more the fact it's a new silicone one. The battery idea is pretty feasible and would explain the bang as well, When yer car was at SE what work were you having done there, could they have removed battery ? removed this pipe and left it trailing down towards bottom of engine where it's hotter for a while ? alot of guys here have over 10M's of vacum lines on their cars with more pressure and far more heat than what's near that one, so somethings happened !

smithy

No reason at all for this pipe to rupture, stock or even more the fact it's a new silicone one. The battery idea is pretty feasible and would explain the bang as well, When yer car was at SE what work were you having done there, could they have removed battery ? removed this pipe and left it trailing down towards bottom of engine where it's hotter for a while ? alot of guys here have over 10M's of vacum lines on their cars with more pressure and far more heat than what's near that one, so somethings happened !

smithy

 

Hi Paul,

 

The pipe was in place as normal but was ruptured in two places about midway between the two ends. I don't think they removed the battery, and it is secured in place anyway. The bang was definately the car backfiring.

But what work did SE do, something caused it as it's definately one for the record books this ! if we know what work then it could be possible thats it in someway related.

smithy

But what work did SE do, something caused it as it's definately one for the record books this ! if we know what work then it could be possible thats it in someway related.

smithy

 

I don't know precisely - I've been trying to get hold of Pete to find out what might have happened, but he's always busy. I'll keep trying and let you know.

ANY work carried out on a car, you should at least disconnect the battery! They may have even removed it. When they put it back in, they may well have accidentally put the battery in on top of the hose and pinched it, causing damage, realised their mistake but not seen the damage... It is feasible but there is no way on this planet that that vacuum line could rupture from pressure!!!! What were the ruptures like? Got any pics?

Appologies for my srrae'esq post :D I really don't know HOW it happened but sounded like a possible solution :D

Appologies for my srrae'esq post :D I really don't know HOW it happened but sounded like a possible solution :D

:D No probs - Sounds like a plausable reason. I'll have a look and see if I can find the hose tonight. Cheers for the help Andy.

Whilst we're on this subject then...

 

Smithy, where does the extra short bit of braided hose go? I've fitted the long lines which has certainly helped things, cheers!

 

Andy, what does the FPRV do, and why would a person in the UK not require it? Are we talking about the doohickey with 4mm vac lines just down by the battery? You have to replace one of those vac lines when you take out the stock fuel lines to put Smithy's in...

Yep thats the doodle-flip :) All it does is opens the vac line of the FPR up to atmosphere rather than manifold pressure - therefore increasing the fuel pressure. No need to know what it does or why it does it, just remove it lol. All you need to do it take the vac line from the passenger side of the plenum and connect it directly to the FPR - then you can remove another bit of space wasting junk from the engine bay :D

The back fire would be fuel in the inlet manifolds igniting and the pressure wave might have been enough to burst those pipes. Like others said it gets hot there and mine broke a little Tee piece on the same pipe. It was only the hissing by the battery that led me to it.

 

Why the backfire is another matter. I have made mine do it when starting it from cold by jagging the ignition key rather than holding it long enough. But you just hear the pop.

Whilst we're on this subject then...

 

Smithy, where does the extra short bit of braided hose go? I've fitted the long lines which has certainly helped things, cheers!

Under yer throttle cable cover is a very small piece approx 6-7cm long, it's that one mate.

smithy

Cheers boys - on Sat I'll fit the last bit of hose and I'll bypass my PRVRPRPRRVR!